The day began with upbeat music, applause, and high-fives from staff members to students as sophomores entered the Indian Hill High School (IHHS) gymnasium for learning that was outside their typical classroom day. On Tuesday, November 12, the climate inside Indian Hill High School (IHHS) was powerful, as the entire class came together for a ReDo Day experience.
“Respect and caring for all – that is the ultimate goal for our learning during this annual event,” said Indian Hill High School Principal Jeff Damadeo. “ReDo Day is a powerful, high-energy program in which students, along with adult volunteers, are guided through a series of experiential learning processes to embrace diversity, increase personal power and self-acceptance, shift negative peer pressure to positive peer support, and to eliminate the acceptability of bullying behavior, violence, and all forms of oppression.”
The learning is accomplished through a series of storytelling by ReDo presenters, small group sharing sessions, and large group participatory activities.
“Throughout the experience, students and adult volunteers develop a sense of just how similar we all are as human beings,” said IHHS Counselor Donita Jackson, who coordinated the event. “At the end of the day, our students develop an action plan to take the lessons they’ve learned through sharing stories and help them move forward with positive behaviors that both give and get respect.”
The Violence Free Coalition (VFC) of Warren County facilitates the ReDo Day activities. The VFC is a recognized leader in violence prevention, committed to creating a culture of nonviolence.
“Although students miss a traditional day of classes, this day is about coming together, embracing the diversity that exists here at Indian Hill, and growing as a human being,” said Damadeo. “Learning these important lessons is part of what it means to be a Brave; it is a powerful day indeed.”
Photo caption: Indian Hill High School sophomores spent Tuesday, November 12, participating in ReDo Day which uses story sharing to develop a culture of respect.