Celebrate Respect for All Week (2/12–2/16)!

Want to participate in Respect for All Week on February 12–16, but need some last-minute ideas? Check out some of our suggestions!

  • Feb 9, 2024, 3:39 PM

Did you know that New York City Public Schools’ Respect for All (RFA) Week is February 12–16, 2024? 

Throughout the week, City schools are celebrating the diversity of our student body and staff members while promoting respect and understanding through theme-based activities and lessons. We encourage you to join us and do the same!

Each day is dedicated to a specific theme, and every participating school is celebrating each day in different ways:

  • Monday, February 12: Celebrating Kindness/Be an Ally 
  • Tuesday, February 13: Anti-Bullying/ Cyberbullying 
  • Wednesday, February 14: Respect for Diversity, Disability, Religious Acceptance and Racial Diversity 
  • Thursday, February 15: Gender Identity, Sexual Orientation and LGBTQ Pride and Acceptance
  • Friday, February 16: National No One Eats Alone Day

 

Respect For All Week 2024

If you want to join in on the celebration and need some ideas, we’ve got you covered! Consider some of the following activities:

  • Wear a specific color for each day.
    • On Monday, February 12, celebrate kindness, by wearing red and pink.
    • Orange is commonly associated with safety and is a good choice to highlight anti-bullying/cyberbullying on Tuesday, February 13.
    • The rainbow colors of the LGBTQ+ flag honor gender identity, sexual orientation, and LGBTQ pride and acceptance on Thursday, February 15. Check out other pride flags as well.

     

  • Twin with a classmate or faculty member.
    • Teachers pair up students (randomly or not) to dress in the same outfit one day this week. Faculty can do the same!

     

  • Decorate your school doors, walls, and halls.
    • Have students create positive and uplifting artwork to display throughout the school's public areas.

     

  • Showcase student and faculty diversity!
    • On Wednesday, February 14, hold fun presentations, wear cultural outfits, and eat ethnic cuisines to celebrate the school's diverse makeup.

     

  • Start a class gratitude session.
    • Talk about a moment when someone at the school made a kind gesture or showed respect towards you. A small moment can have a large impact!

     

  • Team up students to eat lunch together and create friendship bracelets!
    • For National No One Eats Alone Day on Friday, February 16, teachers pair up two students (randomly or not) to eat lunch together and provide some fun questions for them to discuss. Using their answers, each student can create a friendship bracelet for their lunch buddy.

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You can also find more suggested activities, such as coloring pages and lesson plans from the Random Acts of Kindness Foundation. Created to build a culture of kindness in the classroom and at home, this site offers free resources throughout the year.

There are many creative ways to commemorate Respect for All Week. Show us how unique your school gets by tagging @NYCSchools on X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, or Facebook using #RespectforAll. We look forward to spreading kindness and celebrating alongside you!