JAY – Fifth- and sixth-graders adapted better to stepping outside their comfort zone Friday. Though the seventh- and eighth-graders didn’t resist, it took a little longer for them to warm up to sitting with new lunch partners.

The Jay Middle School Civil Rights Team had given each student a number, assigning the pupil to sit at a specific cafeteria table to eat lunch.

For many, it was the first time they sat with people outside their circle of friends.

“They’re trying to break up our friendships,” fifth-grader Alex Donka said as he sat down at the round table.

They didn’t expect the change of lunch partners, he said.

Alex was joined by sixth-grader Matt Lancaster and fifth-graders Cassiemei Helman and James Richards.

Civil Rights Team members Chelsea Fortier, Vicki Quirrion and Alex Colon, all eighth-graders, stopped by the table and told them that if they knew the answers to questions on paper at the center of the table when they stopped back, there would be a lollipop prize.

Those questions sparked conversation as they asked, “What is your favorite school subject?” “Do you have brothers/sisters?” and “Where is your favorite place?”

By the time eighth-grader Megan Wolf stopped by again, they could answer the questions about each other.

“At least it wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be,” Cassiemei said.

There was 100 percent participation in that group between students and teachers, said Catherine Siggens, Civil Rights Team adviser.

“No one resisted,” Siggens said.

“Some of them actually weren’t talking,” Chelsea Fortier said. “But I was surprised at how many did talk.”

Some team members said they expected resistance with the older students.

As the next group came to lunch, seventh- and eighth-graders searched for the table they were assigned.

Seventh-grader Kelsey Webster sat down with fellow seventh-grader Tyler Buck and eighth-grader Josh Allison.

All three have different sets of friends, they said.

All three had something different to eat: Tyler a chicken burger, Kelsey a hamburger and Josh a ham hoagie.

It was quiet for a bit. Kelsey ate slow and silently for most of the lunch, while Tyler and Josh talked.

When Tyler learned that he would get a lollipop if he knew what his table mates’ favorite movies, he said, “So they’re bribing us.”

The two boys earned a lollipop, but Kelsey said she didn’t want one.

While team members waited for the next group to come to lunch, Megan Frey said the experiment had gone “pretty good” so far.

“I did see some differences,” she said. “The fifth- and sixth-graders cooperated better. The whole point of this is to meet new people and to get to know them better.”