East Rockaway Jr/Sr High School demonstrated the power of community on Wednesday, Oct. 22, as students and staff participated in Unity Day activities designed to promote kindness, acceptance and inclusion throughout the school.

The day began with a sea of orange filling the hallways, as students and staff wore the signature Unity Day color to make a visible statement of their commitment to standing against bullying and fostering a supportive school environment.

During lunch periods, the school's Peer Leaders organized interactive activities in the cafeteria that gave students in grades 7–12 meaningful ways to participate. Students lined up to sign a pledge banner, publicly demonstrating their support for those affected by bullying and affirming their dedication to creating a kinder, more accepting school culture.

In another creative activity, students were invited to reflect on what unity means to them personally and to identify concrete ways they could act as upstanders rather than bystanders. They wrote their thoughts and commitments on orange paper strips, which were then stapled together to form a single, extended chain. The resulting display served as a powerful visual representation of how individual actions, when linked together, create a stronger collective impact.

The staff at East Rockaway High School also participated by gathering for a group photograph, symbolizing their united front in promoting kindness, acceptance and inclusion across the entire school community. The photo captured the faculty's firm commitment to standing against bullying alongside their students.

Through these coordinated activities, East Rockaway Jr/Sr High School transformed Unity Day from a simple observance into an engaging, community-building experience that reinforced the school's core values and reminded everyone of their shared responsibility to create a welcoming environment for all.