Associated Student Body leaders are praising Change In Our Schools Week, which took place the week before spring break at Palo Alto High School.

The goal of CIOS week is to bring awareness of the need for change in the school’s social environment and then to take the necessary steps to make change, according to ASB officer Neil Kapoor.

“I like participating in CIOS because I think that it is a great week to remind everyone about social problems students can face,” sophomore Evan Baldonado said.

ASB leaders several years ago changed the name of the week from Not In Our Schools Week to CIOS to showcase positivity, address important social controversies, and focus on steps students can take to eliminate social stigmas.

This year, one major activity students participated in was creating and displaying signs across campus describing what they thought Paly encourages.

ASB also changed some of its approaches such as encouraging upperclassmen to take photos of their signs with freshmen and sophomores to promote inclusivity and unity.

“It’s extremely important not only to recognize issues but to be able to respond in a way that is better for both you and the greater world,” ASB President Anmol Nagar said. “During CIOS, we address questions like ‘Who are we as Paly?’, ‘What is my identity?’, ‘How do I treat others?’, ‘What are my sources of Strength?’ and ‘How do I care for myself?’”

Additionally, other daily activities were held on the Quad during lunch to engage students in CIOS core values.

Looking back, CIOS was extremely effective and brought together many students with similar social ideals, said sophomore Arjun Kana, adding: “Overall, I had a great time with my friends and I learned too.”