Students celebrated the completion of the Not In Our School campaign by completely dissolving many stereotypes on the quad on Friday.

The “Dissolving Sterotypes” event was hosted by the Youth Community Service club and consisted of students writing stereotypes on rice paper. Students then put the pieces of paper into a pool of water. The marker ink bled off the paper and dissolved, symbolic to the non-hate environment the school promotes during Not in Our School campaign.

“The activity signifies a physical embodiment of what we should be doing mentally, dissolving stereotypes,” senior and YCS member Ilene Rafii said.

This is the second time Paly has had a “Dissolving Stereotypes” event. The school’s Gay-Straight Alliance club hosted the event last year during Not In Our School week.

“I suggested doing the event,” senior and YCS member Elena Chacko said. “I think it’s the most powerful event because you are literally dissolving stereotypes. It’s not just racial or homophobic, it’s any stereotype, no matter what views you have.”

YCS decided to continue with the event this year because of its success last year during Not In Our School week and because of its strong message.

“It was a really successful activity [last year],” senior and president of YCS Elaine Chen said. “It’s a great way to come together as one. Students are understanding that everyone has prejudice, and this is a way to break it.”

For some, the low turnout to the event was disappointing.

“It’s important for me to fight discrimination at Paly because I know I can make a difference here,” GSA president, senior Montica Emmer said. “But I don’t know why more people participate, it’s so easy. I think it is a reflection of how Paly students don’t care to change.”

YCS members say that they will repeat the event in next year’s Not In Our School campaign.