The fourth annual Not In Our School (NIOS) week ended with Friday’s 70-minute lunch, which featured a mix-it-up barbecue and a performance by the dance group Sol y Luna.

According to sophomore Kevin Ward, who helped plan the NIOS week activities, students were encouraged to sit with different people during the event. Ward considered the week a success.

“I think NIOS as a whole went great,” Ward said. “This was my first time actively participating in and planning the events so it was really cool to see all the hard work that goes into making an event successful.”

According to Ward, many Paly students are under the false impression that Paly is completely accepting of people of a different races, religions, genders, or sexual orientations.

“There is definitely a problem with acceptance at Paly,” Ward said. “It’s just more tacit and people are not as vocal about it.

Senior Vrinda Khanna thinks that although NIOS week did not eliminate stereotypes in the Paly community, it created awareness of the stereotypes and how to dissolve them, which is a step in the right direction.

Other students were doubtful about the extent of NIOS week’s impact in Paly.

“Sometimes I think that it [NIOS week] spreads a message to people who are already aware of the cause,” senior Mika Olivkovich said. “But if you don’t really have a vested interest in the no-hate thing you just leave at lunch.”

Senior Josh Davis agrees that the purpose of NIOS week may be lost on some people.

“I think some people should take the concept behind NIOS week more seriously,” Davis said. “More of an emphasis should be placed on the message and not just the music.”