Each school within Hays CISD received national recognition last week for their participation in the No Place for Hate program. No Place for Hate, sponsored by the Anti-Defamation League, is national program that helps encourage students, faculty and staff to make campuses more tolerant and challenge prejudice, said Charlotte Winkelmann, HCISD director of guidance, college and career readiness. At the HCISD school board meeting Sept. 26, students from the Science Hall and Pfluger elementary school committees received recognition from the trustees. Since HCISD began participating in 2007, the district has received the No Place for Hate district designation each year. The success of the program within the district can be attributed to the fact that it is student-driven, Winkelmann said. “If it’s not student-driven, it’s not going to be very meaningful for them,” she said. “It’s important to get kids excited and aware about things they maybe say and do and to be respectful to different cultures,” Winkelmann said. Committees made up of students at each school come up with at least three activities on campus that demonstrate No Place for Hate values, she said. In October, schools submit their plans to the ADL and  have until the end of the year to show how they are implementing them. “One of the popular things they do is a ‘mix-it-up’ lunch, where kids make an effort to sit with students they don’t normally sit by,” Winkelmann said. She said another campus had high school athletes visit schools to talk to younger students about the importance of diversity and accepting everyone. “The world is diverse, so I think it's important that students learn to be with students of all cultures so they can learn to be respectful,” Winkelmann said. “We don’t want our kids to grow up in a false environment with kids just like them.” Through the program, if students see a situation on their campus in which students are bullying others, they are taught to say something. “They need to stand up and advocate and encourage other students to be respectful,” Winkelmann said. “There is no such thing as an innocent bystander. “ Winkelmann said the district will “absolutely” continue the program in the future. “If we can accept diversity, we can stamp out bullying or any activities that may be hurtful to students,” she said.