Hamburg teachers Lisa Scicchitano and Allison Rizzo held Outsider’s Day for 8th grade students on June 6, which was both a positive educational activity and an opportunity for the students to express what they’ve learned and venture back to the 1960s with their choice of Greaser or Social attire.
This was the 7th year that Outsider’s Day has been held at Hamburg Area Middle School, an activity that stems from a study of the novel “The Outsiders” by S.E. Hinton.
The students walk to and from the Hamburg Strand to view the film adaptation of the novel. Then when the group returns to school there is a “rumble”.
Students and teachers participate dressing as either a Greaser or a Social. Greasers always tend to outweigh the Socials; however; in the rumble (dodge ball game – Greasers vs. Soc’s) the Soc’s are given special privileges to emulate the special treatment they often experienced in the novel.
Many of the novel’s themes are brought to life and the students enjoy having the opportunity to live a day as a Greaser or a Social. Throughout the novel study and Outsiders day the students experienced a different decade, and made connections to present day.
This novel is read in middle schools across the country because it is relevant and timeless even as the years pass by. Scicchitano and Rizzo, 8th grade English teachers, enjoyed the discussions that sparked from the events of the novel and were beyond pleased to see how the students were invested in the characters, conflict, and connections to their world.