Does looking good and feeling good have a correlation with an improved work ethic?

When freshman Bobby Guggino dressed well to class on Wednesday, his English teacher Aimee Scotto was impressed. He was not only actively participating in class, he also seemed to vibrate an aura of positivity  and worth ethic about him. He told her that he and his friends had started dressing nice on Wednesdays to see if it brought any change to their school day.

The English teacher, who was inspired by this idea, recalls, “I really thought it was something.”

The next week, she challenged all of her 100-something students to do the same. The challenge was simple: dress nice on Wednesdays and extra credit points to class participation will be awarded.

What started off as a humble experiment has changed into Newfield’s little movement. Classmates, initially just anticipating the rarely given extra credit, encouraged each other and their friends to dress nice with them on the special day. Across the campus, sweats and tees were traded in for dresses and button-downs.

But what everyone found most amazing is how much it improved their “hump-day.” Scotto describes a student that rarely participated in class, raising his hands multiple times just the first Wednesday after her announcement. The participation boost that she had offered as extra credit was being earned by her students. In fact, students were more likely to participate when they felt better about themselves and their appearance … they felt better in their own skin.

As Scotto puts it, “Students felt more successful because they dressed more formal, and approached work in a more formal manner. Students were more studious and confident.”

So, here’s a challenge from Newfield: we encourage you and your friends to dress nicely this next Wednesday and watch the change it brings to your life!