CHARLESTOWN — Charlestown Middle School 8th-grader Erin K. Cody likes to dress “goth.” She wears black clothing, thick-colored eyeliner and T-shirts with graphics such as bleeding spiders.

Erin says she likes her wardrobe because it’s comfortable, yet she also knows some of her peers “label” her solely because of her clothes. And that, Erin says, is “stupid” because “no one gets to know the person behind the clothes.”

But attitudes at Charlestown Middle School are slowly changing. Erin was one of 40 7th- and 8th-graders who attended a daylong diversity workshop at Waterville Valley on Jan. 14. It was paid for by the N.H. Cultural Diversity Awareness Council.

Eighth-grader Andy Fischer described the workshop in an essay: “The objective was to create awareness, sensitivity and appreciation of the similarities and differences in ourselves and others,” he wrote.

And it seemed to work. Andy, Erin and three other students who went to Waterville Valley sat in teacher Paula Southard-Stevens’ room during lunch recently and discussed what they learned.

“When you started talking to people in your group, they wanted to know what you had to say and they didn’t just judge you first,” said 7th-grader Ginny M. Chamberlain, 13. “Now I get to know people first.”

Asked whether they all sometimes judge people on what they look like, the students looked silently down at the floor. Then they all nodded yes.

Asked whether they would look at others differently now, they nodded again, this time looking up at the questioner.

Kevin M. Peck, a 7th-grader, said he learned there are many different ways to judge people other than race. Peck, 12, mentioned height and if people play sports.

Ginny said kids are often judged by the number of friends they have. Nicole J. Cabaleiro, 12, said kids will judge others based on who they date.

The 40 Charlestown representatives joined students from four other middle schools in the state for the workshop. In the morning session, they broke into small groups to talk about diversity, stereotyping and how to respect others for who they are. In the afternoon, the students had the choice of skiing, snowboarding or another winter activity.

Charlestown was picked as the representative for the southwest corner of the state; teacher Southard-Stevens said someone on the council was familiar with the town.

Science teacher Shawn M. Stevens, one of the chaperones, said the students already knew about stereotypes. The workshop, he said, gave them a different perspective.

“They know why they pick on somebody; they just don’t admit it,” Stevens said. “They realize now that even thinking of it can cause problems down the road.”

The effect of the workshop, said teacher Karin N. Sjostrom, was immediate.

“The demeanor of the kids changed on the way home,” Sjostrom said. “They were less willing to rag on each other on the coach bus. They usually get cranky and tired, but they were polite and kind.”

Sjostrom noted the kids left school at 6 a.m. and returned 12 hours later at 6 p.m.

Stevens, the science teacher, also learned lessons of his own. Like the students, the teachers attended their own workshops in the morning.

“I learned not to be afraid of teachable moments if someone says something outrageous,” Stevens said. “It is so worth missing some of the academics to address issues of awareness.”

Southard-Stevens said that, for some of the students, it was their first coach bus ride and first time skiing or snowboarding. She added the students chosen were a purposely diverse group.

The mix featured boys and girls, shy and outgoing personalities, diverse economic backgrounds and some students with behavioral issues.

Principal Diane Hicks said the students were called to the gym to hear the news. She said they were quiet as the announcement was made, adding that students kids who generally don’t get picked for adventures were beaming.