Students and teachers were selected and gathered in the aux gym on Tuesday and Wednesday September 16and 17 to participate in a day full of fun games and learn valuable lessons with the help of a program called Breaking Down the Walls.  The program is designed to teach students that people have more in common than they think.

The day began with ice breakers where everyone was able to have conversations with people who they may have never met. Laughter and smiles filled the room as students started learning the fundamental aspects of what would be built upon later in the day. Kahlen DuFrene ‘26 expressed that “In the beginning I didn’t feel that this would be impactful, but towards the second half of the day we did activities that had a meaning to me.

The games continued as the students broke off into small groups to create a more intimate atmosphere where everyone felt safe to share their stories. While bonding over food and laughs, participants were able to realize that everyone had more in common than they may have previously thought. 

The most impactful game of the day was done in complete silence. Prompts were read and if they applied to participants, they would walk across the gym floor. Deep questions lead to the fostering of a heavier atmosphere in the room. After this, everyone gathered in a circle to analyze what they had just observed. 

The central message being taught was that everyone has something going on under the surface. Juliet Offley ‘27 shared how her “perspective was changed after participating in the program” because it showed her “how much some people really are going through it,” and helped her learn a lot about them.

After this, students were given the opportunity to publicly express to  someone their appreciation, gratitude, or even express that they are sorry for something. At the end of that activity, students were able to write a positive message on a sticker and give it to participants in the room. 

As the day ended, everyone was given the option to continue their life the way they had before or to use the lessons that they were given during Breaking Down Walls to make a change for the better.