After five years of using the same script, Breaking Down the Walls will be using a new script for its January skit in an effort to focus more on cyber bullying.
“We always try to make it timely,” said Pam Kalafut, the head of Breaking Down the Walls. “Fifteen years ago we were talking about kids getting picked on while riding the bus, so as the years go by, we think of different ways to address the same issues of bullying and mistreatment of others.”
The club hopes the change will relate more to students and their experiences. “We looked at the script and we decided that the script wasn’t applicable to our daily lives. So we decided to make changes to it so it would be more relatable to students,” said Megan Ryan, senior and club member. “We believe now with Facebook and Twitter, bullying occurs more online rather than in person.”
While the club plans on shifting the focus of the skit, they still plan on keeping some aspects similar to the script used before. “We’re keeping the same aspect of having comedy throughout the play to make it entertaining and have people relate to the situations. We’re still going to focus on having a dramatic ending just to get the point across about cyber bullying,” said Daniel Menza, senior and club member.
The point of the skit still stands on raising awareness about bullying and mistreatment at Central. “One thing we don’t do at Central is stick out heads in the sand and say it doesn’t happen,” Kalafut said. “There are schools that say it’s not an issue when in actuality it’s a big problem.”
The skit will be performed in January in front of the entire sophomore class. A more age appropriate skit will also be performed for various middle schools.
The club also plans on performing in other areas to raise awareness about their cause. “We’ll be going to national conventions in Phoenix, DC, and other places in the Chicago-land area,” Menza said. “Last year we performed at the Chicago-land area national convention and they wanted us to go to all of these locations to raise awareness about bullying because they saw something in our group that was yet to be seen in high schools around the country.”
“Hopefully since the basis of it is more relatable now, it will be used for years to come,” Ryan said.
