Elinda Magnuson, junior, sits down at the weekly meeting for Breaking Down the Walls White. She and her fellow classmates in the club proceed to brainstorm ways they can deter bullying and promote an anti-bullying campaign at Central through video. After a serious discussion on how this task is to be carried out, the group preps to film.

Breaking Down the Walls is a club that has served as a major part of the club’s anti-bullying campaign, known for traveling to various schools around the country to advocate a safe school environment through student-written skits.

This year, the club divided into two separate branches. Breaking Down the Walls Red is the same Breaking Down the Walls the school has always known, traveling around the country, performing their skits to send an anti-bullying message.

Breaking Down the Walls White, previously called Reel World Central, achieves the same purpose of campaigning against bullying, but it is completely Central-based and films videos rather than live skits to convey its message.

Another key difference between the clubs is their membership policies. In the past, Breaking Down the Walls received a lot of criticism for its application process. Many students claimed the club contradicted its own message by being such an “exclusive” organization.

“We created two branches of the same club so that one can focus working more in Central and be open to everyone, and the other can still be small and work externally,” said Toni Adeyemi, junior and co-president of Breaking Down the Walls White.

Unlike Breaking Down the Walls Red, which still requires an application process for entry into the group, Breaking Down the Walls White is open to any student who wants to join. Magnuson contends the club sticks to its “open-arms” image.

“It’s very open, and everyone’s accepted,” Magnuson said. “Everyone’s ideas are taken, and it’s pretty organized. The club leaders are very approachable and reasonable.”

So far Adeyemi and Magnuson believe Breaking Down the Walls White has achieved its purpose of both appeasing critics and enhancing Central’s anti-bullying campaign. This year, Breaking Down the Walls White plans to take the campaign in a completely new direction.

“We are trying a new approach because most high school students are not the bully or the victim; they are bystanders to situations,” Adeyemi said.

Breaking Down the Walls White will continue to build on this approach in the future through video.