On November 20, 2024, Mepham High School had the opportunity to host the Breaking Borders event, which was coordinated by the Senior School and Community Leaders. The event, held in the North Gym, brought together students and staff of different schools to work together for a day of transformative learning about the harm of stereotypes, how to avoid using them, and being able to understand the perspectives around us. Breaking Borders included five different schools: Division Avenue High School, Roslyn High School, Syosset High School, Elmont Memorial High School, and of course, Mepham High School. The incorporation of these schools created an engaging environment that introduced all participants to the theme of the event. 

The Breaking Borders event included a variety of enjoyable activities such as “Movie Matching,” the cult-classic board game “Guess Who?,” the unique “Hot Seat,” a crowd favorite called “Cross the Line,” and much more. The game that was loved by all participants, “Cross the Line” consisted of a line made of cones spanning the horizontal length of the gym. All participants were to stand in a line against the far side of the gym as a speaker asked thought provoking questions. If players were comfortable answering the question, and it applied to them, they would walk up and cross the line. This activity was a way for people to get a glimpse into themselves and those around them.

Another activity used to get to know participants on a smaller scale was the Movie Matching activity. The Senior Leaders handed out an image that was related to a movie to one person and the name of said move to another. The two people with matching movies would have to find each other and get to know one another by saying their name, grade, school, and favorite movie. Then, participants would have to relay their partner’s information to a large group. Due to the sizable amount of participants, there were large and small groups to help with organization. Each large group consisted of three smaller groups and was broken up by a number label to further keep things in line. As a result, smaller groups were able to get to know one another and establish more personal connections while also being able to learn from many other participants in larger groups.

Junior Isabella Ordonez, a participant of the event from Mepham High School, expressed her enjoyment of the event, stating, “Breaking Borders was such a cool experience because I got to meet a bunch of other people from other schools on Long Island. I also got to hear different perspectives on important topics that can sometimes be difficult to talk about because of everyone’s different life experiences.” Such positive feedback highlights the importance of events like these in the community and how they push for growth and unity.

This event would not have been made possible without the hard work and dedication from the Senior Leaders. These students diligently worked for months on end to make the Breaking Borders event become a reality. Mrs. Geller, the head of the School and Community Leadership classes, had only love to spread about this group of students, saying, “The seniors were extremely impressed by having 35 kids create a workshop which lasted for three hours. What made me the proudest was how much the other schools complimented their work.” Overall, the Breaking Borders event was a major success and helped all those involved learn about the world around them and the stereotypes that come with it. Hopefully, our school can have the honor to host again in the future.