For over a decade, FSA Auctions owner, Freddie Silveria has spoken with over 250,000 6th-12th graders across US and Canada. In 2014, Freddie began presenting for school culture program, Breaking Down the Walls. Freddie goes into middle and high schools and works with 200 students each day in the gym for up to 6 hours. He creates a safe environment for students and staff to connect and meet new people. The motto is “it’s hard to hate someone whose story you know.” And the idea is creating communities of care… the type of school no one would want to leave! Learn more: https://www.ignite2unite.com/freddie-silveria

Breaking Down the Walls, a program designed to create a safe environment for students to build empathy and understanding through their “play, trust, learn” model. By first helping students laugh together, they start to trust one another, and eventually want to learn from those outside their normal friend group. The intention of the workshops is to leave everyone with the realization we are truly BETTER TOGETHER! Learn more: https://www.ignite2unite.com/breaking-down-the-walls-1

Thirty years ago, school culture expert Phil Boyte created an experience for a school in California that needed to intentionally build student to student connections. The Breaking Down the Walls program provides a unique opportunity for students to re-connect and create empathy for one another, build social awareness, and form meaningful relationships, thus improving their social and emotional learning (SEL) skills.