The Student Impact Team hosted the annual bonding event, kNOw Limits, on February 11th from 1 – 9 p.m. in the gym.

The event began more than twenty years ago as a form for students to express and connect with one another. The day includes influential speakers, team building exercises, and self-reflecting activities. It aims to bridge the gap between students, their fellow peers, and teachers.

The event claims to “eliminate social and emotional barriers as well as strengthen and create connections.” In a combination of small and large groups, attendees shared their thoughts and insights in a comfortable, accepting setting. Many were able to share their emotions after writing their “Past, Present, and Future” booklet. The book had a cover which either expressed something important to them or whatever they felt like (some of the booklets were just titled students’ names). From there, the attendees were at liberty to freely write their life stories in their customized books. Afterwards, the groups would go around and share what they had wrote. There was no pressure to say anything, but there was also a non-judgemental, open environment that encouraged the kids to share. Together, they broke down social barriers and promoted positivity.

Throughout the event, everyone wrote kind words on posters they had made at the beginning of the day. A person’s name was at the top of each poster, allowing easy identification of who would be receiving the compliment or encouraging note. This was one of the most powerful, sentimental aspects of the event. It allowed kids to come closer and see the best aspects of each other. Another emotional moment was Lillian Cheung’s speech. As a student speaker, she greatly moved the crowd.

One of the most publicized aspects of the event is the note card segment where the students build towers and designs in silence. Attendees built towers that stood at their height while others built stacks in the shape of hearts. While they were all quiet, they could still connect and be unified through the activity. And at the end, the cards came crashing down as the students demolished their creations, letting loose and eliminating the silence. Senior Emily Williams said, “I think it went pretty well for the amount of people that showed up. It was long and tiring, but a lot of people stayed for the whole day which was awesome.” Everyone should experience the moving, impactful event in the years to come.