Challenge Day
Challenge Day is a one-day experiential program designed to build connection and empathy and to fulfill the vision that every child lives in a world where he or she feels safe, loved and celebrated.Evidence-based research has shown that Challenge Day helps remove impediments to student success by developing leadership in high school students through its day-long programs, including intellectual flexibility, emotional control, self-confidence and social competence. After our programs, the support network of teachers and administrators can expect the youth participants to:• Increase their skills in noticing oppression and isolation• Practice safe and effective intervention tools in the midst of conflict• Perform acts of change in their schools and communitiesDuring the program, Challenge Day Leaders invite youth to make at least one conscious, positive contribution (also known as an act of change) each day in their communities and schools. The acts of change youth most often did after a Challenge Day are as follows:Helped peers and familyResolved conflictConnected and reached out to peersTook care of selfGave hugs and expressed love
Before the Challenge Day program occurs, students, teachers, and administrators build a “School Team” and they submit a report that answers questions about the school’s demographics (race, ethnicity, gender, for example) and cliques. The data from these reports help school teams choose which 100 teens from various “cliques” will participate in the day-long program. Since teens often feel isolated and separated from both peers and adults, the program includes 25 adult participants consisting of principals, parents, teachers, police officers, clergy, nurses, and other community members.
EXPECTED OUTCOMES At the end of every Challenge Day, the goal is that schools feel safer for teenagers and faculty and that they feel more connected and accepted by their peers and community. Several goals are accomplished at every Challenge Day, including: Equipping students with new communication tools, including tools for sharing emotions and feelings and empathetic listeningDemonstrating through the activities and share time that acceptance and being yourself at school are possible Discussing gender roles, body image, bullying and violence and the oppression that occurs in our communities and world Challenging students and teachers to step into leadership roles on campus and make a positive contribution in their community and the world Teaching teenagers and adults about emotional intelligence and the negative effects of not sharing feelings and how that can hurt friends, family, themselves and others Asking teenagers to examine the costs of “acting out” behaviors (substance abuse, violence, and bullying) that have been destructive in their lives and helping them to seek support to end those behaviors Helping participants to remember and ask the question, “will my behavior/actions leave the other person (or myself) feeling safe, loved and celebrated?”
Challenge Day’s mission is to provide youth and their communities with experiential workshops and programs that demonstrate the possibility of love and connection through the celebration of diversity, truth and full expression. Challenge Day's vision is that every child lives in a world where they feel safe, loved, and celebrated.
The counselors do not necessarily have a PLC. However, after years providing this program to our freshman class, we see such positive differences in our student body that we feel it is a crucial part of the counseling program.
