~ June Issue ~
 

Challenge Day
By Lauren Stabile and Niki Shah

In the words of Gandhi and the Challenge Day organizers, “Be the change.”  Administrators, class leaders and teachers encouraged dozens of sophomores, juniors, and seniors to open their minds, embrace differences and overcome social barriers.  As troops of students crowded the girls’ gym, students offered emotional support to their fellow Challenge Day participants as they divulged their deepest fears, regrets, and experiences.

            Challenge Day is a 20+ year old program, designed to enable acceptance, to teach respect among enemies, and to halt violence, oppression and bullying.  Founded by an ex-teacher and wrestling coach, Challenge Day is the offspring of a program pioneered by two treatment facilities in Northern California.

            After an almost 25 minute delay, the participants entered into the North Gym and were shocked by their first ice-breaker activity involving a whirlwind of high-fives and hugs.  Undoubtedly, many students felt awkward at first, with half the students pouring themselves into the experience and the other half ogling at the spectacle.  After a few high-energy activities, the Challenge Day facilitators opened the serious part of the program with their stories of growing up in abusive, repressive homes.  Then, students broke into randomly selected groups to share their “If you really knew me…” stories.  While some were wrought with emotion and drenched in tears, others were obviously unmoved by the experience.  As students offered support to their classmates, some shared very personal stories, but others obviously felt uncomfortable sharing their deepest thoughts with near strangers.

            As the stories came to a close, students were encouraged to partake in action-packed games designed to boost confidence and self-esteem.  The order of the events of the day ran with alternating thoughtful and emotional delving with loud and lively activities. After a few hours of this, the most famous part of Challenge Day began – the “cross the line” activity.  Students were presented with various questions involving traumatic childhoods, ethnicity and gender differences.  When students felt that the question applied to them, they crossed the line and looked back at their peers still on the other side.  Evoking the most tears, this activity gave students a different perspective of their peers.  However, while this activity was enlightening, there was a flaw.  The men were asked how many were pressured to control their emotions, ignore physical pain or forced into hurting another because they need to appear “tough”; how many of those men who crossed the line have done the same thing to other men? For the women, the facilitators asked how many have ever been passive-aggressively hurt by another woman, backstabbed or hurt by gossip or rumors.  As every woman crossed the line, shouldn’t she remember back to the time when she spread rumors or gossiped about a fellow female?  Before we judge or play the victim, many times we should remember that we are often the perpetrators.  Individual change can only come with a personal epiphany, and to be honest, how many of the world’s greatest leaders have decided to flip the perspective of the world at the prodding of a proctor? Yes, some students have faced hardships, and they have amazing courage to admit their fears, wounds and issues to the participants and yes, everyone has issues that he or she will have to deal with eventually.  However, the extent of this activity will only be great if the participants take this experience and channel the energy unleashed during the day to change the school.  The true effect of Challenge Day can only be determined by the 2007-2008 school year.