By Jonathan Coronel
High school is a challenging transition for teenagers. They experience changes physically and emotionally, and grasp for some sense of community and friendship to help them fit in.
As if high school weren’t hard enough already, bullying makes it an even tougher time. The Tempe Union High School District, for its part, is attempting to combat these issues with its adoption of Challenge Day, an event hosted district-wide for the first time.
Challenge Day is a national movement that seeks to break down barriers among students and tries to make schools more positive and welcoming. Featured on MTV as well as Oprah, Challenge Day is a burgeoning national movement that just recently took hold in Tempe.
“Last year was the first time Challenge Day ever came to our district; this is actually the first year Challenge Day is being conducted at all Tempe Union high schools,” Robin Arredondo-Savage, Tempe city councilmember and Challenge Day volunteer, tells me.
To become involved in the project, Challenge Day students volunteer or are selected by counselors, teachers and administrators to take part in a day consisting of much more than one-directional sermons from adult experts.
“It’s a very interactive program and we try to make it more like a dialogue as opposed to a lecture; students respond to it very well,” Arredondo-Savage says.
The Challenge Day workshop lasts about six and a half hours and is filled with educational games and music to engage kids and make them feel comfortable. Each Challenge Day program is designed for up to 100 students and 50 adults.
The main thrust of the program is about teaching kids acceptance. The goal is to make students aware of the divisions between people in society and then to break down those barriers whether they be based on race, religion, class or other factors.
With a focus on achieving sustained results, Challenge Day is much more than the initial six-and-a-half hour program. To do this, each participating school forms a “Be the Change” team that focuses on cultivating the acceptance and kindness preached long after the Challenge Day workshop ends. Additionally included on the Challenge Day website are follow-up questions and discussions for students to use to further the education they gained from the program.
Challenge Day thrives on enthusiastic parent volunteers willing to sacrifice a day and make a difference in their community. Tempe High school this year had 20 parent volunteers helping during the workshop, with Arredondo-Savage among them.
“We can’t change things and make this community better alone,” she said. “It really does take a committed team willing to make long-lasting changes.”
I am watching the work session of the Tempe City Council about Challenge Day. I am completely moved by this. I will be a new art teacher at Gililland Middle School next year and I would be interested in getting involved if you guys continue this next year.