- High School Challenge Day
The phrase most often from students participating in
Challenge Day is “life changing”.
Challenge Day is a four-year character development program designed to
reduce teasing, bullying and violence, increase student self-esteem, and build
more coherent, compassionate school communities.
Over 1,300 freshmen in all three Putnam
City high schools participate in the
kickoff of the program at the beginning of the school year. The day begins with ice-breakers,
soul-searching exercises and other activities to help students freely share
their feelings with their peers. The
students then break into small groups where they are encouraged to speak
candidly about issues ranging from bullying and violence to intolerance and
substance abuse. By the end of the day,
students have the opportunity to share their experiences and make amends for
hurts they may have caused each other.
The focus of Challenge Day is literally to change hearts of participants
because only then can they begin to change their behavior.
Students who participate in Challenge Day state a commitment to create change in their school community
and sign on to be part of a “Be the Change” committee. To keep the program fresh in their minds and
continue to encourage students to look at others through the eyes of acceptance
and respect, follow-up activities are planned throughout the school year. Each of the high schools invites their
participants to group sessions where they are asked to share their observances
of positive change in their school community and are given suggestions of ways
to sharpen their skills in noticing oppression and isolation and for practicing
safe and effective intervention tools in the midst of conflict.
These are stories related to Challenge Day that speak to the
power of the program. One mother
reported that her daughter came home after Challenge Day and asked to talk…just
talk. One mother called her three
daughters together and asked them to share with her and with their sisters
about what is going on in their hearts. The
sister of one student told the principal that her sister had recently moved out
of the house after fighting with her parents.
The day she participated in Challenge Day, she moved back into the
family home. One young boy changed his
appearance by cutting his hair, began wearing more traditional clothing, and
standing up straighter and smiling. When
asked by a counselor what happened, the student said, “I made a friend at
Challenge Day, and I realized that I am not alone.” This student has greatly improved his
performance and attitude in the classroom also.
Upon conclusion of their freshman year, students are invited
to become leaders for the freshman kickoff of the Challenge Day program the next
year. The lessons learned in this
program continue on and become a part of the students’ way of life.
Challenge Day will be held at Putnam City High School September 13-16, 2010; Putnam City West September 20-23, 2010; and Putnam City North November 29-December 2, 2010. If you are interested in volunteering, please contact our office at 405-495-5200 x1205.
To learn more and support Challenge Day, please contact Caroline Gist, CFRE at the Putnam City Foundation 405-495-5200 x1205 or cgist@putnamcityschools.org.
To watch the episode of MTV's hit show "If You Really Knew Me" that featured Putnam City West High School, please copy and paste the following to your internet: http://www.mtv.com/videos/if-you-really-knew-me-ep-104-putnam-city-west-high-school/1645378/playlist.jhtml
To learn more about Challenge Day, visit their website at: www.challengeday.org.
To hear a podcast of Challenge Day, please copy and paste the website below to your internet:
http://podcast.putnamcityschools.org/Site/Podcasts/Entries/2008/12/3_Challenge_Day.html