Challenge Day is a 501(c)(3) non-profit that provides powerful one-day programs as a service to middle, junior, and high schools, or other organizations and companies. This 6 1/2-hour Challenge Day program is an interactive workshop with games and learning activities designed for 125 students and 30 adult volunteers. It was created to build connection and empathy among the participants, and to fulfill our vision that every child lives in a world where they feel safe, loved, and celebrated.
Since 1987, Challenge Day has inspired hundreds of thousands of youth and adults. We have led Challenge Days in 450 cities, 39 U.S. states, 5 provinces of Canada, Japan, Germany, and Australia.
But Challenge Day can be more than a one-day program. It can be used as the spark that ignites a movement of compassion and positive change, known as the BE THE CHANGE movement led by members of a “Be the Change” Team. These teams are groups of youth and adults who build and sustain the spirit of Challenge Day with activities throughout the school year.
Using Challenge Day’s Formula for Change (Notice, Choose, and Act), Be the Change School Teams NOTICE the issues facing students at their school, CHOOSE a vision for increasing compassion and respect on campus, and then ACT to make their vision a reality. Here are just a few ways Be the Change School Teams are making a difference:
>> Starting peer mentoring programs
>> Organizing campus clean-up days
>> Developing all-school “no-teasing” days
>> Creating positive poster campaigns around schools
>> Holding a “Mix it up” Day where kids sit with someone they don’t know at lunchtime
For more information on Challenge Day and the “Be the Change” Movement, visit their website at: www.challengeday.org
For a downloadable Challenge Day brochure with graphics, please go to:
www.challengeday.org/downloads/ChallengeDay_Brochure.pdf
For research on the effectiveness of Challenge Day:
http://www.challengeday.org/challenge-day-evaluations-research.php
For news reports and other documentary content: http://www.challengeday.org/videos.php
For instructions regarding bringing Challenge Day to your school:
www.challengeday.org/our_program/bring-a-challenge-day.html
