FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Challenge Day?

Challenge Day is a 501 c(3)non-profit organization that helps young people learn to connect through powerful, life-changing programs in their schools and communities. The day-long, interactive Challenge Day program provides teens and adults with tools to tear down the walls of separation, and inspires participants to live, study, and work in an encouraging environment of acceptance, love, and respect.

Using highly interactive and energetic activities, Challenge Day Leaders guide teens on a carefully-designed exploration of the ways people separate from each other, and model tools for creating connection and building community.

Challenge Day programs increase self-esteem, help shift dangerous peer pressure to positive peer support, and reduce the acceptability of teasing, oppression, and all forms of violence. Our programs inspire youth and communities to Be the Change they wish to see in the world, and challenge others to do the same.

What does the program look like?

The Challenge Day program is approximately 6 ½ hours long and takes place during a school day. Challenge Day is most effective when it is implemented on the school campus on a school day during normal school hours. It is critical that teachers understand the value of the program so that they are open to allowing students to take part in the day.

Challenge Day Leaders begin the morning by helping teens step out of their comfort zones through music and games. When the teenagers begin to feel safe in the group, they are then willing to be vulnerable with one another and connect as human beings and no longer from stereotypes and labels that have been placed upon them such as nerds, jocks, popular, gangsters, etc. Leaders also spend a portion of the morning talking about the healthy expression of emotions, and the negative effects of keeping feelings inside. During the afternoon, participants dive into the issue of social oppression and examine the impact oppression has on their lives and the lives of people around them. By the end of the afternoon, participants have an opportunity to take a stand against oppression, make amends for hurts they have caused each other, and state their commitment to creating change on their campus and in their community. The day is both inspiring and awakening for students and adults.

Will Challenge Day open a can of worms?

We hope so. Challenge Day is designed to wake people up. Day after day, young people in our schools face negative judgments, teasing, violence, loneliness and separation. Our program incorporates the Challenge Day Formula for Change:

Notice: Wake up to how people are treating one another;

Choose: Choose the school and life of your dreams;

Act: Take action to make your dreams a reality.

Newly-awakened students leave the room inspired to seek ways to contribute to the creation of a positive school environment. School officials choosing to host a Challenge Day should have a plan for empowering these motivated youth in achieving their goals.

In addition to feeling inspired, some students who are dealing with hurts may need additional support. In most cases, we have found school officials are grateful to finally identify and have the opportunity to provide these students with the help they need. We require that your school team have a counselor who is excited to participate in the entire Challenge Day program and is able to provide any necessary follow-up support.

Can I attend a Challenge Day?

We definitely recommend participating in a Challenge Day in your area. The decision to include adults from outside of the immediate school community rests solely with the schools that we serve. Occasionally, schools request help with recruiting adult volunteers for their Challenge Day. Please visit our calendar to see the schools in your area who are open to having adult facilitators from outside the school community attend their Challenge Day.

I’m a parent. Is it OK for me to attend a Challenge Day?

Not only is it OK, it’s ideal. Some youth and adults fear that having parents in attendance will have a negative impact on the program. We have found the exact opposite to be true. Parents will not be assigned to the same small groups as their child. In our experience, the benefits associated with parent participation can have a profound and lasting positive effect on both the youth and the parent. Many school administrators who have experienced the power of our programs strongly recommend to parents that if they can only attend one school event with their child, they make Challenge Day that event.

See our Volunteer FAQ for the full scoop on adult participants.

Who participates in a Challenge Day?

One Challenge Day program can serve a maximum of 100 7-12th grade teens and up to 50 or more adults. The types of students you recruit for Challenge Day may vary depending on the goals you intend to accomplish in your school/community.

A minimum of one committed school counselor must participate in each Challenge Day, in order to provide logistical support and to be available for follow-up with students who may need additional support. A minimum of 1 adult for every 4 teens is required. We strongly recommend including adults who have a role in the school or community and who can provide ongoing support to the teens.

Adults are needed to increase safety in the room, to be role models, and to help keep an eye out for teens that may benefit from follow-up support. Without a sufficient number of adults, it may be necessary to limit the amount of youth in the room: something we want to avoid at all costs. Challenge Day is a great place to invite and bring together representatives from different areas of your community, including adults from local civic organizations, law enforcement, fire departments, the Chamber of Commerce, local businesses or corporations, community foundations/local nonprofits, and of course parents, teachers, administrators, school board members, influential community members, and potential funding sources.

How can I gain school support for Challenge Day?

You can gain school support for Challenge Days through teachers, counselors, parents/PTA, leadership classes, school administrators or district level administrators. It often works best to approach both the PTA and parents while simultaneously approaching teachers or administrators. Approaching the administration only may result in a top-heavy implementation strategy that can limit parent/teacher support. This is not recommended unless the person approaching the schools is familiar with school politics and feels confident that internal school communication is able to overcome this approach. Showing the DVD and providing a brief overview of the program can often be enough to convey Challenge Day’s value. We recommend the following materials for making presentations to schools:

Our online videos or DVD which you can get as a thank you gift for a $15 donation on our Donate Now page.
The one page overview, How It Works, including the price sheet and the multiple pages of school results.

How far in advance should Challenge Days be booked?

We are currently booking Challenge Days for the 2008-09 school year.

Planning for a Challenge Day takes at least 2-3 months. We encourage you to book at least 90 days in advance of your desired Challenge Day date. Given the high demand for our programs and the limited availability of our Leaders, the Challenge Day calendar fills up very quickly. Many schools we work with book up to a year or more in advance.

How much does Challenge Day cost?

Please see the Price Sheet page of our website for costs.

How can I raise funds for my school’s Challenge Day?

Local community foundations, civic groups, police departments, businesses, service clubs, school safety funds, drug use prevention funds, and private donors have all provided funding for the implementation of Challenge Days. Many schools have also used Drug Free and Safe Schools money for our programs. Inviting donors and influential members of your community to participate as adult facilitators during the Challenge Days can be a wonderful way for them to see the immediate impact of their donation. We also strongly recommend inviting influential people in your community and to watch the 15-minute segment of the Teen Files: Surviving High School DVD. It can be especially powerful for teens in your area to give testimonials about Challenge Day’s positive effects in their lives.

Some Circles and Be the Change Teams have created “pay it forward” programs where students who have gone through Challenge Day work with their parents to raise $30-35 to send someone else through Challenge Day. Many schools put on events to fundraise. Local businesses can “adopt” a class to go through Challenge Day. Local employers will match donations given by their employees.

* When approaching potential donors, we strongly recommend showing them the Teen Files DVD, our program brochures, and our cost sheet.

I want to bring a Challenge Day to my school. What are the steps I need to take?

You’ll find the steps necessary to bring a Challenge Day in the How to Bring a Challenge Day section of our website. Please note that we are no longer booking for the 2007-08 school year.

How can we keep the experience of Challenge Day alive?

While our six-hour Challenge Day program can have a dramatic effect in your school and community, it was never intended to be a one-day, fix-all program. Therefore, we require schools to create a Be the Change Team and a Be the Change Team Plan in order to sustain the cultural and paradigm shifts created through Challenge Day. We provide each school that takes part in a Challenge Day with a handbook with numerous ideas and activities that can be used as a part of the Be the Change Team Plan. The Be the Change Team Plan may include mentorship, leadership, and/or service-focused activities provided either in conjunction with Challenge Day or with ongoing programs already in place in the school community.

What other programs do you offer?

The following programs offered by Challenge Day for adults and teens can be used in any Be the Change Plan or for individual personal growth.

Next Step to Being the Change Community Workshop:

The Next Step to Being the Change Workshop is a 3-day experiential personal-growth workshop for adults and teen leaders to deepen the skills and tools presented at Challenge Day. We address the underlying issues that create youth violence, racism, teasing, stereotyping, gender roles, social oppression, tobacco, drug and alcohol use. We look at our own relationship to oppression, our judgments, and our isolation. We then learn tools and skills to Be the Change we want to see in our lives, schools, and communities.

Specialized Programs and Events:

Challenge Day also provides adult staff trainings, retreats, conferences, keynote speeches and other specialized programs for corporations and businesses. Please contact office@challengeday.org for information on pricing and Leader availability.

What research supports Challenge Day’s effectiveness?

As part of our pilot evaluation process, participating schools administer a student survey (provided with Challenge Day Coordinator packet) before and after their program days. You can also find studies and surveys on our School Results page.