Challenge Day / Be The Change

Challenge Day is a 6 ½ hour program designed to address common issues among adolescents, including bullying, harassment, and intolerance. Schools can host workshops in which the Challenge Day team teaches students how to notice problems happening in their environment, choose what they would rather see, and have the courage and commitment to take action towards positive change. For participants who are inspired to further their personal growth, Be The Change is a follow-up workshop that further encourages students to be truthful to themselves and to work towards authentic fulfilling relationships with others.

To provide youth and their communities with experiential workshops and programs that demonstrate the possibility of love and connection through the celebration of diversity, truth and full expression.

Challenge Day surveyed students from 55 participating schools during the 2010/2011 school year to evaluate the impact of the one day workshop. A total of 4,426 surveys were completed, 32.8% by students in grades 7-8 and 67.2% by students in grades 9-12. A majority of students indicated that Challenge Day positively influences their attitudes and emotion related to social awareness (85.93%), their connection with others (64.62%), their safety (73.48%), their acceptance of self and others (85.89%) and their hope for the future (84.62%). A central goal of Challenge Day is to encourage participants to make a personal commitment for change in their lives, and 76.41% of survey respondents reported they had committed to be more accepting of themselves and others.