Tuesday at Haines High School will be the local debut of Challenge Day, a nationwide program with a vision “that every child lives in a world where they feel safe, loved and celebrated.”
“The program is targeted to hopefully try to find positive ways to prevent things like bullying or depression, some of those big teen issues,” said Lindsey Moore, school counselor. “I would hesitate to just call it a bullying program.”
Two facilitators from California will lead the daylong event.
“It’s empowering students and community members to be involved in actively changing communities for the better,” Moore said. “That’s their principle; it’s based off that Mahatma Gandhi quote, ‘Be the change you wish to see in the world.’”
Schools throughout the country have hosted Challenge Day. The program runs multiple days for larger enrollments, such as in Juneau.
“It’s not just a program for big schools,” Moore said. “The program really does a lot of research about the schools before they come in, to see what the issues are that might be going on there.”
A Juneau Empire article from earlier this year described students at Juneau-Douglas High School crossing a line on the floor in one Challenge Day activity.
“They crossed the line for things like if they’ve ever been teased about their weight, if they know someone who has attempted or completed suicide, if they’ve ever struggled with depression, if anyone in their family has had issues with alcohol or substance abuse and many other of life’s complications,” the article said. “Students saw their peers cross that line with them, and staff as well.”
Moore said Challenge Day is able to come to Haines through an Alaska Division of Behavioral Health grant to the Association of Alaska School Boards.
“We don’t necessarily have as obvious issues as some other schools, but for me to sit here and say, ‘Oh, we don’t have issues with bullying or some of the other things that this program targets,’ I would be lying if I said that,” she said. “It’s good to take some time to recognize what we’re doing and what needs to change.”
She said Challenge Day will include follow-up activities.
“One of the big concerns that people have with programs is they come in for one day, and then everything gets dropped,” Moore said. “This program has a weekly bulletin announcement and things like that to keep the momentum the program builds going.”
Challenge Day will have speakers and small-group discussions. “We have community volunteers who come in and are adult support for small groups and things like that, and they’ll participate along with the students,” Moore said.
Volunteers would serve from about 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., with lunch provided. Those interested in volunteering can reach Moore at 766-6744 or [email protected]. Additional information is at http://www.challengeday.org.
“My goal with Challenge Day is really to help our students feel more empowered,” Moore said. “There’s a lot of great leadership here amongst our students and I think there’s a lot of potential there, but I don’t always feel like it is getting noticed and recognized.”