Challenge Day at STMS and STHS: "Life-changing"

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - In a world where youth are faced with continued bullying on social media and at school, and where they feel disconnected and unsafe, a program continues to be offered to South Lake Tahoe students to change the direction of negative outcomes.

Imagine a school where everyone feels safe, loved and celebrated. Imagine enemies finding common ground and making peace; friends healing past hurts and making amends; people igniting their passion for service and leadership; adults and youth working together to create a school where everyone is included and thrives.

This is the goal of Challenge Day, an intense and emotional day that presents an opportunity to ignite a shift toward greater school connectedness, empathy, and inclusivity. The day challenges participants to "Be The Change," as it starts with just one.

The Challenge Day program was recently presented to 100 South Tahoe Middle School (STMS) students and 70 South Tahoe High School (STHS) students and conversations about the results haven't stopped. Neither has the discussion of making the program available to more students, teachers and the local community.

"Challenge Day brings together a diverse group of people and allows them the opportunity to come together and realize that they aren't alone," said STMS teacher and Club Live Advisor Larry Lambdin. "There are many people just like them that are experiencing and have experienced many of the same challenging things that they have gone through. We need to take the opportunity to reach out to others and provide connection and support. Challenge Day does this and encourages us to continue connecting and supporting others in our daily lives. South Tahoe Middle School wants to continue the Challenge Day program in the future in order to help support our students."

STMS has presented Challenge Day to students for several years and this was the first year the program was also offered to STHS students.

“Challenge Day is the most important educational experience of our time," said STHS teacher and coach Julia Russell. "The students were so relieved to have the opportunity to learn the lessons of connection and love, in a safe and supportive environment lead by the Challenge Day facilitators. Students along with staff and community members did the very real and difficult work of preventing suicides and violence, through interactive challenges specifically designed to break the barriers of separation and oppression. We will be working hard to secure the funds to allow more students to share in the life-changing experience next year and for many years to come.”

The students at both schools have been excited to continue to message and actions of compassion and connectivity they learned during Challenge Day.

What happens on these days is a group of community volunteers gather with the students and go through a series of activities and small group conversations, all with a goal of inspiring a school-wide movement of compassion and positive change.

The program builds empathy when the student participants see fellow students as more than a subject who perhaps they didn't like before, or maybe even bullied. The program addresses common issues seen in most schools including cliques, gossip, rumors, negative judgments, teasing, harassment, isolation, stereotypes, intolerance, racism, sexism, bullying, violence, suicide, homophobia, hopelessness, apathy, and hidden pressures to create an image, achieve or live up to the expectations of others.

There are many tears shed, both by the students and the adults. Emotions are raw when they "Go Over the Line" or one of the other powerful activities during the day.

It is important to keep the momentum going and spread to others throughout the schools, to create a kinder student body and understanding culture instead of bullying and hate.

To do so at the high school, Russell said they want to do a whole school meeting for a "Challenge Assembly," additional Challenge Days and staff training days as well.

Lambdin said the middle school students not involved are also wanting to participate.

To help with this "life-changing" event, the Soroptimist International of Tahoe Sierra (SITS) is making Challenge Day the special appeal at their April 13 Elegant Evening. A call for donations to Challenge Day will be made during the evening, or donations can be made directly on their website. Some tickets to the event are still available and can be purchased by members or HERE.

It costs just over $3500 plus travel expenses to put on each Challenge Day for a maximum of 100 students. Full school assemblies of up to 1,500 students cost $4,750 plus travel. Challenge Days for communities, businesses, and groups are also available.

As Lambdin's students' shirts said during the event, "Be the change you wish to see in the world."