Lawrence High School students, district staff and community members participate in a Challenge Day activity in October.
Lawrence High School kicked off Week of Respect with Challenge Day Oct. 7 and 8.
Lawrence Township Education Foundation funded the program that is designed to break down barriers between students, stop bullying, and encourage students to make relationships outside their typical group of friends.
About 191 students and 55 adults, including community members and district staff members, participated in the event.
The Challenge program began with a series of ice-breakers designed to help adults and students relax and step out of their comfort zones.
Leaders from the California-based Challenge Day program discussed societal pressures teenagers often face and shared personal life experiences, as well as led a discussion on oppression and how it affects high schools students.
Participants then joined in exercises such as “if you really knew me” and “crossed the line” for life experiences they shared, creating a common bond amongst the people in the room.
The day concluded when students “spoke out,” making apologies and extending thank yous, as well as talking about how they can be leaders to the rest of the school.
In a post-event survey, 100 percent of students said they were happy they participated and many hope to see it again so more students can experience the program.
The first follow-up activity is a “mix it up” lunch scheduled for Oct. 29. The event, launched by the Southern Poverty Law Center’s Teaching Tolerance project in 2002, encourages students to sit with someone new in the cafeteria for just one day.
The goal of Challenge Day is to spread the message of “Be the Change” to the rest of the school and the community. LHS formed a “Be the Change” committee that is set to meet throughout the year and lead activities that will help spread the Challenge Day message to the rest of the high school and the community.
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