More than 150 students, parents, teachers and administrators had
a chance to learn about feelings and emotions, two subjects not
often discussed during school, during San Benito High School’s
Challenge Day on Friday.
Hollister – More than 150 students, parents, teachers and administrators had a chance to learn about feelings and emotions, two subjects not often discussed during school, during San Benito High School’s Challenge Day on Friday.
Students participated in a carefully designed series of activities that promoted interaction and discussion. For event organizer Jeanie Churchill, the most important activity of the day was “crossing the line.”
During this activity, all participants lined up across the gym and the program facilitator asked those who have undergone a particular experience to cross a line in the middle of the room in order to let them know that they are not alone, Churchill said.
“This is the best support activity that I’ve seen at this school,” SBHS parent and veteran adult mentor Ray Rodriguez said. Rodriguez and 27 other adults helped facilitate the day-long event.
The event was facilitated by two trained professionals from the Challenge Day Organization, a non-profit group dedicated to promoting Challenge Day activities. Facilitators Sela Gaglia and Vinny Ferraro directed students and parents through dozens of games and activities designed to build trust and let students share their feelings about school, family and friends.
For senior Art Esparza, the day was about changing perspectives and meeting new people.
“It’s been pretty fun meeting new people and a whole lot better than being in class,” he said. “And the way you think about people changes.”
Veteran adult mentor Gary Goularte, who has participated in the program in past years, keeps coming back for two reasons.
“It really helps me be a better person because it helps me understand people better,” he said. “And it really gives these young people the support they need.”
After several games designed to get students to know each other, the conversations became serious. Students were asked to pair up with other students or adults that they had never meet before and share personal experiences. These one-on-one conversations had some laughing and others crying.
“We’re taking these students on a six- to seven-hour roller coaster,” Ferraro said.
San Benito High School first participated in Challenge Day in 1999 and has continued the program ever since. Each year about 100 local high school students and 50 community members participate in the event. Churchill said that this year an unprecedented 150 students signed up.
“This year the school is really focusing on respect and that is what we are trying to promote,” Churchill said. “The greatest thing students learn during Challenge Day is that they are not alone.”
The event can only accommodate 100, so Churchill said that those students unable to participate in Friday’s Challenge Day will have two more opportunities before the end of the year.
Two former Northern California area teachers, Yvonne and Rich Dutra St. John, motivated by their own teenage experiences, created the Challenge Day program in 1987. Fourteen years later they established a non-profit organization to promote the program, which has been used by thousands of schools throughout the country, according to the Challenge Day Web site.
The day-long program provides troubled students with an opportunity to get the support they need from fellow students and community members.
“Sometimes these emotional things come to play while you’re in the classroom and it makes it hard to focus,” Churchill said. “Challenge Day helps students to want to make the changes they need in their lives.”
Brett Rowland covers education for the Free Lance. He can be reached at 831-637-5566 ext. 330 or
br******@fr***********.com
