This year, the NHP counseling department organized an event called Challenge Day on November 19, 20 and 21, 2024. Challenge Day is an anti-bullying workshop, with works to enhance school culture and to forge new connections among students. It also brings out sympathy within students; they are encouraged to consider others’ difficulties and experiences in their own lives. Challenge Day’s overarching goal is to create a safe space for students and staff to share common ground. It was previously done by Sewanhaka High School and students and staff reported it as an impassioned experience.
Challenge Day dates back to 1987, when students Yvonne and Rich Dutra experienced bullying and isolation during their time in the California public school system. In order to address this, the two founded the Challenge Day program. By the 35th anniversary, Challenge Day became an inventive and award-winning event throughout many public schools.
“We decided on bringing Challenge Day to the school this year because ever since COVID-19 students have been struggling emotionally and this was an opportunity for kids and staff to open up and share more about their lives,” counselor Dr. Valdes said.
Non-participants were prohibited from entering the premises due to the sensitive nature of the event. Students had “family groups” which acted as a home base. Participants took part in various activities, like the “if you really knew me” activity. This activity encouraged students to share sensitive information about themselves. Another such activity was the “crossing the line” activity, where a common statement pertaining to a real life situation was called out loud. If the statement applied to a participant, they would step forward and cross the line. This gave students the opportunity to open up and see how much goes on in others’ lives.
Many students took part in the program. Despite there being participants from grades ranging from ninth to twelfth, some specific grades were chosen for the event. Ms. Pesce, the Chairperson of Counseling and Student Support services, spoke on the reason behind this decision.
“Ninth grade was chosen for this event because counselors spend a lot of time with them during 7th and 8th grade. They are also new to high school so we found it was important for them to engage in the event as they are entering a new stage in their lives,” Ms. Pesce said. “Going into it, I was unsure of what was going to happen. However, afterward, I was pleased with it and satisfied with the impact. The nice part was how staff and students were placed at the same level. We are all humans and the program really acknowledged that.”
Overall, the experience was memorable for the participants and demonstrated a program that brought the community together as a whole. The event showcased the significance of speaking about one’s emotions and the importance of mental health awareness. The program also taught students many lessons, such as the idea of never judging a person because of what they might be going through. Ultimately, Challenge Day was a fundamental learning experience for many students at New Hyde Park Memorial.
