Challenge Day committee seeks community support for program
The Emporia Public Schools
Friday, August 17, 2007
A committee of teachers, administrators, parents and community members is working to bring Challenge Day to Emporia Middle School and Emporia High School.
A Challenge Day Information Night is scheduled at 7 p.m., Sept. 6 at Emporia High School. The meeting will include a short video about the program and committee members will be available to answer questions. They also are available to make presentations to local groups that might be interested in supporting the project.
Challenge Day is a nationally known, high-energy program that is designed to increase students’ personal power and self-esteem, shift dangerous peer pressure to positive peer support and eliminate the acceptability of teasing, violence and all forms of oppression.
In schools across the country, the program has successfully addressed the issues of violence, teasing, social oppression, racism, harassment, conflict management, suicide, peer pressure and alcohol and drugs.
During the program youth are given several opportunities to speak out about what’s really going on with them and what they need from one another.
The Challenge Day program has been scheduled at Emporia Middle School April 22, 2008, and at Emporia High School on April 23. The cost of the program is $9,000 for the two days and one travel day for the presenters.
The Challenge Day Committee is seeking financial contributions to help offset the cost of the program and adult volunteers to participate with the students on the two days.
“It will not be possible to bring Challenge Day to Emporia without the support of the community,” committee members Carson Matile and Barbara Clark wrote in a letter to community organizations.
“Challenge Day programs are designed to unite the members of the school and community and to empower them to carry the themes of the program back to the greater school population.”
Anyone who wants information about Challenge Day can call Matile or Clark at EMS, 341-2335 or by e-mail at cmatile@usd253.org and bclark@usd253.org.