Challenge Day - Be The Change Movement

At the end of every Challenge Day, our goal is that schools feel safer for teenagers and faculty and that they feel more connected and accepted by their peers and community. We have several goals that we accomplish at every Challenge Day, including the following:  Equipping students with new communication tools, including tools for sharing emotions and feelings and empathetic listening.  Demonstrating through the activities and share time that love, acceptance and being you at school are possible.  Providing participants with the insight that they can be a positive contribution in their community and world.  Discussing gender roles, body image, bullying and violence and the oppression that occurs in our communities and world.  Challenging teenagers and teachers to step into positive leadership roles on campus.  Teaching teenagers and adults about emotional intelligence and the effects of not sharing feelings and how that can hurt friends, family, themselves and others.  Asking teenagers to examine the costs of ?acting out? behaviors (substance abuse, violence, and bullying) that have been destructive in their lives and helping them to seek support to end those behaviors.  Helping participants to remember and ask the question, ?will my behavior/actions leave the other person (or myself) feeling safe, loved and celebrated??