“They [the students] watch each other respond to us [the leaders and facilitators] with compassion. We watch the kids soften. When they see how others see, they feel closer to each other. When they share like that, they want the same response [from others].”
Transforming Teens
But it doesn’t happen overnight. It’s a seven-hour journey through each teenager’s life before the kids get to the point when they sit in circles and open up their hearts to their peers. First, Challenge Day Leaders stand in front of the gym and share their personal stories—often stories the teens can relate to. Sela noted that it’s after this moment, and during the next exercise, that a power shift occurs.
“When the kids cross the line back and forth for various experiences or categories of social oppression, the room is so safe at that point in the day because of play. Kids lose play early now, but we [do earlier exercises that] make being goofy, being silly, being childlike, cool. We make being nice cool.”
Sela witnesses transformation each time, and while sharing an experience from one day, I sensed a smile at the other end of the line.
“I asked this one boy, ‘If the world was perfect according to you, what would it look like? He said, ‘everybody would be equal, everybody would love each other, and everybody would work together to make the world a better place.’”
It Takes the Village
Challenge Day trains its leaders on how to best interact with teenagers and teaches leaders to work without force. “The students are always in choice to speak throughout the day. The best thing to do is let the kid sit [if they aren’t participating], no matter what.”
Due to Challenge Day’s popularity, especially after an appearance on Oprah in 2006, interested schools have to commit and submit a year-long plan to Challenge Day to show what they will do to keep the program running, called Be the Change.
“When Gandhi said that we have to be the heroes we’re looking for, we’re inspiring young people to be their own heroes,” Sela said. Each high school creates a Be the Change team, a group of dedicated students and staff that keep the Challenge Day principles in action.
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