Campbell students respond to the Challenge

Signs that read “Be the Change” hung in the halls of Campbell High School for weeks, making students wonder what they represented. Finally, permission slips started being passed out during advisory, and students found out that 300 students would be chosen to participate in the nationwide event called Challenge Day. Schools all over the country have been involved with Challenge Day, and it even was the subject of a series on MTV. The website Challenge Day.org explains its workshop as “a 61⁄2 hour experiential program in which we send two of our highly trained, passionate leaders from the San Francisco Bay Area to your school to lead a workshop for 100 students (grades 7-12) and 25 or more adults, including teachers, staff and family members. … Our programs go beyond traditional anti-bullying efforts, building empathy and igniting a movement of compassion and positive change.” Social studies teacher Heidi Paris and Principal Laurie Rothhaus brought the organization to Campbell, and students fell in love with the idea right away. “I signed up for Challenge Day in the beginning because I realized I could skip classes,” junior Devin Quinn said, “but as the day passed, I’m so blessed I participated in the event, as it was a life-changing experience for me.” The event was held March 26-29 with Challenge Day leaders Christopher Foster and Katie Healey. Each day had 100 different students and about 20 teachers who were in “lockdown” in the gymnasium. The days start with students walking into the gymnasium in a line with music blaring and teachers giving high-fives and smiles for the shocked students. To break the awkwardness of the first event, Foster and Healey had all of the students sit in a circle surrounding the teachers. Then Foster started blaring music through a sound system and made all of the teachers dance in front of the students.