Second Year of Challenge Day at Wall High School

By: Lexie Clayton

    When asked on an everyday basis, “How are you doing?” it is common for people to just reply with, “I’m OK,'' or “I’m good.” Life sometimes gets too hectic that things that truly matter are pushed aside and forgotten about. For that reason, Challenge Day was created.  
​     On Thurs., Oct. 10, students and faculty at Wall High School took part in Challenge Day. 
    Since 1987, Challenge Day is a social and emotional program that offers students a chance to explain how they are truly feeling. Furthermore, it helps people fight problems such as substance abuse, depression, anxiety and other disorders that cause people to feel alone and separated. Challenge Day is done at schools all around the world and promotes the feeling of love to everyone who is involved.  
    Since last school year, Challenge Day has been offered at Wall High School. Having a group of mostly 10th and 11th grade students as well as teachers open up to unfamiliar people and share the feelings and problems they deal with every day is not an easy task. Students and teachers had a chance to make students aware of real situations and see what life is really about. 
    “Personally, Challenge Day really opened my eyes and showed me how crucial it is to always show kindness, respect and acceptance,” said Wall junior Fiona Gill. “I felt more connected with my peers and teachers, and I felt obligated to make a change afterwards.” 
     Selected students from all different grades were chosen to participate in Challenge Day. It was filled with all the different emotions, starting off the day with kids cheering with happy faces and, by the end of the day, there was not a dry eye in the room, which really showed the effect the event has on students and teachers. 
   One activity that is presented in Challenge Day is called Cross the Line. People are asked to cross an imaginary line in the room if they have experienced any of the situations that are specifically mentioned, for example, if they know anyone who has lost a loved one to substance abuse. When students or teachers are asked about Challenge Day, that activity is one that is most remembered.
   Challenge Day leaves people by the end of the day with a feeling of hope. The feeling is comforting to everyone whether it is someone who is battling something they have no control over or if someone just feels alone and like no one understands what they are going through. 
    “I think it really depends on the student,” said Wall High School School Family Liaison Counselor Ms. Gwen Vela. “Some students really let go and allow themselves to be vulnerable and I think that that kind of student really gets a lot out of it. I think the student who goes in with an open mind gets a lot out of it. I think, for a lot of students, it opens their minds to a lot of things they did not see before or had no idea that was happening to other people.” 
    Challenge Day is different for every student and each comes away with a different perspective of it. At the end of the day, however, students can all share similar lessons they took away from it.  
    “Sometimes when people are behaving a certain way, it is not personal; it is really about what they are going through and I would like to see more inclusion,” Ms. Vela said. “Creating a school that doesn’t allow someone to feel like they are alone because, ultimately if everyone feels included, it is safer too. It is about creating a safe emotional environment for kids.”
   Many teachers at Wall participated in Challenge Day as well as students and they experienced the same feeling of closure. 
    “From a teacher's perspective, we are supposed to be role models and we are supposed to be believers in the school and that I see students really see students suffering and going through hard times, they can relate to them,” said Mrs. Miriam Arminio, a Spanish teacher at Wall. “But they can also look at us as leaders and see that we are not perfect either and we are all just human and trying to do the best we can.”
   Overall, students and teachers understand and appreciate Challenge Day because it demonstrates real life conflicts that sometimes schools do not always focus on.
   “I really think students sometimes feel alone and I think the students there at Challenge Day realize that they are not,” Mrs. Arminio said. “That’s why I feel it is so important that everyone does it. Because we are not alone. I think a lot of students think teachers don’t go through hard times too, but we do. And it’s nice to know that I will be there for students, but students can also be there for teachers.”