Bloomington High School North, Nikean, 2011, Page 135

Description:	It took $12,000, 80 students and 2 leadersto evoke a lifetimes worth of emotion in 1day.^you really knew them, you would know that forI ^F one day, there was a common goal to be thechange. If you really knew the 80 students whoI attended Norths first Challenge Day, you wouldknow that they worked to unite and become a frontready to change the school.Challenge day turned us into a team, a team thatstrying to spread the word of inclusion around North,sophomore Mira Cordell said.Starting a movement was exacdy the goal of Challenge Day, a program designed to help bring studentscloser together by reaching out to peers. The motto ofChallenge Day, notice, choose, act, is one that encourages students to be proactive in their school and findout what their peers are experiencing in everyday life.It really helped for us to hear everyones stories andtribulations, senior Alissa Kristoff said. Now we knowthat were not alone, and that other people are goingthrough the same things.Sharing these trials and tribulations was not easy forsome.Challenge day addressed the pressure of hiding ourproblems and trying to fit into roles that we may notbe, but feel we have to portray, senior Erica Debryunesaid.To illustrate the concept of hiding problems a Challenge Day leader, Katie Salvage compared the studentsto icebergs.We are like icebergs, only 10 percent of our mass isabove the surface, and thats what we call our image,Salvage said. The other 90 percent of us is below thesurface, and thats the stuff were hiding. What are youhiding under youre surface, fear, insecurity, lack of support? The students then got the opportunity to sharewhat was below their surface. They shared statementswith their peers by saying If you really knew me youwould know thatThroughout the day students were encouraged to stepoutside of their comfort zones in many different ways.[Challenge day opened up my eyes to see that otherpeople are going throuph a lot at school and its not iu<me, Kristoff said.A Step ■ iUK in theRight►DirectionaniOStaff members attendedStudents attended Challenge Day1Story by Rose CowanThe technique used during the Challenge Day activities to quiet the peopledown was the universal sign for love. This sign also helped bring the participantsof Challenge Day closer together. It just shows that people have experienced thesame thing you have and they underst and, student organizer of Challenge Day,senior Erica DeBruyne said._ While linking at the elbows, sophomore Shai Cross and junior Jordan Worthintroduce one another, [i] loved it, Worth said. It kind of united us.Photos by Hannah Lukemyeraae
Source:	http://cdm17129.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/ref/collection/hs-bloomnorth/id/7127
Collection:	Bloomington High School North

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