Throughout TJ the spirit of Challenge Day lives on.
Artwork by Rebecca Holt
Change has flooded the halls of TJ since the Challenge Day program was invited to Thomas Jefferson in late January of this year. Now striving to keep the spirit of Challenge Day alive, TJ’s Social Worker, Samanda Davis, started a club called Be the Change. “We have only had a few meetings, and we try to have meetings once every other week on Thursdays,” said Davis.
For each meeting thus far the club has had a turnout of about eighteen students. “We welcome all students and any faculty, but we encourage mostly students to come check it out,” said Davis.
During these meetings the students think of ideas for the school to keep the enthusiasm, invoked by Challenge Day, going. They decided to put shoe boxes in every room, so if kids need someone to talk to or need help they can put a note in the box. Also the “I love you” sign can be spotted on the doors of classrooms to maintain the presence of Challenge Day. “The kids who have attended the meetings come in enthusiastic and want to keep it going,” said Davis. “They are doing a really good job coming up with ideas to use throughout the school.”
On March 12, the committee encouraged students to sit with someone at lunch with whom they wouldn’t normally wouldn’t sit. The committee passed out cookies to the kids whom they noticed sitting with someone different.
To bring Challenge Day to TJ next year, Davis is trying to raise at least four thousand dollars. For Davis to meet her goal she is running a few fundraisers. The committee is selling Elitches tickets to help raise money. “We are selling tickets for $19.99, and five dollars of the money made from each ticket goes to Challenge Day,” said Davis. The Special Education Department is also having a pizzeria during lunch for all the staff.
“We signed up for grants and we hope that will help raise a little money for us,” said Davis. “We are also asking sophomore and junior parents to help fundraise or donate.”
“Since Challenge Day I have a lot more students come talk to me or email me,” said Davis. Teachers have also made comments to Davis, saying they have seen students throughout the school “being the change.” TJ has embraced a communal language since Challenge Day, and students are using phrases from the event such as: “be the change,” which was the quote of the day during Challenge Day. “Lower your water level” was another phrase, as the goal for the leaders of Challenge Day was for everyone to step out of their comfort zones and open up. “Filling up your balloon” was also a common phrase used, which was described as kids who have a lot going on in their lives at home or school tend to keep it all to themselves or hold it in their “balloon” and eventually they leak their “balloon” on other people.
Davis has already planned for the Challenge Day program to be on October 13th and 14th next year for the class of 2012. “We don’t have anything planned during the summer, we are just going to take a break for a little bit,” said Davis. The club will be setting up a booth during the freshman barbecue in August to give parents and new students information and to get them excited for their turn to participate in Challenge Day.
While the club doesn’t know when the next meeting will be, Davis will be sending out invitations soon for the date of the next meeting.
Those involved say that Challenge Day seems to have made a difference throughout the entire school. Davis believes that Be the Change meetings are a great idea to keep the experience of Challenge Day alive within everyone and encourage staff and students to keep “being the change.”
