In their own words: Challenge Day
“I’m different. Before I say things, I think about how it might make someone feel.” — ECMS 7th grader
“During Cross the Line, you get to connect with people without even saying anything.” — ECMS 7th grader
“Kids are less aggressive, there are less fights. It was easier to make friends and meet people after Challenge Day — we were all in there together.” — ECMS 8th grader
“When I read about intolerance, when people talk about the future of public education, I can’t imagine a better solution than more schools giving their students the gift of Challenge Day .” — Parent volunteer
“Everyone’s more careful around each other because they don’t know what other people might have been through.” — ECMS 8th grader
“After a few weeks , everybody was back to normal. Except for me. I’ve changed. I’m a lot less likely to judge people by what I see on the outside.” — ECMS 7th grader
2008: Looking back at Challenge Day 2007
Journal assignment: Reflect on how you have changed since this time last year“I used to think that nobody understood what I was going through, but, after Challenge Day, I realized that some of my classmates understood more than I thought about my situation.” — ECMS 8th grader
“I have changed in many ways. The most significant change is the way I look at people. I no longer try to stereotype people. I thank Challenge Day for that.” — ECMS 8th grader
“I think very differently about a lot of things that I once did. Part of that was because of Challenge Day….I took a lot of things for granted, and now I appreciate the people and things I have in my life a million times more. — ECMS 8th grader
2011: Looking back at Challenge Day 2007
“People are less judgmental, more accepting. Challenge Day opens people up in so little time.” — WHS junior
“People hang out with different kids afterward, the groups are different.” — WHS junior
