Challenge Day is an opportunity to spend the day relating to others in a safe environment while sharing similar struggles in life. The annual event used to occur before winter break, but it recently came to a halt.
The district had to cut the event to financially fund other student programs such as Link Crew. Because of a shrinking budget, money was used strategically to support students in the most effective ways.
Sophomore Fiona Byrne attended Challenge Day last year and believes the event should continue because it led her to new friends.
“I think it should (occur this year) because it’s a really good experience to get to know other people, what other people go through,” Byrne said. “I think it’s just a healthy thing for people to do.”
Challenge Day is not only a place for meeting others, but is also for change. Principal Kate Murray noticed a transformation in students after they returned from the events in the past.
“I think that it helps students realize that they’re not alone in their struggles,” Murray said. “And their struggles sometimes aren’t unique, that there are other students like them. I think once they realize that, they become sensitive to other people’s struggles, so I think it increases our awareness, our kindness and our empathy for others.”
Senior Connor Sickmiller went to Challenge Day last year and thinks that the experience brings along small changes to people that eventually help a person in the long run.
“It will have a minor effect, I believe. I think some people would be upset that it’s not happening,” Sickmiller said. “But I don’t think it will have a major effect, as in I don’t think Challenge Day converts people into great people or it helps people dramatically. I think it helps people minorly, which is a good thing though because a lot of minor things helping people eventually lead to a major change.”
