Over the last eight years, grade nine students along with senior student mentors have participated in a mentoring program and attended a full-day, experiential program known as Challenge Day. Under the leadership of Staff Advisors Mrs. Catherine Nelson and Mrs. Kristie Bradey and with the support of the Centennial School Council, this initiative has expanded to a yearlong program that includes all grade nine students and about 40 mentors. The mentors are linked with the grade nines through their home form classes and serve as "big brother/sister" and friend. In addition, every grade nine student, along with the mentors, is given the opportunity to attend one of three Challenge Days.

What kind of experience is Challenge Day?

Challenge Day is an amazing experience that often transforms participants, young and old and inspires them to create positive change in their lives. I attended my first Challenge Day in April 2001 at CWDHS. The best way I know to describe the impact Challenge Day can have is to make a comparison to Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol" in which Ebinezer Scrooge is taken on a journey by the spirits of Christmas past, present and future. He watches himself transform from young, sensitive and loving to embittered and isolated. He experiences a myriad of emotions as he sees the devastating impact he has had on others' lives. As a result of this experience, Scrooge makes a dramatic change in his life becoming generous and benevolent and truly sees that there is a better way to exist in this world. Challenge Day has a similar impact on students and adult participants. For more information, please go to the Challenge Day website at: www.challengeday.org

What impact did Challenge Day have on me?

Challenge Day inspired me to create positive change in our school. I believe that when students feel accepted, cared for and treated well by their peers and teachers, they will have more success in school. Challenge Day promotes acceptance, diversity, compassion, inclusion and empowers students to be positive leaders. So along with Mrs. Kristie Bradey, we have organized twenty Challenge Days to date and are planning three more for this year in October.

It is the goal of the Centennial School Council to raise enough funds so that all of our grade nine students along with about 90 senior student mentors, can attend Challenge Day each year. Specifically, this year we need to raise $15,000.00 or about $35.00 per student.  We are fortunate to have Scotiabank as our sponsor for the fifth year in a row.  They have provided significant financial support as well as participating at Challenge Day.  We would not be able to provide this opportunity to our students without their support!

EXPENSES FOR THREE CHALLENGE DAYS:

Program fee $9,600.00 US
FACILITATOR EXPENSES:
Airfare $1500.00 US
Van Rental $400.00
Accommodation (2 leaders for three nights) $800.00

STUDENT EXPENSES:
Snacks for three days $100.00
Miscellaneous Supplies $150.00
Mentor Training $150.00
Site Costs (3 days at First Christian Reform Church) $300.00

Exchange on $11,100 US - $2000

TOTAL $15,000.00

How can parents help?

1. Participate in the Retail Gift Card program, which is managed by School Council. By purchasing gift cards for stores such as Zehrs, PetroCanada and many more, you will spend money you were already planning to spend but a percentage of this money will come directly to Centennial to fund Challenge Day. So there is no cost to you!! Information and order forms are available in the main office or email: ccvi@piper.ca

2. Make a tax deductible personal or corporate donation. Corporate Donation Form and Sponsor Donation Form   are available here or from Catherine Nelson (see below for contact information). Please make cheque payable to the Upper Grand Learning Foundation-CCVI-CD and return to school office.

3. Be a participant at one of our Challenge Days (October 20, 21, or 22, 2009). Contact Mrs. Catherine Nelson at 821 0360 ext. 437 or email: catherine.nelson@ugdsb.on.ca

Challenge Day Testimonials from February 2003

Using two or three sentences, please describe openly and honestly what you think Challenge Day is all about, the impact that Challenge Day had on you at the actual day and also any ongoing impact.

Grade Nine Students:

Josh
I think Challenge Day is about finding out you aren't the only person with problems. It had a positive impact on me, I changed my ways thanks to Challenge Day.

Jawad
It was a fun and exciting experience.

Lindsay
Challenge Day to me was about opening up and sharing your experience and to make you see what violence of any kind does to people. Challenge Day made me express my feelings that were building up. After Challenge Day I felt so much better and now I have a different view to others.

Allison
I think Challenge Day is about showing people that there are other people experiencing the same things you're going through and it's okay to express your feelings out loud. The impact that Challenge Day had on me was I became more aware about my feelings and other people's feelings and I found I had a lot of things that I didn't want to share with anyone but Challenge Day made it easier to say things I was scared to say before, like saying sorry to friends. The ongoing impact that Challenge Day has had on me is that I am more considerate of other people's feelings and give more hugs.

Kyle
Challenge Day is about learning to express your feelings and thinking about others feelings.

Cailey
Challenge Day was a great success in my mind. I learned so many things about others and felt closer to everyone there. I realized I wasn't alone with some of my problems and bottled up emotions. It was a place where all problems could be forgotten and a new look on life begins.

Mark
Challenge Day opened people's eyes and shows them that everyone has problems and is made fun of.

Sondra
Challenge Day was a great experience and was a real eye opener to learn different things people have to go through every day. It was lots of fun and I think it should continue as an annual experience in the future.

Kim
Yes, Yes, Yes! Provide the opportunity of Challenge Days for all future grade 9's! The day was fun and emotional but very eye opening......one of the best days of my life!

Brian
Challenge Day was about learning that what really can happen in you call people names or bully people and to treat everybody equally no matter what there appearance is. Challenge Day is good for people recovering from a recent death etc.

Matias
I think it's all about being treated equally and with respect. I learned to respect and treat well everyone around me. I think it was a good experience in which you can get to learn a lot.

Rebecca
I thought it was a great experience. I learned a lot about what goes on in specific families.

Glynis
The Challenge Day I thought was a different day. (In a good way). I think the Challenge Day is were you go and find something about yourself and you share your feelings and emotions. Challenge Day had a big impact on me, I found myself crying, (usually I don't do!) everyone was open, and I was more thankful for my life because there are lots of kids there who have been abused, hurt, etc. and it made me realize that I should not judge others before I get to know them. It was a great experience.

Caitlyn
Challenge Day for me was just a chance to talk. We all became more open each other and could talk about our problems.

Safia
Challenge Day taught us all to live together and ignore physical appearance. Challenge Day was an extremely beneficial experience for me. I hope other also learned from this experience. Topics that used to be disclosed were openly discussed. Not only did I learn about others, but I also learned things I never knew about myself. Challenge Day was an excellent opportunity to learn about others. Together we can work to bring the beneficial aspects of this learning experience to our everyday lives.

Steve
Challenge Day is about making people realize the effect of putdowns have on everyone, also it tries to make everyone realize that we are all equal.

Jessica
I think Challenge Day had an impact on me because I shared things with people that I didn't know. The things I shared I had never told anyone. Now I'm more aware of things that happen in the school.

Paul
I think Challenge Day was a very good program but I think that all the students should take it next year. It opened up my mind and eyes to some things that were happening.

Laura
It's about opening up talking to other people about life, listening and trusting them. It made me realize I'm not the only one going through a rough time. That I can talk to people and there's a good chance they will understand.

Nathan
A very good experience. It should be done again.

Jelena
Challenge Day was amazing. I had a very emotional experience.

Yufei
I think that the whole school should have participated. It was a very emotional for a while but the pressure of society made people forget about the day.

Katie
It felt that they tried to show on Challenge Day how everyone is alike in ways, and that many people have had the same experiences. Challenge Day didn't effect me on the actual day and does not have an ongoing impact.

Katarina
The actual day was very emotional and I learned a lot. Maybe there could be a banquet or something to bring together all the people that went to Challenge Day.

Sarah
Challenge Day is a day where they try to show you to not judge people to accept them and to love everyone! Challenge Day may just be the best day of my life!

Nathan
I feel that Challenge Day is mainly about not judging people before you know them. Challenge Day had changed the way I see other people.

Andrew
I think it's about meeting people you don't know and getting closer between people who are different from you.

Eva
I thought that Challenge Day was a really good experience. It made everyone open up and I realized that everyone has problems. I think that all of the grade nines should have a chance to experience it.

Lucille
I was so surprised by how everyone was able to be so honest and open throughout the day. We all got to see a completely different side of the people we thought we knew. Challenge Day was an incredibly eye-opening experience and I would recommend it to everyone.

Amy
A good day for sharing thoughts and realizing how other people live and what they are like. I met new people. It was very emotional but good. The followup activities were good but not everyone wanted to share with the whole class but maybe in small groups of 1 or 2 people. Challenge Day was a good day that would be worthwhile to continue.

Anita
Challenge Day helped me to see the different groups that people are separated into each day. Each student was able to see what an ideal school would look like. There was a safe environment and I felt free to share openly and honestly.

Patrick
Challenge Day seems like a time given to students to let their feelings out and get to know the people around you. It was also to apologize to anyone you have hurt in the past. It was a good experience and it should be something everyone must do because everyone deserves a chance to get their feelings out.

Brittney
It was fun. I learned a lot. Most people didn't follow out the way they were supposed to. They gave up on themselves.

Shea
Challenge Day had a huge impact on me. It made me think about how other people deal with their problems and the loss of a loved one in their family. I think that there should be Challenge Day next year for the grade 9's.

Austin
I feel that they were trying to promote christianity and an unrealistic way of life. I found that what they were trying to teach they could only be used in a situation like that.

Kelsey

Challenge Day is about meeting people and being honest with yourself. It opens your eyes to the world around you and teaches you that no one is perfect and that you are not alone.

Megan
People were more open and nicer than usual. It didn't effect school, it was just effective while we were there.

Rinu
I think Challenge Day was about truly being yourself and not having to think about how other people will judge you. I also think it was a good experience because many people haven't had a chance to do that. I also think it was about realizing that you are not alone.

Sara
To me, Challenge Day was about learning to respect myself, as well as other people, for who we are, not the things that we have no control over. (i.e. race, background, etc.) Challenge Day was an extremely emotional event for all who were involved. It helped me realize that judgement and violence never result in a good, safe future for this world. We need to work together to prove that the violence can be stopped!

Candace
I thought Challenge Day was very interesting. I learned stuff about people I might have not learned.

Anna
Challenge Day was fun but also serious. You got to know the people around you better and to know things about yourself. It definitely was a challenge but really one that we must face everyday.

Tom
Challenge Day was fun. It helped me understand my fellow peers.

Shaine

It was an amazing experience. It was neat and odd to see how many people shared the same problems. I was surprised how comfortable people became.

Sara
I really liked Challenge Day because I thought that it brought out a side of everyone we haven't seen and it changed the way people think of each other.

Lucy
Challenge Day taught me not to judge people by their looks, but to listen to them. I really enjoyed Challenge Day and hope it continues to happen.

Shivam
It was a superb experience. Many of our feelings lie dormant inside us and we do not realize it. This leads to tension and stress. Challenge Day did a wonderful job in making us realize the importance of showing our feelings fearlessly.

Nicole
Challenge Day is almost an idea of how the world should be, how we should treat each other and how we should open up to each other. This idealist perspective on how the world should be is not fully realistic based on how things are today in society. Overall I think the day was OK. The activities were enjoyable, yet some became uncomfortable. The lesson they were trying to teach came across well, but do not fit in with everyday life.

Katherine
Challenge Day taught me that even though society's views on women in the workplace, race and religion have changed drastically, we still have a long way to go to make sure everyone's opinions, voices, and life styles are accepted. We are all the same so why don't we start treating everyone equally.

Laura
Challenge Day is to stop stereotyping people for what they look like from the outside. It was to show us that what is on the inside that counts. This day was also to show that people are not alone. I was shocked on how many people have been through awful things. I now don't judge only one for what they look like because I have no idea what they have been through.

Brooke
I think that Challenge Day was a very eye-opening experience. I left feeling very relieved and just free of worries. It was a very good experience.

Hilary
Challenge Day was a lot different than I was expecting. It was alright, but it didn't really have a big impact on me, but there seemed to be a lot of people who benefited from it.

Peter
During the activities that were done during Challenge Day, I often found myself disturbed and uncomfortable. I believe that the degree of openness that we were encouraged to have was inappropriate and many of the discussions would be difficult and awkward in the company of close friends, let alone complete strangers.

Aaron
I think Challenge Day was a very valuable day. It teaches to respect people for who they are.

Erin
Challenge Day affected the way I judge my fellow peers. My perspective changed on everyday life the different challenges I face everyday. Challenge Day taught me to be more confident and that I'm not alone in the fears I face. It taught me that positive attitude affects no only me, but everyone that surrounds me. It was impacted my life by thing more about the choices I make and how I should reflect upon other peoples concerns, to be there for them when they need someone to be there for them.

Anna
Challenge Day was an awesome experience. You could feel the power that came out of it and the way that we were united against things that we knew were wrong. We came together and it was one of the greatest days I've ever had.

Jaclyn
Challenge Day was the best. The people (Sumati and Vinny) were excellent! I was not too sure about the concept of opening up and sharing my thoughts and feelings, but by the end of the day I felt very open to sharing! I think that the Challenge Day changed my life!

Maddy
I thought Challenge Day was a good experience but it was a little weird. It seemed a little bit too self-helpish but I'm glad I went. I would go back again as a mentor.

Justin
Challenge Day was an unbelievable experience. Before that day I had no idea of the trauma and lifestyle that some of my friends and peers go through everyday. The program was extremely well done and should be continued every year.

Milosz
Challenge Day seemed to be just another trip away from school, but after a few minutes, it was obvious that Challenge Day was no ordinary trip. Challenge Day touched issues that we made sure were never recalled and many weren't at liberty to discuss it, but Challenge Day, nevertheless, gave us a glimpse of how cold and uptight our society had become. Unfortunately, my feelings, that resurfaced were quickly buried but I can't say that Challenge Day didn't impact me in some way.

Teacher/Professionals Comments on Challenge Day:

Mrs. Amichand
1. About breaking down boundaries
2. Impact actual day - deep
3. Potential ongoing impact - limited

Ms. Blais - School Nurse
It was a powerful day for those of us that participated in Challenge Day. It was an opportunity to explore inner feelings of oneself, who we are, how we treat others etc. My hope is that all who attended Challenge Day would somehow keep the “inner fire” burning by bringing it to those who did not participate.

Mrs. Buddo - Head of Guidance
- an incredible ‘bonding” experience for those involved
- an “eye opener” to the problems/hurdles/roadblocks that face many students
- emotionally draining for some - as a result of this impact - the continuing role of the mentors is invaluable

Ms. Danton
I feel it is about being open to change and new ideas. It is a chance to meet new people and talk from the heart, really being “you”. It is a chance to grow into the future base on your experiences in the past - negative or positive.

Mrs. Fellows
It was a positive life experience for all of us, especially students because it was cross-generational so that we all became aware of the difficult experiences others were/had been having. Yes...even teachers and principals face pain and challenges in life.

Sr. Constable Gazzola
- Challenge Day is a good experience
- my one concern is the intensity of the “crossing the line” segment - many of the students do not appear prepared for that level of intensity
- to have a longer lasting impact of the school perhaps some type of “after session” would be good
- overall very worthwhile

Mr. Graham
1. About facing our inner being. Acknowledging who we are, where we come from and what we fear.
2. Opens emotional channels in a safe environment. Follow up throughout the year is excellent! More opportunities perhaps for deep sharing for some.
3. Difficult to judge school impact at this point. Let it grow!

Ms. Green - Addiction Counsellor
Challenge Day is about breaking down walls between us, encouraging us to appreciate the similarities we have and celebrating our differences - not condemning each other for them. The day appeared to have an extremely positive impact on the students and I believe should continue to be presented and implemented in schools.

Ms Iberson-Hurst
Challenge Day is about questioning yourself and the impact your experiences have on your own outlook on life. It seeks to go beyond stereotypes.

Ms. Kaiser
Students chosen were not always the ones who needed it - maybe look at clarifying the selection process (Too many well adjusted!) While students liked and benefited from the day - short term - I don't know if they were able to gain long term.

Mrs. MacPhee
The day itself was an inspiring time. To see barriers broken down and people coming together as a community was a wonderful experience. The problem though is that we all returned to CCVI where the other 1500 people had not shared the same experience. Thus, it becomes very difficult to keep the experience alive. Perhaps once a month (or 6 weeks) we should have a “reunion” of Challenge Day participants. While the student mentors are great, expecting them to carry the load when many in the class have not been to Challenge Day is perhaps unrealistic.

Mrs.Zieske
I thought that Challenge Day was excellent in that it taught people to look beyond themselves to care for others. It also taught those there to see beyond the outward appearance, encouraging them instead to better understand and empathize with others.

Student Mentor Comments on Challenge Day:

Katie
It is an amazing experience that everyone should have a chance to participate in. I wish that everyone could experience Challenge Day to break down the barriers and tension that popularity creates in the schools.

Dan
Challenge Day was a moving experience that I will not forget. It was a real eye opener and our school has grown.

Robin
What can I say about Challenge Day except for the fact that it's an amazing experience which helps you discover who you are, as well as others.

Amina
To me, Challenge Day was a day which brought people from all backgrounds together to acknowledge and celebrate our differences to create and better environment for everyone. Challenge Day has made me become more aware of other people's differences and I have become more understanding towards mankind. I do feel that Challenge Day has not made a very strong impact to our school but Challenge Day has made me make new friends in Grade 9.

Peter
Challenge Day made me realize the horrors other people have gone through. It made me think differently about everyone at Challenge Day and at our school. Challenge Day was a great success and I highly recommend it to all grade nines.

Ashley
I felt Challenge Day was a positive experience which opens your eyes to other people out there. I was able to actually share what I felt and what was in my heart which was great to do. I feel Challenge Day brought down barriers however I still feel there is a lot more work to do.

Jorja
Challenge Day may have just been on day long, but it was a life changing day. It was all about changing yourself, and challenging those you love to feel comfortable in being true to themselves and to break down the barriers that divide us. It was definitely a worth while experience and I believe everyone should have the opportunity to experience it, not just the grade nines.

Dan
It's an excellent opportunity for people to open up and realize we all care. You feel so secure at Challenge Day, it's a huge group and they all listen. It really goes to show you're never alone, someone's always there for you.

Cody
Challenge Day showed me some important lessons, not to judge a person by the way they look. This is one lesson that I now use in everyday life.

Laura
Challenge Day is all about the “freeing” of one's emotions. It's about opening up to others as well as to yourself. Challenge Day is a very positive experience which shows others what you are really like. It's all about being yourself and as a mentor, it's about encouraging others to be themselves! Challenge Day has been a very incredible and ongoing experience influencing my life. It makes you have a much different outlook on life by bringing a positive light to everything and everyone around. Challenge Day participants and mentors like myself, were quite changed for the better after Challenge Day. Challenge Day is an incredible experience for one and all alike.

Divya
Challenge Day was the most amazing day of my life. It allowed me to experience a day in which many barriers were broken down and everyone shared their thoughts whole heartedly, without any reservations. It united individuals from different ends of the spectrum by challenging us to express the emotions we felt.

Lauren
This program has had a great impact on my life. I'm not involved with any clubs or sports, but this is something that makes me want to get more involved with things and people in our school.

Terra
Challenge Day was a real “eye opener”. It not only allowed me to share my feelings freely without feeling as though I was being judged, but allowed grade 9 students to see that the are NOT alone! Challenge Day should be done AGAIN as it brought people together! I however feel that Challenge Day would have been more successful if there were people from each grade in the group!

Jing
Challenge Day is about realizing and learning to appreciate the diversity of the people that surround us, thus making us more considerate and sensitive towards our peers.

Be the Change!

www.challengeday.org