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SPRING
2011
maskmatters.org
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CHALLENGE DAY
925-957-0234
challengeday.org
Later in the workshop, students,
adults and leaders participate in an
exercise in which they’re asked to cross
a line if they’ve ever been called fat,
picked on for the color of their skin,
or contemplated suicide, among other
things. Many are shocked to see their
peers cross the line with them.
The Challenge Day program
gained national attention last year
after it became the subject of an MTV
documentary series called “If You Really
Knew Me,” which premiered on July
20, 2010. In the series, cameras went
inside high schools across the country
to capture what happens when students
“peel back their public personas, break
out of their cliques and show their peers
who they really are.”
“It’s an intense and dramatic
experience, but ultimately uplifting and
universally relatable for all of us who
have gone through high school or are
about to,” says Tony DiSanto, president
of programming for MTV.
At MTV.com, viewers were able
to find exclusive content and updates
on students featured in the series,
participate in online discussions, and
find resources on issues discussed in the
show.
Building on the Challenge Day
program, Rich and Yvonne have started
a new program called Next Step to Being
the Change. Designed for adults and
older teens, this three-day workshop
provides tools and skills for addressing
the feelings of separation and isolation
associated with such issues as substance
abuse, bullying, racism and violence.
Challenge Day workshops are
available to schools in the United States,
Canada, Germany, Australia and the
Netherlands. According to Rich, they do
about 1,000 programs a year.
“Our job is to prove that peace on
earth is possible,” says Rich. “If teens
can see a transformation in their school,
they can improve their relationships with
their families.”
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