After one very successful pilot at a Petaluma High School last spring, students, teachers, parents, and members of the community would like to have six Challenge Day events this school year and create a student led “Be the Change” team to cross through the barriers of bullying and separation on campus and in the community.

Here is what teachers and a student had to say about their experience last year:   

“I have taught 32 years in our school district and this was my first Challenge Day experience. It was a breath of fresh air that has invigorated me personally and inspired me to make an even deeper connection with my students. I have witnessed positive changes within my own classroom as students that attended this event have taken the initiative to treat their classmates with more empathy and understanding. I have witnessed my students intervening on behalf of otherwise disenfranchised classmates. I have also seen these same students making the effort to reach out and communicate with each other group on campus. I am looking forward to our next Challenge Day event!”  Denny Plyler, Math Teacher/Wrestling Coach 

“Challenge Day was the single best day I have experienced in over 5 years of teaching and 15 years of working with teens. The transformations I observed were amazing. This program has the power to transform our school culture in to one where all individuals are respected and valued, and understanding and tolerance are core values. Your donations will directly make the life of a local teen better!”  Jessica Dennen, Math Teacher 

“The random acts of kindness from these people that I hadn’t even known before has come to be one of the most powerful experiences in my life.  It was beautiful how I walked into that room of strangers, as a stranger, only to walk out again as a member in a beautiful family.  It was an amazing experience to have people truly listen to what I had to say and love me in spite of everything.  For much of my life I have tried to convince myself that I am not a victim but a survivor, and Challenge Day made me fully embody this notion.  It is experiences like this that give me the courage to live.”  Ariela Westlake, Student

 HELP BRING THE CHALLENGE DAY VISION TO LIFE FOR OUR YOUTH NOW!

If each of us does a little bit, big things happen!

To Volunteer:

To help staff on October 14th, October 21st, or February 10th at Petaluma High, contact Bonnie Koegedal at alohabk@comcast.net or by phone 480-6224.

To help staff on November 18th, December 8th, or March 10th at Petaluma Junior High contact Fidah Shaheen at    Shaheens5@sbcglobal.net or by phone at 773-2255.                   

To donate bottled water, chips, cookies, apples or sandwiches for each day at Petaluma High contact Martha Cooper martha@bundesen.com or 769-7176.

To donate bottled water, chips, cookies, apples or sandwiches for each day at Petaluma Junior High contact Patty Buzard buzzard@comcast.net or by phone at 766-9357.                 

Help Sponsor the Effort:

We have scheduled six Challenge Days this school year and only need to raise $9,000 of the $25,ooo for them all to happen. How can you help now?       

• Buy raffle tickets for a 7 day trip to Cabo San Lucas: $5/ticket or $20 for five

•  Raffle Drawing will be November 19th at Aqus Café      

• Join us at Graziano’s Dine Out Saturday, October 25th $40 per person or $75 per couple

• Eat at Aqus Cafe on Friday October 3rd or November 7th and part of the proceeds will go to support Challenge Day

• Or make a tax-deductible donation to Healthy Community Consortium for Challenge Day. Call, e-mail or stop by the office to make a donation, pick up your tickets for the raffle or dinner. Healthy Community Consortium, 200 Douglas Street  707-778-4951  http://www.healthycommunity.info/

Go to the web: www.ChallengeDay.org to view a video about Challenge Day and learn more.