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Frequently Asked Questions

Central Florida Circle of Change organization related to Challenge Day?
The local Central Florida Circle of Change organization is a group of local volunteers (citizens, parents, teachers, school administrators and concerned adults) who support having Challenge Day events in all 25 counties of Central Florida and who volunteer their time and effort to bring the events to these middle schools and high schools. The national Challenge Day organization is a separate group. For more information on the national Challenge Day organization, visit www.ChallengeDay.org

How does someone contribute to this cause?
Checks should be made payable to Challenge Day. Challenge Day is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization, and contributions qualify for deduction for income tax purposes. Checks should be mailed locally to:
Central Florida Circle of Change
580 Cape Cod Lane Suite 5
Altamonte Springs, FL 32714

How does Challenge Day keep track of money that's contributed?
The local Central Florida Circle of Change organization deposits checks made payable to Challenge Day directly to a Challenge Day account. The national Challenge Day organization records all these deposits and credits them to the Central Florida Circle of Change. 100% of the funds raised in Central Florida go directly to fund Challenge Day events in Central Florida. The national Challenge Day organization pays its administrative expenses from other funds it raises directly.

Does the local organization have any paid employees?
No. The Central Florida Circle of Change is made up of local citizens who volunteer their time to the organization. We have no employees or paid administrative staff.

Will Challenge Day open a can of worms?
We hope so. Challenge Day is designed to wake people up. Day after day, young people in our schools face negative judgments, teasing, violence, loneliness and separation. Our program incorporates the Challenge Day Formula for Change:
      Notice: Wake up to how people are treating one another;
      Choose: Choose the school and life of your dreams;
      Act: Take action to make your dreams a reality.
Newly-awakened students leave the room inspired to seek ways to contribute to the creation of a positive school environment. School officials choosing to host a Challenge Day should have a plan for empowering these motivated youth in achieving their goals. In addition to feeling inspired, some students who are dealing with hurts may need additional support. In most cases, we have found school officials are grateful to finally identify and have the opportunity to provide these students with the help they need. We require that your school team have a counselor who is excited to participate in the entire Challenge Day program and is able to provide any necessary follow-up support.

Can I attend a Challenge Day?
We definitely recommend participating in a Challenge Day in your area. The decision to include adults from outside of the immediate school community rests solely with the schools that we serve. Occasionally, schools request help with recruiting adult volunteers for their Challenge Day. Please contact us if you're interested in volunteering for Central Florida schools.  Check the National  calendar to schools in other areas.

I’m a parent. Is it OK for me to attend a Challenge Day?
Not only is it OK, it’s ideal. Some youth and adults fear that having parents in attendance will have a negative impact on the program. We have found the exact opposite to be true. Parents will not be assigned to the same small groups as their child. In our experience, the benefits associated with parent participation can have a profound and lasting positive effect on both the youth and the parent. Many school administrators who have experienced the power of our programs strongly recommend to parents that if they can only attend one school event with their child, they make Challenge Day that event.

Who participates in a Challenge Day?
One Challenge Day program can serve a maximum of 100 7-12th grade teens and up to 50 or more adults. The types of students you recruit for Challenge Day may vary depending on the goals you intend to accomplish in your school/community.

A minimum of one committed school counselor must participate in each Challenge Day, in order to provide logistical support and to be available for follow-up with students who may need additional support. A minimum of 1 adult for every 4 teens is required. We strongly recommend including adults who have a role in the school or community and who can provide ongoing support to the teens.

Adults are needed to increase safety in the room, to be role models, and to help keep an eye out for teens that may benefit from follow-up support. Without a sufficient number of adults, it may be necessary to limit the amount of youth in the room: something we want to avoid at all costs. Challenge Day is a great place to invite and bring together representatives from different areas of your community, including adults from local civic organizations, law enforcement, fire departments, the Chamber of Commerce, local businesses or corporations, community foundations/local nonprofits, and of course parents, teachers, administrators, school board members, influential community members, and potential funding sources.

How can I gain school support for Challenge Day?
You can gain school support for Challenge Days through teachers, counselors, parents/PTA, leadership classes, school administrators or district level administrators. It often works best to approach both the PTA and parents while simultaneously approaching teachers or administrators. Approaching the administration only may result in a top-heavy implementation strategy that can limit parent/teacher support. This is not recommended unless the person approaching the schools is familiar with school politics and feels confident that internal school communication is able to overcome this approach. Showing the DVD and providing a brief overview of the program can often be enough to convey Challenge Day’s value. Please contact the Central Florida Circle of Change if you are interested in getting your school involved.

How far in advance should Challenge Days be booked?
Planning for a Challenge Day takes at least 2-3 months. We encourage you to book at least 90 days in advance of your desired Challenge Day date. Given the high demand for our programs and the limited availability of our Leaders, the Challenge Day calendar fills up very quickly. Many schools we work with book up to a year or more in advance.

How much does Challenge Day cost?
Please see the Price Sheet page of the National website for costs.

How can I raise funds for my school’s Challenge Day?
Local community foundations, civic groups, police departments, businesses, service clubs, school safety funds, drug use prevention funds, and private donors have all provided funding for the implementation of Challenge Days. Many schools have also used Drug Free and Safe Schools money for our programs. Inviting donors and influential members of your community to participate as adult facilitators during the Challenge Days can be a wonderful way for them to see the immediate impact of their donation. We also strongly recommend inviting influential people in your community to watch the 15-minute segment of the Teen Files: Surviving High School DVD. It can be especially powerful for teens in your area to give testimonials about Challenge Day’s positive effects in their lives.

Some Circles and Be the Change Teams have created “pay it forward” programs where students who have gone through Challenge Day work with their parents to raise $30-35 to send someone else through Challenge Day. Many schools put on events to fundraise. Local businesses can “adopt” a class to go through Challenge Day. Local employers will match donations given by their employees.

* When approaching potential donors, we strongly recommend showing them the Teen Files DVD, our program brochures, and our cost sheet.

How can we keep the experience of Challenge Day alive?
While our six-hour Challenge Day program can have a dramatic effect in your school and community, it was never intended to be a one-day, fix-all program. Therefore, we require schools to create a Be the Change Team and a Be the Change Team Plan in order to sustain the cultural and paradigm shifts created through Challenge Day. We provide each school that takes part in a Challenge Day with a handbook with numerous ideas and activities that can be used as a part of the Be the Change Team Plan. The Be the Change Team Plan may include mentorship, leadership, and/or service-focused activities provided either in conjunction with Challenge Day or with ongoing programs already in place in the school community.

What research supports Challenge Day’s effectiveness?
As part of our pilot evaluation process, participating schools administer a student survey (provided with Challenge Day Coordinator packet) before and after their program days. You can also find studies and surveys on our School Results page.

“I definitely think it would be great if everyone experienced Challenge Day. It would help change things – less judging and fighting, and more getting along and caring.”    - Central Florida Student