Benicia High Challenge Day Brings Anti-Bullying Awareness to Students

For about 200 students at Benicia High School, last Wednesday and Thursday were Challlenge Days.  Days when they learn tolerance and acceptnce of others while opening themselves up to scrutiny by their fellow students.

The lessons learned last week will be on display at two assemblies this week for all Benicia High School students. 

Whitney Powell, the student who organized the event, was inspired to bring the program to Benicia High by a television show.  “Once I saw the “If You Really Knew Me” on MTV, that made me want to bring it to our school.”

Whitney’s mom, Shandrika Powell has known about the program for 10 years.  “We finally got it accepted last year,” said Powell.  “It was here 10 years ago and I don’t know why it went away.”

Benicia High Principal Gary Jensen is a strong supporter of Challenge Day. “It gives kids a chance to have a positive outlook on life,” said Jensen.  “The kids get to see that we’re all dealing with issues and problems and concerns.”

Whitney Powell was helped this year by her younger sister Chanler and Haley Rodekohr, both sophomores, who are planning to run the program next year.

According to Shandrika Powell, The goal of the Challnge Day is to “increase personal power and self esteem, to shift dangerous peer pressure to positive peer support and to eliminate the acceptability of teasing, violence, and all forms of oppression.”

Before the students show up for the day’s activities, adult volunteers go through a series of bonding exercises and prepare to help lead the kids. 

“The way this day goes has everything to do with how you are in this room,” said Pam Dunn, a Challenge Day leader, to the adults assembled in the room.  “If you’re chilled out in here then we’ll have 100 kids who are chilled out in here.”

“By the end of the day everyone is kind of like a little family,” said Whitney Powell.