Although I was disappointed that 8th grade didn't get to participate in Challenge Day, I was very happy that the Foundation was able to bring to program to our school. ECMS is unique; we have an amazingly diverse population. This is a strength but it also presents problems - that is why Challenge Day was so important.
For those of you curious about what your classmates experienced, you can read more about Challenge Day here.
Challenge Day also brought some positive publicity to our school: the Atlanta Journal Constitution, the Marietta Daily Journal, and WXIA, Channell 11, all covered the event. Be sure to click on the links to read the stories.
Challenge Day isn't meant to be a single day event - it's meant to be extended. The Be the Change program is a way of extending the lessons of Challenge Day.
So, what are your thoughts? Do you think this will make a difference? Did any of your younger friends or siblings get to participate? What did they say? What's something you could do to "be the change?"
6 comments:
Well, this morning on the announcements, a "be the change" person said to the people who could not participate in challenge day,"try and learn from these people". Frankly, that irritated me. She made it sound like we had some kind of disability because we did not have the opportunity to participate. Apparently other people have noticed that seventh graders have been communicating well with each other, but not other grades. I think challenge day was more of a bonding experience than a learning experience on how to share this with the world. Some people have said that the seventh graders have been rude to people who did not do challenge day. I am not really sure why the seventh graders were the ones who got to participate. Most people understand that in seventh grade, you are a crazy un-moldable little child, and there will always be drama, whether it is within your own grade, or the entire school.
- platner
This will not be a long blog, because I was going to say pretty much exactly what allison said. But now, at least they are trying to spread it around the whole school with this whole week of a theme for each day. Honestly, I do not think that this will have the same effect that they wish for, because it's not being enforced or an actual whole day activity like the 7th graders had, but at least they are trying. But, the 7th graders that are going around, being unkind to those who did not participate, are just the ones who wish they could have gotten more out of the experiance then they tried to get. Because many students went into challenge day, not understanding the real purpose of it, until they came out of it.
I agree with Xanna. I think that the impact on Challenge Day will last a while, but I think it will have little effect in a few weeks. There are things like Be the Change Week, where the school is trying to keep the impact of Challenge Day alive. Though, nothing is going to be more effective then the real thing. Though, I did notice that after Challenge Day the seventh graders on my bus were being nicer to each other. However, it is wearing off with some people.
Elizabeth
Okay, I think this will have an effect on some people. I talked to some 7th graders and they said it was very emotional. There were a lot of tears. I watched a clip on it on youtube, and it helps people understand each other more. It also makes people think more about someone before they judge them. Middle school is a great time for a program like this. I think its great. Hopefully, my sister will get to East Cobb and experience it herself.
-Kelly
=D
I understand why they chose to do it with the seventh graders, and I'm hearing from people that it did have a positive impact.
However, I was a little disappointed that when we had "Be the Change" week, the appropriate participation by my 8th graders was really lacking.
ok so, mrs. queenan is very right. ECMS probaly has the biggest diversty range ever!! This might be a great thing, but this is the reason people are picked on all the time. People at our school all belong to some type of "group". For example the popular kids are apparntly higher then the science nerds.( this isnt written to offensive)This isnt true. Nobody is higher then somebody else. We are all crated equaly. Think about it, we are all gods creation and thats how he wanted us to be, and thats nothing to laugh at.
I was also very disappointed that the 8th grade did not get to do the challenge day, but i am very glad that they could bring challenge day to our school. I did hear that the seventh graders did not take teh challenge day seriously, and that makes me very upset...but i think that nobody can change the way teenagers think..
Courtney Sutter :)
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