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Opinion Editorials Coastal Voices Guest Opinion: Challenge Day makes difference
Coastal Voices Guest Opinion: Challenge Day makes difference
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I have spent the last 34 years of my life helping teenage boys identify and address their core issues, i.e., those issues that led them to getting into trouble and eventually being removed from their community. It can be challenging work, but it can be extremely rewarding when you see someone figure out how to change their approach to life so that they start to succeed in creating a positive lifestyle. During the first week in December I was invited to attend Challenge Day, a program brought into our community to show teens how to connect with each other through a variety of activities. The providers of this experience offer a day filled with powerful exercises that break down barriers and create a safe place for participants to show who they have hidden behind the “masks” they wear in order to try to survive in a world they fear. What I witnessed, and was part of, was incredible! By the end of the day we had a self-proclaimed bully embracing one of his victims after a sincere apology. We had many people “liberated” by publicly confronting their fears and finding acceptance and support from their peers. People were able to clearly see that they are not alone in dealing with problems that many of us have to deal with. The barriers to communication were knocked down and many people stepped up and took advantage of the opportunity. I am in awe of how quickly this “safe place” was created for the participants, and I am in awe of the bravery of those participants who took the chance and risked exposing themselves. By taking that chance, those people found their own reward. They found unconditional acceptance, no small thing! This acceptance is especially rare in the world of teenagers. Many of the kids I have worked with over the years have ended up coming to us because they could not find a way to gain acceptance anywhere except among like-minded lost souls who praise them for anti-social acts. When the day was drawing to a close, several of the participants agreed to continue the spirit of the day once they returned to school. It is hoped that they were able to follow through on such a commitment. I would love to hear from any of them on this subject. Whether or not they followed through, whether or not they actively participated in the program, no one left that day without being affected; this I know. Thanks to the Public Health Department, the high school administration, the tribes for granting gaming dollars and all the volunteers for providing this program in our community. Thanks for the opportunity to participate and see what a great bunch of kids we have in this community. The need for programs like this was apparent, as seen in the faces of the participants. I hope we can continue to have this program here for our kids. I hope also that there will be some way to build on the lessons learned there so that a safer and more accepting environment will exist in all of our schools. Al Smith is director of Bar-O Ranch, a residential treatment facility in Gasquet for boys ages 13-18. |
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