Ninth graders at Garden City High School gathered around one of this year’s facilitators for an introduction to the Challenge Day program. Last month, ninth graders at the high school participated in Challenge Day, a special program offered to build connections and raise empathy levels among students. This was the second consecutive year the program was held at the high school. Facilitators from Challenge Day coordinated with the high school’s Guidance Department to work with the ninth grade for 6 1/2 hours during the two-day event. Students were encouraged to practice openness and support for their classmates through a variety of group, small group, and one-on-one exercises. Challenge Day’s mission is “to provide youth and their communities with experiential workshops and programs that demonstrate the possibility of love and connection through the celebration of diversity, truth and full expression.”

Face-to-face, words of encouragement and support strengthened the connection between these Challenge Day participants. For more information about the Challenge Day program for grades 7-12, visit: www.challenge

day.org.