Challenger program in its fourth year

By Lauren Naughton

Every month they roam the halls wearing matching black shirts. They are a diverse group of juniors and seniors who notice, choose, and act to issues facing students.

They do their best to make sure everyone feels like they belong. They are present at every Challenge Day and encourage students to "get real" and drop the waterline.
They are the Challengers of Bishop Kelly High School. This November marks the fourth year of the Challenger program at Bishop Kelly, and the first year every class has been directly exposed to the program.

The Challenger program originated from a student leadership program introduced by former Assistant Principal Mike Caldwell.

"In 2005 Mr. Caldwell began a program called Natural Helpers," explains current Challenger moderator Wes Worrell. "Natural helpers were selected by their peers based on a survey of qualities. After a training process they were made available to help students who needed peer guidance," he added.

Mr. Caldwell would come across the idea of Challenge Day later that year.
"Timberline also had a peer mentoring program called the 'Wolf Connection.' Mr. Caldwell and faculty from Timberline often discussed their mentoring program. During one of these discussions Mr. Caldwell had heard about the impact of a Challenge Day at Timberline and that is how the idea of Challenge Day came to Bishop Kelly High School."

The following year of 2006, the Natural Helpers went on a retreat early in the school year. During this retreat the group of mentors, now known as Challengers, bonded and were ready to create a positive environment on their return to Bishop Kelly.
The first Challenge Day would be held that fall and another Challenge Day was held in the spring for a particularly problematic freshman class.

"There were a lot of bullying, harassment, and clique problems with our class. We had so many people leave halfway through the school year. It was so sad," said senior Megan Sharratt.

After Challenge Day Megan reflects, "There was a difference in our class. There was more closeness and I think everyone took something away from that experience,"
After the success of the two Challenge Days in 2006, the Challenger program continued to grow. In 2007 another two Challenge Days were held, however the freshman Challenge Day was held in the fall, and the mixed Challenge Day was held in the spring. During this year, Mr. Caldwell introduced the idea of freshman families. A junior and senior Challenger would meet with a group of freshman periodically to mentor them throughout the year. This would make it easier for challengers to form a bond with the freshmen past Challenge Day. After the departure of Mr. Caldwell in 2007, Mr. Worrell took over as moderator of the program in 2008.

This year the Challenger Program is larger than ever. In addition to the 48 challengers selected there are eight senior challengers known as "Challenger Grandparents." Challenger Grandparents communicate with a challenger family as opposed to a freshman family, and remind them of meetings "I really enjoyed having a freshman family last year, and though we make less of a direct impact on the freshman this year, we are able to enforce the role of challengers and be there for them," said grandparent Bregeen McClure.

The Challenger Grandparents this year are also spreading the Challenge Day message to Catholic middle schools.

"When we visit the middle schools we do skits and talk in small groups about leadership and including others," Bregeen continues, "I feel if we can make a difference in the Catholic middle schools the effect will carry on into the high school level."
Four years later, the response to Challenge Day and challengers remains positive.

"Challenge Day was a refreshing experience," comments freshman Megan Nicola. "Our class has mostly gotten along well but it has helped with some drama and cliques," Megan also enjoys meeting with her freshman family. "I feel we are really close. I love the challengers! You would think going into high school that the upperclassmen wouldn't be that nice but the challengers are so friendly. Even though I knew a lot of people going into Bishop Kelly, friends that I had from Eagle told me that the challenger activities really helped them."

The Challenger Program has truly come full circle within the past four years.
"It's kind of crazy to think that I was a freshman when Challenge Day started and now I'm a challenger," said Bregeen.

Over the years Challenge Day changed the way students see each other . Challenge Day, has bonded freshman through the freshman family program and has even limited problems in the middle schools. With such encouraging success of the Challenger Program in these four years one can only imagine the impact the challenger program will have at BK four years from now.