By Julian MITCHELL, intern

The Glendale Sunrise Rotary Club recently hosted Yvonne St. John-Dutra, a speaker who came to share her experiences with bullying and the program she and her partner John created called Challenge Day.

Challenge Day was founded in 1999, formed on the basis of St. John-Dutra’s experience assisting kids in other programs over the years. St. John-Dutra, herself a victim of bullying during her time in high school, founded the program in hopes to not just combat bullying, but to help find the roots of all problems bullies and their victims both face and to bring all people together “in love.”

“If we settle for tolerance, we fail,” explained St. John-Dutra. “Nobody wants to hear ‘I tolerate you’.”

The room at the Glendale Embassy Suites was full of Rotary members and Glendale Unified School District educators and board members who came to hear of the Challenge Day program and its inception. All listened intently to the many heartfelt personal stories St. John-Dutra shared.

“I remember one assembly we gave … and [the football captain] apologized to this girl, and John and I were just sobbing,” said St. John-Dutra.

The program has found its way through all 50 states, and to all types of schools, including Toll Middle School in Glendale.

“The program helps to connect kids to their campus, to their school and to each other,” said Dr. Tom Crowther, principal of Toll Middle School.

Dr. Crowther also noted that one of the biggest problems for kids today is the application of social media in virtually every student’s life. The problems at school may not disappear at home for many kids, which is one aspect that Challenge Day has had to adjust to over time.

Due to the lack of face-to-face interactions because so much communication is on social media, kids feel free to say whatever they want to other students, explained St. John-Dutra.She would encourage kids to not completely disconnect from social media, but instead use it to spread love.

“Kids who feel lonely usually aren’t feeling that because of a lack of people,” said St. John-Dutra during her address to the club. “Instead they usually feel lonely due to a lack of love.”

The Challenge Day program will come to schools to help educate the student body and to encourage them to connect, and it also will educate staff on techniques for helping students to better connect and connect more often.

One concern, voiced by rotary member and Glendale Council PTA president Monna Johnson, was the sustainability of the program once the Challenge Day staff has left the school.

The Challenge Day program, once it has visited a school, will occasionally do follow up activities with the school, in addition to encouraging students and staff to start Challenge Day groups. These groups usually set up events throughout the year that encourage the student body to meet with students outside of their normal circle.

For information on Challenge Day, information can be viewed at www.challengeday.org.

  Julian MITCHELL