By ESTHER K. SMITH
News staff writer
November 19, 2007

In the today’s climate of school shootings and other violence, bullying and harassment, Hood River Valley High School looks for ways to prevent these problems.

One national program designed to do this is Challenge Day, an award-winning one-day workshop where youth, teachers, parents, administrators, counselors and members of the community experience for themselves that love and connection are indeed possible in our schools.

Last week Challenge Day came to HRVHS. Many of the juniors and some seniors at the high school participated in the all-day event.

“Our goal is to begin breaking down barriers and opening up the lines of communication between students of different ethnicities, socioeconomic status and cultures,” said Tracy Norton, dean of students at the high school.

According to the Challenge Day Web site, young people are not isolated due to a lack of people around them, but because of a lack of connection to those people. The program aims to “tear down the walls of separation, create connection and support among participants and inspire people to live in an environment of compassion, acceptance and respect.”

The program leaders who visited the school, Berenice Meza-Aguiar and Randy Fortes, drew on their own experiences to open the students’ eyes as to how it feels to be relentlessly teased or feel isolated.

“We’re giving them the power to make a difference,” Fortes said after the program. “We all had that power as teenagers but weren’t given the opportunity to use it. I see this program as very positive and preventative.”

Students talked afterward about feeling empowered.

“It’s definitely going to change my life, in the whole way I look at things,” said Teresa Manzo. “I realize that I’m not alone and there are people who are going to help me from now on.”

Samantha Chacon agreed. “My emotions are very high,” she said. “I’m happy to talk to all of these people and very excited to branch out to other people and accept people for what they are.”