PHS Holds MTV Challenge Day

By Braden Clark

January 23 and 24, Payson High School had its second Challenge Day in two years. From the makers of MTV’s show, “Challenge Day” this year’s Challenge Day was run by two instructors, Randy Fortes and Katie Salvage.

The agenda of Challenge Day is to help people open their eyes, and realize they aren’t the only ones with a particular problem in their lives. 

They helped us focus on feelings for others and past experiences; and breakdown the idea that males have been told all their lives that you were suppose to “Be a Man”, “Suck it up”, and “Guys don’t cry.”

First we played games, the first game was to run across the gym and sit in the seat across from you; this was just to get people to sit next to someone they didn’t really know. After all the games were done it was time to get serious, we all got back in a big group.

The next Challenge started with the instructors sharing their life experiences themselves, to get us more comfortable around them and to get to know them.    Katie and Randy told us their stories, and why there were the leaders for Challenge Day.  When the instructors were finished; we were put in our own little groups, and there we told our own individual stories, what makes us who we are, the same and different from everyone else.  We each had two minutes each to explain our stories; some people wished for more time.

At this point I had already started tearing up, just hearing everyone’s story and seeing my friends starting to cry as well, really got to me. 

Perhaps the most significantly memorizing moment of the whole moment, Randy and Katie had everyone get in a huge line that stretched from baseline to baseline.  The instructors read off different scenarios, and if you have experienced any of the scenarios had any effect on your life you crossed the line.  When you did, you turned around to see your fellow classmates giving you the “I love you sign.”  You noticed to your side and noticed that there are many others that have experiences the same things you have, and you suddenly realize that you’re not alone anymore. 

“It was really shocking to see how many people had problems that you would never think of, it was really eye opening for me,” sophomore Jordan Bailey.

The questions started off really simple then got really complicated as they went on.  The first question was, “if you have ever been teased at school before” then to the more difficult questions “If you ever had anyone pass away in your family.”  This part of Challenge Day was truly the most emotional part of the day.  Your friends were crying because of their experiences, and your other friends were crying to comfort you or their other friends.

At the end of the seminar our instructors gave their goodbyes, and have everyone give as many hugs as possible.  I went into that seminar thinking this is going to be really embarrassing, and I left thinking that this was the best experience in my life. 

Mrs. Mangum and Mrs. Hall have a group called “Be the Change Team” they meet in Mrs. Mangum’s room every B day, if you have any questions or want to join ask Mrs. Mangum or Mrs. Hall.