By Sharae Smith, CM– Thomas Jefferson 9th Grade Academy
Imagine a place that makes you feel safe. A place where you feel secure and protected. There are no risks that you take; you keep everything around you at a distance. This place is called our comfort zone. Are comfort zone is our work, living, and social environments that we have grown accustom too. It determines the type of friends we make or people we associate with. It determines a life style we could either accept or reject. This place is limited, and if we stay there too long we are not allowing ourselves to learn and grow.
That is just one of the many things that I have learned at Challenge Day. If you really knew me you would know Challenge Day has been one of the most beneficial and enjoyable experiences in my life. On Tuesday, January 10, 2012 Challenge Day came to Thomas Jefferson 9th Grade Academy. The day started off with fun games. The games kept students, volunteers and faculty engaged. We rocked it out. After the games the two facilitators of Challenge Day told their life story.
The phrase, “If you really knew me you would know this about me,” is how the facilitators each began telling their story. The stories were emotional and heart breaking. Each and every one of us in the room could relate to them in some way. I looked around me; I reached out to a student and wrapped my arms around her. We both cried together. For the first time in my life I cried in front of everyone. I did not feel embarrassed, I felt safe. Finally I was not afraid to be myself. I stepped out of my comfort zone, I had finally broken free.
We then broke off into our groups. For the first time I felt safe to be honest about my past. I began my sentence with, “If you really knew me you would know this about me.” Each person in the group was given two minutes to speak. To hear the students problems and their suffering ripped me apart. We held hands, we hugged, and we all cried together.
Challenge Day unites all cultures, allowing us to come together as one. Despite our hardships and life experiences, we realize that we are not alone. We no longer have to carry a heavy burden by ourselves and we have each other. Challenge Day helped everyone begin to understand one another more. The stories that I heard told about the problems our students face are much deeper then what I thought. Challenge Day was a day for all of us to unite, and to recognize that we are not alone. All that day we had fun, everyone felt safe, loved, and celebrated. We showed loved by holding up the love sign in the air with our hand.
After Challenge Day we were inspired to be the change. It’s from a quote that I know so well by Ghandi: “You must be the change you wish to see in the world.”
Challenge Day took place three days in a row in order to make sure that every single student in the school could participate – and the Thomas Jefferson 9th Grade Academy City Year team assisted all three days. If you really knew me you would know I cannot express my gratitude enough. I’m grateful I had the opportunity to participate in Challenge Day. I proudly wear my Aramark pants, my boots, nametag, and jacket every day and look forward to serve another day.
City Year Cleveland 