Has anyone had an experience with challenge day?

See this article;

12.21.06Challenge Day: Bringing Transformational Workshops to a School Near You.

[www.cultnews.com] . .

Well they have been in my area for several years. They have been able to firmly root them selves in the community and have even opened a mobile community center. They rent local building space for their meetings and shows.;

About Monroe Youth Challenge Program:

".... had a vision to bring this workshop to her community of Marathon as a necessary response to the increased violence, substance abuse, suspension rates, and incidence of teen depression and suicide among high school students in Monroe County" Florida.

".... After a year of successful implementation of Challenge Day and the educators and community supporters recognized the need for extensive follow up to the workshop. Monroe Youth Challenge Program was created to facilitate that need. Today MYCP provides year round programming for youth throughout the county".


You can see this at the "Monroe Youth challenge Program. Use google search to find it.

Or try : [www.monroe.k.flus] .


The local school district is supporting them by allowing them to conduct business inside the school and taking kids out of classes to participate in Challenge Day activities.

I experienced challenge day twice and it reminded me of the cults of the 60's and 70's that used group hipnosis/and group suggestion to get individuals to comply and even become emotionally obsessed.

I recognized the new age mumbo jumbo right away. I also saw how emotional certain individuals became. This is a grand dramatic activity which many people interpret as a "positive way" to change violent or bullying behaviors.

It may look this way for a day or so, but In time I saw no permanent change in the level of violence at the schools. Some individuals became obsessed with the rituals involved. They seem to become addicted to the drama and emotional outbreaks at the challenge day group "therapy" sessions. They want that rush of endorphines.

This is all very scairy. They are very adept in getting money by aggresively demanding donations so we can save our children from violence, bullying, racism etc.. They have also been able to get support from many political and business leaders up to the Govenor of our state. Whether this support is just a photo opportunity or true financiel support, the current trend of aggressive guilt marketing is paying off for them interms of large sums of money. Someone is getting rich some where;

".... the Challenge Day program has received numerous awards from the Juvenile Justice System, the D.A.R.E. Officers Association, government officials, and many school districts and cities nationwide...."


Any other views or ideas would be appreciated.