Middle School Challenge Day Project

The Lily Missions Center hosts the challenge day project every November. The center collaborates with the Jackson Chamber’s MLK Diversity Committee to bring middle students in Jackson County to facilitate understanding that the differences they have are building blocks for new relationships.

The program draws on the one-day experiential workshop called Challenge Day, but goes further. Designed to engage student participants in activities both before and after Challenge Day, the program promotes collaboration among educators, students, parents and community agencies in a focused effort to improve the social climate of area middle schools.

Bullying, teasing, and isolation – these occur far too often in our schools. Their effects can be devastating and life-changing, and can include low self-esteem, poor grades, truancy, depression, substance abuse and violence. The MLK Diversity Committee (a partnership between the Chamber, the Jackson County ISD, the Jackson Human Relations Commission and other community members and organizations) designed the Middle School Challenge to empower students to create a school-wide culture of kindness.