If Challenge Day has inspired you, and you are not directly connected to a school, and/or you prefer to be part of circle that supports multiple school teams in your community, you will want to form or join one of our Circles of Change.

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Circles of Change are groups of youth and adults who are committed to living, funding and supporting the principles of Challenge Day and the Be The Change Movement. The primary role of a Circle of Change is to support local Be The Change Teams in achieving their goals. For more information: Contact David Miller at the Great Lakes Circles Resource Team: 586-264-5632 or EMAIL US.

Dear Circle Members,

Since the beginning of Challenge Day, the schools and communities where we have seen the most lasting and significant changes are those supported by a group of concerned and motivated teens and adults. Although the program was originally designed to change and inspire the lives of the students we realized it has the same effects on adults. This is great news because there are many adults all over the country who are now committed to creating the school experience they never got to have. These groups of people come together and form Circles of Change.

The mission of a Circle of Change is to fuel the flame of the Be The Change Movement and support Be The Change Teams in achieving their goals. Circles must first take a realistic look at how many teams or groups they can effectively support. Circle members work to live the principles of Challenge Day, fund and support programs in their area. In return, they have the opportunity to practice the principles and tools of the Be The Change Movement as part of a larger community.

Live it! We know that living these principles and tools really does work to create the life and community of our dreams because we actively live them in our organization. Through Personal Growth Plans, Accountability Buddies, Integrity Retreats, Personal Life Coaches, intentionally emptying our emotional balloons, and practicing our Communication and Rumors Models we incorporate these tools into all areas of our lives. For us, this is the most important thing we can do. No matter how much money we raise, or how much support we offer schools or youth, if we are not living as role models, we are out of integrity and have missed the purpose.

Fund it! All Be The Change Teams have goals and plans to achieve their vision of change. Circles of Change help fundraise in support of the team’s plans and goals. Fundraising is also a part of fulfilling their plans and projects for the movement.

Support it! There are endless ways Circles of Change can support Be The Change Teams and the Be The Change Movement. They assist in recognizing youth and their efforts towards being the change through celebrations and awards. Creating positive media attention on the “good” that youth are doing not only inspires them to keep moving forward but also gives all of us new hope. Circles can also recruit adults as facilitators for Challenge Day programs and bring community resources to achieve their goals for Be The Change programs. One place circle members can have the most creativity and fun is in fueling the flame of the Be The Change Movement.

Can you imagine thousands of Circles of Change all across the country networked together, exchanging dreams and plans and supporting each other in achieving their highest goals?

Rich & Yvonne St. John-Dutra