Putnam City Schools, with the support of the Putnam City Public Schools Foundation, has found a strategy to address some of the challenges and create a better learning environment. It’s a program that has helped decrease suspensions, the freshman failure rate and disciplinary issues while at the same time helping to improve attendance, respect and acceptance among students and overall school culture.

This strategy is Challenge Day, a program implemented in 2007. It’s a day-long exercise in team building and soul searching that has proven to be successful in building student relationships and creating productive learning environments. During Challenge Day students have the opportunity to discover in revealing detail what life is like for fellow students. The process amplifies how what happens in the home and outside of school really does impact the learning process.

As someone who spent eight years working for Oklahoma City Public Schools and now sits on the Putnam City Foundation Board, I know there are awesome educators working hard every day to make a difference. I also know that today’s society hands young people challenges we can’t even imagine until given the opportunity to see firsthand how these challenges affect our young people and hinder their educational experience.

I recently participated in Challenge Day at Putnam City West High School. Even with my years of experience in urban education, I had my eyes opened by the magnitude of challenges many students face.

Educational leaders know the learning process cannot be successful if children are not ready to learn when they come to school. When children arrive hungry, exhausted from working evening jobs that pay the bills, or distracted and depressed from family fighting or abusive situations, they aren’t mentally prepared to learn. If they are ignored, teased or bullied by peers, the process is hindered further.

Challenge Day teaches our children about diversity and the need to embrace and tolerate the differences that make their lives, schools and community a better place. As a professional, it also made me realize this program is a foundation for creating better leaders who will take the reins from us and keep Oklahoma City on the positive path of becoming a world class city.

I encourage anyone who cares about our community’s children and the current state of education to volunteer for the Putnam City Public Schools Foundation during next year’s Challenge Day. You’ll be part of an event that is powerful and life-changing, and you’ll know that you’ve made a difference.

Fair serves on the board of directors for the Putnam City Public Schools Foundation.