Challenge Success

What is Challenge Success?

We are the Monta Vista wing of Challenge Success comprised of students, teachers, parents, and administrators. Challenge Success was founded by Madeline Levine, Ph.D., Jim Lobdell, M.A. and Denise Pope, Ph. D. The program is an expansion of the SOS (Stressed-Out Students) Project at Stanford University.

Why do we need Challenge Success?

Our current hyper-focus on grades, individual achievement and rote answers gets in the way of healthy emotional development and a real love of learning, and it prevents our students from acquiring the creativity and critical thinking skills that the new global economy demands. In times of uncertainty, kids need to be resilient, but we’ve knocked the resilience out of far too many kids with excessive demands and preoccupations with trivial concerns. We worry more about a grade than about a good night’s sleep. We forget the proven value of play, of time for exploration and reflection, and of meaningful contribution. Academically inclined kids end up feeling only as good as their last performance. Kids with strengths in other areas end up feeling marginalized and undervalued. (adapted from http://www.challengesuccess.org/WhyItsImportant.aspx)

Our goal is to define the success of our school as a compassionate, inclusive, and collaborative community of academically engaged and healthy learners.

Monta Vista partners with Challenge Success out of the Graduate School of Education at Stanford University. Here's a summary of what Challenge Success believes:

The road to success is not straight and narrow, but is paved with many curves and bumps along the way.
Success looks and feels different for each child.
Success is measured not at the end of the semester, but over the course of a lifetime.
Children are MORE than numbers — MORE than their SAT scores, GPA, class ranking, hours of extracurriculars, and number of APs.
Some setbacks provide students with the opportunity for growth and character building, and teach them the life-long skills of perseverance and resilience.
It is important to find a college that’s the RIGHT FIT FOR YOUR CHILD; however, it’s NOT important where that college places on a national ranking of universities.
Nobody is perfect, and therefore we should not expect our kids to be.

At Challenge Success we know it can be difficult to find balance and to parent in our overly competitive/winner-takes-all environment. We are here to help.

At Monta Vista, the Challenge Success team of students, staff and parents are working together to bring new ideas to our campus and help us find that balance.

Video on Student View of Success

One of the purposes of the Challenge Success program is that there are many different paths to success. We asked Monta Vista students questions about success. Our aim was to show how there isn't just one definition of success, but rather everyone has their own.

Challenge Success Resources

Challenge Success Newsletter

Strategies for Reducing Stress

Challenge Success FAQ

Protect Your Child's 'PDF'...Play Time, Downtime and Family Time.
The concept of reducing stress to enhance students’ quality of life and academic performance is catching on. Check out this recent New York Times article for another perspective.