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Global Rock Challenge

By on June 1, 2008

The Rock Challenge is a unique and exciting opportunity for students to take part in a dance, drama, music, and design spectacular. Consider it a mini-musical-mime or dance-dramatization of a story to an 8-minute self-designed soundtrack. Since its beginning in Sydney, Australia in 1980, the event has brought over 1 million children onto the stage while involving parents, teachers, and community members in 7 countries. The Global Rock Challenge foundation has been working with young people, schools, governments, and organizations to increase awareness of social issues among the youth, addressing anti-social behaviors. All RC countries adopt a strong anti-alcohol, tobacco, and drugs message, while each nation includes their country-specific needs and concerns. “This is by far the most effective preventative action I have come across,” says Hans Emblad of the World Health Organization.

 

Extensive research argues in favor of the arts and creativity as part of children’s overall education. A quote by former US president Harry Truman best sums up GRC’s approach: “I have found that the best way to give advice to your children is to find out what they want, and then advise them to do it.” The reason behind this project’s success is through entertaining, inspiring, and motivating young people by letting them express themselves and build self-esteem through empowerment.

 

The RC-Japan was formed in 2007, following the reception it received the previous year when it was showcased as part of the Japan-Australia Year of Exchange celebrations. The project was then introduced to public, private, international and alternative schools in Japan, from kindergarten to high school levels. In Japan, various youth-related problems are still prominent in society, from bullying and gang violence to substance abuse and suicide. For these reasons, there is an urgent need for RC to be introduced as a valuable educational project–as an aid in stemming self-destructive and anti-social actions; and as a tool for developing resilience and self-esteem, the absence of which are at the core of depression and social withdrawal.

 

The Rock Challenge in Yurakucho is an event scheduled for 6:30pm on Jul 15, and 1pm on Jul 16, and held at the Yurakucho Asahi Hall. It is hoped that 8 or more schools will join to perform on the 15th, as well as draw representatives from many schools in the Kanto region to attend the “how to” seminar on the 16th. The Wavell School of Farnborough, UK will fly a team of 40 to Japan to perform at the event, in addition to explaining the global spirit and mission of the GRC at the seminar, an activity proudly connected to the UKJAPAN2008 year of celebrations. The Dubai Scholars School UAE also wishes to come to Japan to perform in July and further demonstrate the impact and value of RC. If the RC-J strategic plan is realized, we hope to engage hundreds of schools from Sapporo to Okinawa to join this global youth movement over the next 4 years. For that to happen, we need to see Japanese schools–staff, students, PTA and school administrators–to take the challenge of addressing social and moral issues confronting young people through a medium relevant to youth; relevant to the time; relevant to their needs. With Japan schooling returning to 6-day weeks again from 2011, one wonders whether more maths, science and literacy studies is the key to achieving “a beautiful country” or just for looking good on the OECD education country proficiency scale.

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