There are students who thrive under stress, pressure and time restraints. Throw a timed write or standardized test at them, and they will surely succeed.

But for others, the focus on letters and numbers is too much bear, and eventually, many students realize a high stress educational environment is just not right for them. They need a change, and the program Challenge Success brings it. And according to principal Brent Daniels, it is coming to Piedmont.

“It’s about answering the question of how schools change the social and emotional environment so students can grow,” Daniels said. “What can schools do to provide a rich learning environment while keeping kids healthy.”

To begin the process of Challenge Success’s collaboration with Piedmont, Daniels said that a survey will be administered in class after AP testing in May, after which research will be gathered and analyzed from students.

“The schools wide survey is to validate our concerns, and to use the data to inform us for decision making,” Daniels said.

According to Daniels, the electronic surveys will be comprehensively more lengthy than previous ones sent to student’s email accounts, as these will consist of approximately 70 questions and take 45 minutes during a class period.

After data is collected, a team of students, parents, teachers, counselors, and administrators from PHS will meet with Challenge Success representatives to analyze the data to eventually work towards creating policies that will help students with stress. This is where Schools Program Director Margaret Dunlap of Challenge Success steps in.

“The online survey later this Spring will measures [student’s] perspectives on homework, extracurricular activities, sleep, physical health, stress, parent expectations, academic engagement, academic integrity, and teacher support,” Dunlap said.

Challenge Success’s mission statement states that its vision is to recognize that in an educational culture that has become overly enveloped in grades and test scores, a new emphasis must be placed on skills that are crucial to other components to leading a successful life.

“It’s about finding ways to promote overall student well being and expand our current narrow and often shortsighted view of success,” Dunlap said.

The program formed in response to an increased number of emotional and mental health issues within students in the United States. Consisting of world-class psychologists, educators, physicians, and public health and policy experts, Challenge Success convened at Stanford University in 2007, where it was officially founded. The program now functions under the Stanford Graduate School of Education.

In addition to research, the program lectures throughout the country and aids schools in policy reform to reduce the increasing stress levels among students.

Dunlap said she is excited for Piedmont’s addition into the Challenge Success network, and looks forward to working with a team later in the year.

“We’re thrilled PHS has joined our network of schools this coming year. It’s a testament to the administration who recognizes the need to examine the pressures and stressors that many of Piedmont High School students experience on a daily basis,” Dunlap said.

“Stress is always going to be there,” Daniels said, “But it’s our job to help students cope with it.”