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What is Rise Up: The 800 Challenge?
This year, to mark the 800th anniversary of St Francis of Assisi's life, the Ecology Advisory Committee together with the Council for Integral Ecology and The Catholic Office for Youth and Young Adults (COYYA) are calling school to participate in Rise Up: The 800 Challenge.
During the Season of Creation (1 September to 4 October), this year’s theme being ‘Living Water’, we invite your school community to choose one mission that promotes care for creation and complete it to the tune of 800. This could involve completing something 800 times, spending 800 minutes on an activity or collecting 800 items for example; Build an "800" sculpture entirely from recycled materials, 800 minutes of outdoor class learning, picking up 800 pieces of rubbish. Schools are also welcome to create their own challenge, provided it connects to caring for creation, sustainability, ecology, or living the message of Laudato Si'.
Rise Up: The 800 Challenge Resources
Information Pack
Outlines how schools can take part in Rise Up: The 800 Challenge, including the challenge requirements, registration and submission process, challenge activity ideas, key dates and supporting resources.
Prayer
Includes an introduction that connects God's call to care for creation with practical action, along with a Season of Creation prayer and age-appropriate reflection questions for primary and secondary students.
Social Media Templates
These templates are to help schools promote and celebrate their challenge activities on their social media accounts. Schools are encouraged to make their own copy of the templates, customise them with their branding, and add photos of students taking part in the challenge.
Challenge Inspiration
This Challenge Inspiration poster provides schools with a variety of example ideas across three categories, Ecological, Action, and Reflection & Prayer, to help students and staff choose or adapt an environmental challenge that can be completed in the spirit of "800" while supporting care for creation during the Season of Creation.
Primary Presentation
Designed for in-classroom or a school assembly to introduce Rise Up: The 800 Challenge, explaining why the challenge is being held, what challenge the school will do, and how students can get involved. It features an age-appropriate video that explores our call to care for creation, plus the Rise Up: The 800 Challenge Prayer.
Secondary Presentation
Designed for in-classroom or a school assembly to introduce Rise Up: The 800 Challenge, explaining why the challenge is being held, what challenge the school will do, and how students can get involved. It features an age-appropriate video that explores our call to care for creation, plus the Rise Up: The 800 Challenge Prayer.