Empowering kids to care about themselves, others, and the world around them. Positive + fun. Reducing youth violence, peer conflict and self-harm with kid-led 5 minute actions.
Signature program developed by Inlight Institute alongside educators, psychologists, and child experts:
Spring Challenge Happening Now-May | FREE
CARE HARD ACTION CHALLENGE
A Youth Well-Being & “Care”cter-Building Program
Evidence-based & Flexible implementation
The Challenge: One small action a day. Work together as a team to reach 10,000 actions (it is easy to hit the goal, reflective, and interactive). Choose from our guided action program + or create a custom prompt set by picking from our kid-designed action list.
Simple, age-appropriate initiatives
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Action-based challenges and service projects
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Real-world application
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Simple, age-appropriate initiatives 〰️ Action-based challenges and service projects 〰️ Real-world application 〰️
What to expect:
↓ 17% Less Peer Conflict
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↑ 30% More Positive Youth Expression
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↑ 50% More Ideas Sharing
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↓ 17% Less Peer Conflict * ↑ 30% More Positive Youth Expression * ↑ 50% More Ideas Sharing *
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How it works:
Fewer negative interactions
Earlier intervention
Stronger peer norms
What changes:
Less escalation
Less exclusion
Fewer peer incidents
Metric:
↓ 17% Peer Conflict
Educators report fewer peer conflicts, including bullying and disruptive peer interactions. Results vary by implementation.
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How it works:
Repetition (daily actions)
Reflection (notes, assemblies, challenges)
Leadership (ambassadors, student-led actions)
What changes:
Empathy
Self-regulation
Teamwork
Agency
Metric:
↑ 50% Student-Led Ideas Shared Educators report increased student voice and leadership through idea-sharing and collaboration. Results vary by implementation.
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Daily care actions
Positive language prompts
Peer-to-peer recognition
What changes:
Students talk more
Students participate more
Students feel seen
Metric:
↑ 30% Positive Youth Expression. Educators report increased positive language related to school, learning, and collaboration. Results vary by implementation.
Who is it for:
For schools:
Daily classroom * Assemblies * PTA events
For youth-serving nonprofits:
Sports leagues * Intervention * After school
For corporate partners:
Workplace * FanFest/ Halftime * Sponsorship
Preview the Program. Once registered, you will be invited to the program dashboard.
Program Purpose
Inlight Institute’s mission is to empower young people to care about themselves, others, and the world through character education and entrepreneurial service learning.
The Care Hard Challenge accelerates this by giving students structured opportunities to act on contribution, resilience, and purposeful efforts every day.
❋Emotional & Mental Well-Being
Care and prosocial behaviors are linked to increases in positive mood, happiness, and feelings of belonging, and reductions in stress, anxiety, and depression in young people. Acts of kindness trigger the release of feel-good brain chemicals (like serotonin and dopamine), improving emotional regulation and resilience.
❋Academic & Developmental Benefits
Students who feel more supported and connected through care and contribution are more engaged in learning, better able to concentrate, and more likely to thrive socially and emotionally.
❋Stronger School Climate & Peer Relationships
Care increases peer acceptance, strengthens positive connections, and supports a more inclusive, respectful school environment, all of which can reduce bullying and aggressive behavior.
❋Our Approach:
Building care, contribution, and service into everyday actions meets youth where they are and helps spark the very positive cycles of well-being, social connection, and purpose that research shows benefit kids long-term.
A SAMPLE CARE HARD DAY
Arrive & Act
Start with a 5 minute timer and a simple CARE ACTION prompt with a big impact.
Choose your “adventure” add-ons:
Our modular program means educators can choose to extend the learning experience to include:
A daily video that reinforces a skill
Reflection questions and journaling
Service project built for young stewardship
Student ambassador club to host assemblies and recess power sessions
Care Hard is designed to scale through meaningful partnerships.
To learn how Care Hard can work within your school, organization, or company, contact us at:
shannon@inlightinstitute.org