The Los Gatos resident was joined by about 80 Los Gatos High School students at the all-day event held Feb. 24 at Calvary Church. Other participants included teachers, administrators, town council members, community leaders and even visitors from Marin County and the American School of Paris. Overall, close to 200 people took part or volunteered their time, according to Dan Fowler, assistant principal at LGHS.

The Los Gatos Community Challenge Day was run by a nonprofit organization also called Challenge Day, based in Martinez. The organization provides youths and their communities with programs that demonstrate the possibility of love and connection through the celebration of diversity, truth and expression. Through icebreakers, intense discussions and bonding activities, the Challenge Day program is designed to help put an end to the violence and alienation that youth face daily.

"Some of the kids saw that they had been mean or disrespectful to other students. And they saw how hurtful that could be," said Fowler, adding that by the end of the day, students from diverse lifestyles and social groups were apologizing for ways they had treated each other in the past. "I can't describe it with any other word but 'powerful.'"

He said the buzz and energy lasted through Feb. 25 on campus, and students couldn't stop talking about what a moving experience the day had been. Fowler is already planning to bring Challenge Day back to the school next year, assuming he can find funding. This year's event was provided through Los Gatos community donations at no cost to the students, participants or school. Calvary Church offered its facilities and Community Against Substance Abuse provided lunch for all attendees, Fowler said.

Geno, who has volunteered with Challenge Day for the past three years, said he learned two weeks prior to the Feb. 24 event that he had secured a grant for $8,000 on behalf of the Challenge Day organization. The grant comes from the MDRT Foundation, the philanthropic arm of the Million Dollar Round Table, an association of financial and insurance professionals.

As a 39-year MDRT member, Geno said he's also an active supporter of Challenge Day and endorsed the grant application, guiding the charity through the application process. The grant will support the Youth Leadership Certification Project—a program within Challenge Day. Geno will officially present the grant on March 13 at the organization's annual fundraising brunch, according to Gayle Hasley, Challenge Day development director.

"It's not just a program for kids. It's really a people program," said Geno, commenting on the Feb. 24 event. "I get as much out of it as any 16- or 17-year-old. It's really about breaking down barriers and prejudices."