Frequently Asked Questions for the

Youth 4 Youth Challenge

 Here are a few questions that you may have about the Youth 4 Youth Challenge this summer.  If you don't see a particular question that you have in mind, please email us at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .  We'll respond and add it to our FAQ list. 

• When does the challenge start?
• Is there a cost to register and participate?
• Is there an age limit?
• What is the minimum and maximum number of youth allowed in each group?
• Can my group drop out of the contest before September?
• What are the requirements of a group's sponsoring organization and adult representative?
• What prizes will groups be working towards?
• Do the activities have to be completed as a team?
• Can a group register after the registration date?
• Are individual permission slips required?
• How does a group keep track of its points?
• Does every group win something?
• Can friends and family participate in the Challange?
• How does my group volunteer at an event?
• Can our group do a related activity that is not on the list?

The Challenge starts June 1st and lasts through September 30th.

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Registering and participating in the Youth 4 Youth Challenge is FREE!  Although, some of the events that groups can choose to do may have small registration fees (i.e. Benefit Walks and Runs) 

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Participating youth must be between the ages of 10 and 18 years of age.

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Groups must have at least 5 members on their team.  There is no maximum limit but we would recommend keeping your group size to a manageable limit per your organzations capacity to provide reasonable and safe oversight.

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Groups can drop out of the challenge at anytime. No group is obligated to participate for the entire duration; however, staying with the challenge will assure you a chance to win prizes. The frequency and amount of activities completed is entirely up to the group. Groups may decide to do several activities in June and July but few in August and September.

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Since the purpose of our ‘first ever’ Youth 4 Youth Challenge is to Keep things simple, fun and safe, we’re asking each groups’ sponsoring organization and adult representative to focus on three main areas of responsibility:

ORGANIZE a team of at least 5 members and

• Encourage the team to try a variety of activities in each of the categories provided
• Take advantage of local events and activities in the community
• Assist your youth create their own related activities and events

 LEAD your team and:

• Assist them with activities that they select
• Provide age-appropriate adult supervision 
• Enlist parent volunteers as needed for the activity
• Ensure that your organization’s parental permission and consent policies are followed
• Keep the activity a fun and safe experience

 REPORT:

• Register your team on our website
• Log on using a secure login and password and access the Group Progress Report (email reporting option is available)
• Simply "check off" those items from our list of activities that your team has completed
• Add your own remarks in the comment section if desired
• Submit reports regularly and as often as you want.

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We are still in the process of putting together several sets of individual and group prizes.  So far we have received donations for things such as group pool parties, open gym nights, tee-shirts, draw-string back packs filled with "give-aways" and other prizes and incentives. We anticipate adding to this list throughout the summer so check the website for prize updates.

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Activities do not have to be completed with 100% of the team present, but the more members in the group that participate, the more points your group can be awarded. Since team building is one of the key components of the Youth 4 Youth Challenge, try to work together as often as possible. We understand that not everyone can be involved all of the time, but keep every member informed and let people get engaged in ways that maximize their potential and allow them to make a contribution.

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Groups can register anytime during the challenge period, but the earlier a group signs up, the more points they will be able to accumulate. As the contest period progresses, our Teen Advisory Team will help us develop award categories that can engage all types of groups, including those that register a little later in the summer.  

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Aside from the contact information about the adult representative, the Youth 4 Youth Challenge does not collect any personal information about individual youth who are members of a team.  We do not require individual permission slips for groups to register or participate in the Youth 4 Youth Challenge; but we do recommend that your organization's parental permission and consent policies are followed and that parents and legal gaurdians stay informed.

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Group summary scores will be updated and posted each week on the Get Up & Go! website, once a team’s activity sheet is submitted by the adult representative. A new Activity Checklist will be available each week to download and complete. These checklists can then be emailed to: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or mailed to:

Our Youth 4 Youth support team is also working on a web-based reporting system that will list activities online and provide summary reports in “real time” for those activities that already have a pre-assigned point value. The results of some activities submitted by groups may require “special review” by our review team and those points will be manually added and posted each week.

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We always encourage your group to add other members or to get more friends and family involved. Recruiting a friend or family member for some of the activities may even earn bonus points for your group. Groups can also add new members as they go along. After all, this is about reaching and teaching others about healthy alternatives for you, your family and your friends.  

We recommend discussing this question as a group.  It makes for a good team building exercise and it can help establish criteria for future team activities.

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A separate linked page of community events and volunteer contact information will be available for many of the activities listed on our Community Calendar.  This link will be listed on the Youth 4 Youth menu under the heading Volunteer Opportunities.   Your group may also know of organizations in need of a group of volunteers or you can check with your adult representative or organization for ways to volunteer at local community events.

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Your group may know of other activities that promote team building, service to community, or health improvement.  If so, feel free to try them and let us know the details. All new activities will be reviewed and teams will receive points based on a comparison with similar activities in our current activity list.  Bonus points may also be awarded if your group's activity is added to our overall list of activities.  Have fun and let us know how we can help.

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Does every group win something?

As much as we would love to have enough prizes to award every group something special, that's a gaurentee that we just can't make this early in the Challenge.  We can say that our volunteers will be workingPrizes and incentives will be awarded to teams based on overall points and other categories to be determined throughout the summer. All participants will be recognized and invited to join in at the October 16th Get Up & Go! celebration and recognition event at McKendree University. We hope to give participation prizes to all registered groups.

For additional information, watch for updates on this website or contact us at

This initiative is made possible through a cooperative agreement with the St. Clair County Health Department through grant funds provided by the Illinois Department of Public Health and the Illinois Department of Human Services.