Not many have heard of this new delicious challenge, but it is very simple. Think of the pasta scene from the classic movie Lady and the Tramp. There are two people and one Twizzler, people keep eating the candy until their lips touch. This idea was first broadcasted on the “Night of Too Many Stars”, a show on the TV station Comedy Central, and the goal is to raise money for Autism.

According to Autism Speaks, Autism is a brain disorder that alters its development. Autism can affect social interaction, verbal and non verbal communication, and repetitive actions. More and more kids each year are being diagnosed with a form of Autism, and awareness for the disease needs to spread. With the “Twizzler Challenge”, not only will it raise awareness for autism but it will raise the money necessary to provide programs and schools for children with autism.  With this money the children diagnosed with autism can be in safe environments with other people are in the same boat as them, and they can learn how to live with it.

This challenge started when Fred Katz, a reporter for Bleacher Report, tweeted during the show two weeks ago for Willie Geist and Uzo Aduba to do the “Twizzler challenge”. This ultimately led to the new challenge that will eventually take over social media.

This specific challenge is a little more personal than the Ice Bucket Challenge, but for the right cause. As of 2006 “Night of Too Many Stars” has raised around $22 million dollars for Autism. If this challenge gets as much publicity as the Ice Bucket Challenge did, researchers expect donations will triple the amount of money they have now. The money raised through the “Night of Too Many Stars” is given to New York Collaborates for Autism, and the money is used to construct schools, programs, and services for Autism all through the country.

Nashoba student Rachel Farley elaborates her thoughts about this new challenge. ” I think that if it is as successful as the Ice Bucket Challenge, then it is a very good opportunity to raise money for Autism.  I would definitely participate in the “Twizzler Challenge”, because I think it is good to raise money and awareness about this common disorder.”

In the last two weeks, many prominent people in the news have taken on this challenge to spread awareness. Among these people are Matt Lauer and Kathy Lee Gifford from the Today Show, Chris Soules and his fiance from the Bachelor, and Willie Geist and Meredith Vieira from The Meredith Vieira Show. Even executives from the Twizzler Company have taken on the challenge and have made generous donations.As the popularity of the “Twizzler Challenge” increases, the “New York Collaborates for Autism” company hopes to raise even more money than has already been raised to help children with autism throughout the country.Sources:
http://www.reviewjournal.com/trending/feed/goodbye-ice-bucket-twizzler-next-challenge
https://www.autismspeaks.org/what-autism
http://time.com/3748072/twizzler-challenge-ice-bucket-challenge/
http://www.cnn.com/2015/03/20/us/feat-twizzlers-challenge/index.html