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Schools

Rachel's Challenge Inspires Middle School Students

Columbine victim's life inspires and challenges Brookfield students to a life of kindness.

Rachel Scott vowed to touch the world with simple acts of kindness and compassion. Her life came to a sudden end nearly 11 years ago. She was the first to die at Columbine High School on April 20, 1999. Her short but remarkable life and the journals she left behind serve as the foundation for a school program that continues to inspire and empower millions of students worldwide.

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The hour-long presentation is designed to motivate positive change in the way students treat others. This is accomplished through a combination of audio and video, featuring news clips of the tragedy, Scott's funeral and interviews with family and students touched by her acts of kindness. Students then participate in an interactive training session that reviews the ideas and helps identify when, where and how they can make a difference in the lives of others and create a friendlier school culture.

The Challenge is based on Scotts' writings, including ideas from the journals she left behind and an essay written shortly before the tragedy. In her essay, she challenges the reader to "start a chain reaction," and states "most people will never know how far a little kindness can go." She lived her personal philosophy daily by reaching out and being a friend to kids who felt isolated and rejected by their peers.

Whisconier Middle School (WMS) students were encouraged to think about the effect they could have if they put the following five principles in to action:

1. Eliminate Prejudice — look for the best in others.

2. Dare to Dream — write down your goals, keep a journal.

3. Choose Positive Influences — input determines output. Scott was influenced greatly by Anne Frank.

4. Kind Words — words can lift someone up or tear someone down. Choose to use kindness.

5. Start a chain reaction — showing kindness to someone may inspire them to pass it on.

The students were given multiple examples of how they could put this knowledge to use and help kids that are being mistreated, left out or spoken badly of at school. If they chose to accept the challenge, students were then asked to sign a banner that will hang in the school.

Hodges held an additional training session later in the day with a small group of student leaders interested in creating a positive permanent change in the social climate of the school. The goal of this group is to keep the momentum going after the excitement of the assembly wears off.

The program was well received by many students at WMS.  "It was really interesting and inspiring to hear what one person can do," said JeanMarie Vetter, a fifth grade student. Vetter personally thanked Hodges for coming to the school and told him how much she appreciated learning about Scott's life. The morning assembly inspired her to return with her parents for the evening session. Also in attendance at the evening session were faculty members, parents and town leaders.

WMS Principal Deane Renda told the audience at Tuesday night's presentation that the response to the program has been very positive. He called the experience "emotional for many," as the heart wrenching news footage from Columbine High School may be familiar to parents and teachers, but is generally new to the students. The presentation also included reenacted scenes of Scott's acts of kindness, as well as her brother's experience on that day.  In addition to losing his sister, Craig Scott witnessed his two friends die next to him, under a table in the school's library.

WMS's younger students (fifth and sixth grade) saw a presentation that was a little less graphic.

Rachel's Challenge was brought to WMS through the efforts of Sixth Grade Guidance Counselor Alison FitzPatrick, with funding from the Brookfield Education Foundation.

The Rachel's Challenge website claims that over 150 teen suicides have been averted this year thanks to the influence their program. So far in 2010, 965 presentations have been made and 350,700 people have heard the live presentation.

By the end of the night in Brookfield, students, parents and community leaders committed to starting a chain reaction of kindness. The banner now holds hundreds of signatures alongside the words "I accept Rachels' Challenge," and will hang at WMS as a reminder.

To learn more about Rachel Scott's life and legacy, see RachelsChallenge.org  "Compassion is the greatest form of love we have to offer as humans," Rachel Joy Scott.

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