By Barbara Scott
Staff Writer
Rachel Scott was the first student killed on April 20, 1999, in the Columbine High School tragedy. She left behind an amazing legacy and a simple challenge to anyone who will accept it — “treat others with kindness and compassion and you just may change the world you live in.”
On Thursday, Feb. 10 residents are invited and encouraged to come to the Caribou Performing Arts Center at 7 p.m. and hear an incredible story of courage and hope.
Rachel’s acts of kindness and compassion, coupled with the contents of her six diaries have become the foundation for the most life-changing school program in America.
According to information supplied to schools, “In 2005, Rachel’s Challenge was awarded the Friends of Education Award from the state of New York. The school program, founded by Darrell Scott, Rachel’s father, has prevented numerous suicides, drastically reduced bullying and in three known instances in 2007 alone prevented a planned school shooting.”
The powerful audio/video of Rachel’s Challenge is said “to hold students spellbound during a one-hour school presentation that motivates them to positive change in the way they treat others.” Following the video a 45-minute training session is held involving both adult and student leaders. This interactive session shows how to sustain the momentum created by this type of assembly.
Once students have experienced Rachel’s Challenge, presenters conduct a second powerful session for parents and community leaders. To sustain the positive climate change in a school, Rachel’s Challenge offers a year-long curriculum called the “Friends of Rachel” (FOR) program which continues training students and plugs them into activities that continue the chain reaction of kindness.
Information proving the effectiveness of Rachel’s Challenge states, “A few weeks after the tragedy Darrell Scott, Rachel’s father, spoke to a Congressional House Judiciary Committee, regarding issues of school violence. His speech has become one of the most widely read on the Internet.”
Shortly afterwards he founded “Rachel’s Challenge,” a bullying and violence abatement program. Rachel’s Challenge also recently released an Elementary School version that offers age appropriate challenges and year-long activities to primary school students.
In 2008 more than 1.32 million students experienced Rachael’s Challenge and had the opportunity to accept the challenges, modeled after her life and writings. The universal message of kindness and compassion told by Rachel’s story has been heard by students in several other countries as well. Since its beginning in 2000, the number of requests to present Rachel’s Challenge to students, parents and educators continues to increase.
The Scott family and other Rachel’s Challenge certified presenters have spoken to more than 11 million people in live settings and has reached millions more through being featured on popular media outlets. Mr. Scott has also authored three books including the best-seller, “Rachel’s Tears.”
Rachel’s brother Craig, was in the library on that tragic day and lost two close friends, narrowly escaping death himself. He was the only student at Columbine who was in the library, the worst of the killing zones and also lost a sibling.
Rachel Scott’s father continues to meet with politicians and educators and is also a keynote speaker at many large educational venues. He has met with former President Bill Clinton on two separate occasions and President George W. Bush has endorsed this program through a personal letter of recommendation.
Prior to the Feb. 10 presentation of Rachel’s Challenge at the Caribou Performing Arts Center, RSU 39 schools will be holding assemblies for all middle and high school students on Feb. 9-10.
Local educators encourage everyone to attend this community presentation, promoting positive change in the way people treat others.
For more information on this program go to www.rachelschallenge.org.
