Rachel's Challenge Coming to MHS Friday

By Deborah Spera

The popular Rachel's Challenge educational program will bring a series of presentations to Montville High School on Friday.

The educational program has gained widespread national notoriety - as well as praise from educators and parents  - on the strength of its message: Kindness, compassion and "positive chain reactions."

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The program is named in honor of Rachel Scott, a junior at Columbine High School in Columbine, Colo., who was the first of 13 students killed in the school's tragic April 20, 1999 shooting massacre. She was 17.

Started in 2000 by Rachel's father, Darrell Scott, Rachel's Challenge is an anti-violence, anti-bullying program that strives to spread kindness instead of physicality and understanding in lieu of intimidation. The program was founded on the basis of Rachel Scott's enduring positive outlook throughout her brief life, as well as the many diary entries she left behind.

The program hopes to encourage students, school faculty, parents and other community members to adopt Rachel's Five Challenges as everyday facets of their lives. Rachel's five challenges include eliminating prejudice, setting goals and following dreams, choosing one's own influences, offering small acts of kindness every day, and finally, starting a chain reaction of such positive ideals with family and friends.

The assemblies begin with a brief video presentation explaining the Columbine school shootings to the viewers, in an effort to add a bit of background and context to the program. As it continues, the assembly showcases some of those who knew Rachel, allowing them the opportunity to discuss how Rachel positively impacted their lives. This one hour "multimedia assembly" is said to be "emotionally charged," and it sets the stage for the 90-minute training session for adult and student leaders that follows.

The Rachel's Challenge website calls the training portion of the program a "fun, intimate teaching setting that gets students involved." This section also introduces the "Friends of Rachel" (FOR) club, and intends to continue the message of the program, ultimately bringing about positive changes in all schools.

A community event featuring the program will take place at 7 p.m. November 18th in the Montville High School Auditorium. The hourlong presentation is open to the public, and hopes to inspire positive words, attitudes and actions in our school and community.

For more information, visit www.rachelschallenge.com.