Lithia Springs High School Receives $5,000 Grant From Porsche

LITHIA SPRINGS, GA — Lithia Springs High School received a $5,000 grant from Porsche to implement the Rachel’s Challenge Program. Rachel Scott was a victim from the Columbine High School shooting, and Rachel’s Challenge is an intervention program created by her family with the goal of preventing suicide, bullying, and other adverse life choices by young people.

According to the Douglas County School System Facebook page, representatives from Rachel's Challenge came and spoke to the entire Lithia Springs High School student body and staff about how students, teachers, and community leaders can move the school's climate toward kindness and caring for others. This initiative gave a challenge to all students and staff to look out, reach out and connect with each other in positive, new ways.

Following the intervention program, the Friends of Rachel (FOR) Club was created at LSHS to increase kindness and encouragement among students. Since September, the FOR Club has had members at the front of the school each day to greet students and staff when they enter the building. Club members have also made posters with positive words to post around the school, and they created a paper chain reaction of compliments and encouraging words to hang throughout the school. A student who took Rachel’s Challenge, Kymalli O., even traveled to Denver, Colorado, and met Rachel Scott’s family, spoke about her experience with the Rachel’s Challenge Program, and gave testimony about how it impacted her life.

Pictured are a few members of the Friends of Rachel Club in front of the "I Accept Rachel's Challenge" sign with signatures from the LSHS students who chose to participate in the Rachel's challenge initiative.

Photo courtesy Douglas County School System