Rachel's Challenge Comes To Bloomfield January 25 and 26

“I have this theory that if one person can go out of their way to show compassion, then it will start a chain reaction of the same.  People will never know how far a little kindness can go.” 

Those two sentences are an excerpt from Rachel Scott’s essay entitled, “My Ethics, My Codes of Life.”  She wrote it for one of her classes before she perished in the Columbine High School killing on April 20, 1999.

When an event like that takes place in any community, a shooting massacre that leaves a dozen students and a teacher dead, it’s hard to imagine that any silver lining will ever come of it.  Rachel’s Challenge may be that silver lining.

Rachel’s father, Darrell Scott, has spent the last decade bringing his daughter’s message of kindness and compassion to schools all over the world.  His program incorporates assemblies for entire student bodies and leadership training sessions for committed young people.  His program also includes adult supporters, with the aim of fostering change in the way children (and eventually grown-ups) treat each other.

Rachel was a girl that would go out of her way to make other people feel welcome and comfortable in school and social environments.  As kids say: that’s how she rolled.  And the challenge her dad has developed is designed to entice other kids to roll the same way.

The program is coming to Bloomfield on January 25^th and 26^th and, while it is largely a school-based event, the “challenge” itself has many community components that many might find both uplifting and life-affirming.

The assemblies will take place on January 25^th at 9:05 a.m. and 10:45 a.m. at the auditorium and January 26^th at 8 a.m. and 9:30 a.m. at the auditorium.  Training sessions for students and staff will take place at BHS on the afternoon of January 26^th.

A community-wide assembly will take place at 7:00 p.m. on January 26^th at the BHS auditorium.  Invitations have been extended to other area schools and the organizers hope that local business owners or managers, as well as anyone who might be interested in sponsoring the program (either through monetary donation or time) attend as well. 

Katherine V. Martinez, Director of Instruction and Testing for Bloomfield Public Schools, describes Rachel’s Challenge as bringing an “anti-violence message to our students and community while promoting positive, healthy decision-making and kindness.”

The organizers of Rachel’s Challenge contend that the program “has prevented over 350 suicides since 2008, drastically reduced bullying, and, in at least six instances, has prevented school shootings.”  In addition, they say, “More than 1.5 million students annually experience Rachel’s Challenge and have the opportunity to accept the challenges, modeled after Rachel’s life and writings.”

The program is looking for adults in the community that will volunteer time and/or money to support that various efforts generated from the assemblies.  Anyone interested can attend the January 26^th evening meeting, or find out more by visiting www.rachelschallenge.org.