RBC students commit to kindness
July 29, 2019 at 12:37 p.m.
Red Bank Catholic High School students attended a very powerful school assembly March 7 during which they were introduced to the “Rachel’s Challenge” initiative and learned about Rachel Scott, who was the first student killed during the Columbine High School shooting in April, 1999. While the tragedy, which claimed the lives of 15, including Scott, who was the first student killed, and left more than 20 injured, will forever be remembered as one of the most horrific in America’ s recent history, compelling stories have since been shared through Rachel’s Challenge on how Scott taught invaluable lessons through the way she lived her life.
The “Rachel’s Challenge” website describes the program as being one that is “designed to empower students to combat bullying and to alleviate feelings of isolation and despair by creating a culture of kindness and compassion.” Rachel’s Challenge representatives shared with the Red Bank Catholic High School students how Scott’s family had discovered that she had been keeping personal journals and drawings that expressed her innermost feelings about life, with the underlying message that “a life committed to kindness can impact the world and start a chain reaction.”
Through the Rachel Challenge presenter’s words and video interviews with her friends and family, numerous acts of kindness that were performed by Scott, who was 17 at the time of her death, were conveyed. Among the stories told included one by a fellow Columbine student who was teased because she was handicapped. Scott showed kindness to her classmate by reaching out and befriending her.
At the conclusion of the presentation, the RBC students were given five challenges based upon lessons learned from Scott’s journals: to get rid of any prejudices they may have; to dream big and keep a journal of their goals; to choose positive influences and surround themselves with people who bring out the best in them; to speak with kindness not cruelty; and lastly, in the next three days to tell those people whom they love most how they feel about them.
The RBC students were then asked to show their commitment to accepting Rachel’s Challenge by signing the banner which is displayed in the school lobby. Going forward, RBC students and administration are actively working to ensure that Rachel Scott’s message will continue to be incorporated into all aspects of student life.
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Red Bank Catholic High School students attended a very powerful school assembly March 7 during which they were introduced to the “Rachel’s Challenge” initiative and learned about Rachel Scott, who was the first student killed during the Columbine High School shooting in April, 1999. While the tragedy, which claimed the lives of 15, including Scott, who was the first student killed, and left more than 20 injured, will forever be remembered as one of the most horrific in America’ s recent history, compelling stories have since been shared through Rachel’s Challenge on how Scott taught invaluable lessons through the way she lived her life.
The “Rachel’s Challenge” website describes the program as being one that is “designed to empower students to combat bullying and to alleviate feelings of isolation and despair by creating a culture of kindness and compassion.” Rachel’s Challenge representatives shared with the Red Bank Catholic High School students how Scott’s family had discovered that she had been keeping personal journals and drawings that expressed her innermost feelings about life, with the underlying message that “a life committed to kindness can impact the world and start a chain reaction.”
Through the Rachel Challenge presenter’s words and video interviews with her friends and family, numerous acts of kindness that were performed by Scott, who was 17 at the time of her death, were conveyed. Among the stories told included one by a fellow Columbine student who was teased because she was handicapped. Scott showed kindness to her classmate by reaching out and befriending her.
At the conclusion of the presentation, the RBC students were given five challenges based upon lessons learned from Scott’s journals: to get rid of any prejudices they may have; to dream big and keep a journal of their goals; to choose positive influences and surround themselves with people who bring out the best in them; to speak with kindness not cruelty; and lastly, in the next three days to tell those people whom they love most how they feel about them.
The RBC students were then asked to show their commitment to accepting Rachel’s Challenge by signing the banner which is displayed in the school lobby. Going forward, RBC students and administration are actively working to ensure that Rachel Scott’s message will continue to be incorporated into all aspects of student life.
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