As reported by the Union-Sun & Journal.....
A character education program born out of a tragedy is coming to the Royalton-Hartland School District. The community, high school and middle school students are invited to a special assembly for “Rachel’s Challenge” April 1. Students will attend the assembly during the day, while the community assembly will be at 7 p.m. at the high school auditorium, 54 State St., Middleport.
“We are very excited to bring this here,” Middle School Principal John Fisgus said. “And it is open to anyone. We want this to be a community message and try and carry on Rachel’s legacy.”
Rachel’s Challenge is a character education program that challenges people to treat others with kindness and compassion. The challenge comes from the writings of Rachel Scott, the first person killed in the Columbine High School shootings in April 1999. Her father, Darrell Scott, began speaking to communities and soon set up Rachel’s Challenge as a nonprofit organization.
Shortly after the tragedy, some of Rachel’s writings were discovered, including a diary and an essay, “My Ethics, My Code of Life.” In it, Rachel said: “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.”
The assembly tells of Rachel’s story, her life, her personality and that tragic day at Columbine. It also challenges people to do five things: eliminate prejudice in their lives, keep a journal and set goals, be aware of influences in their lives, pay attention to the little things and find five people who matter the most and do something special for them. Speakers have been trained by Scott and meet with a school’s staff prior to the assembly. They talk with the staff about how to promote the message of Rachel’s Challenge and start that “chain reaction” Rachel spoke of.
Rachel’s Challenge has been to more than 1,000 schools all over the globe. That includes the Lake Shore School District in Angola, where Fisgus was a principal and saw the effects of Rachel’s Challenge first-hand. The kids were changed forever, Fisgus said.“It hit the kids hard,” he said. “It changed the atmosphere of the school. We wanted to make it a community thing, and over 1,000 community members came to the assembly that evening. There wasn’t a dry eye.”
When Fisgus came to Roy-Hart in the fall, members of the Roy-Hart Parent Teachers Association asked him about Rachel’s Challenge, which appeared on his resume. Fisgus said the members were excited to bring the program to Roy-Hart.Fisgus said child care will be provided for children ages 2 through 10 for the community assembly, and there will be a gathering afterwards with light refreshments. Everyone from the staff to the students are eagerly awaiting April 1, Fisgus said.
He offered some advice for those who will be coming to Rachel’s Challenge: “Bring a box of tissues.”
Source: http://www.lockportjournal.com/local/local_story_077231623.html
A character education program born out of a tragedy is coming to the Royalton-Hartland School District. The community, high school and middle school students are invited to a special assembly for “Rachel’s Challenge” April 1. Students will attend the assembly during the day, while the community assembly will be at 7 p.m. at the high school auditorium, 54 State St., Middleport.
“We are very excited to bring this here,” Middle School Principal John Fisgus said. “And it is open to anyone. We want this to be a community message and try and carry on Rachel’s legacy.”
Rachel’s Challenge is a character education program that challenges people to treat others with kindness and compassion. The challenge comes from the writings of Rachel Scott, the first person killed in the Columbine High School shootings in April 1999. Her father, Darrell Scott, began speaking to communities and soon set up Rachel’s Challenge as a nonprofit organization.
Shortly after the tragedy, some of Rachel’s writings were discovered, including a diary and an essay, “My Ethics, My Code of Life.” In it, Rachel said: “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.”
The assembly tells of Rachel’s story, her life, her personality and that tragic day at Columbine. It also challenges people to do five things: eliminate prejudice in their lives, keep a journal and set goals, be aware of influences in their lives, pay attention to the little things and find five people who matter the most and do something special for them. Speakers have been trained by Scott and meet with a school’s staff prior to the assembly. They talk with the staff about how to promote the message of Rachel’s Challenge and start that “chain reaction” Rachel spoke of.
Rachel’s Challenge has been to more than 1,000 schools all over the globe. That includes the Lake Shore School District in Angola, where Fisgus was a principal and saw the effects of Rachel’s Challenge first-hand. The kids were changed forever, Fisgus said.“It hit the kids hard,” he said. “It changed the atmosphere of the school. We wanted to make it a community thing, and over 1,000 community members came to the assembly that evening. There wasn’t a dry eye.”
When Fisgus came to Roy-Hart in the fall, members of the Roy-Hart Parent Teachers Association asked him about Rachel’s Challenge, which appeared on his resume. Fisgus said the members were excited to bring the program to Roy-Hart.Fisgus said child care will be provided for children ages 2 through 10 for the community assembly, and there will be a gathering afterwards with light refreshments. Everyone from the staff to the students are eagerly awaiting April 1, Fisgus said.
He offered some advice for those who will be coming to Rachel’s Challenge: “Bring a box of tissues.”
Source: http://www.lockportjournal.com/local/local_story_077231623.html
