CHS to host ‘Rachel’s Challenge’ anti-bullying program

Rachel Joy Scott was the first student killed at Columbine High School in April of 1999. She was 17 years old. A few days before she died at the hands of two classmates, she wrote, “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 never know how far a little kindness can go.”

Rachel Scott (rachelschallenge.org)

Following her death, her father and stepmother created a program called Rachel’s Challenge. According to the program’s website, the goal of Rachel’s Challenge is to turn the story of Rachel’s death into a mission for change by teaching students and adults to create a culture of kindness and compassion to combat bullying.

Canton High School will host Rachel’s Challenge on Wednesday, October 9, with a presentation and training for students along with a subsequent presentation for parents in the evening.

Katherine Swanson, the K-12 wellness coordinator for the Canton Public Schools and a health and family and child studies teacher at the high school, learned of Rachel’s Challenge through monthly meetings with other district wellness coordinators and school nurses held through the Norfolk County District Attorney’s Office.

“I looked into it,” she said. “I liked the idea of its positive message. The message is create acts of kindness. It’s not ‘don’t do.’ It’s ‘please do.’”

Swanson is chairperson of the Canton Public Schools’ Bullying Prevention and Intervention Plan and Policy Committee. The group of parents, teachers, administrators and the school resource officer brings anti-bullying programs to the schools to supplement the K-12 anti-bullying curriculum already in place. Last year, Diane’s Theater of Beverly performed an anti-bullying play for the elementary students, and the Norfolk Advocates for Youth did a presentation about cyber bullying and online gaming.

“I spoke with [CHS Principal] Derek Folan,” Swanson said. “He had seen the presentation in Franklin when he was working there. He found the funding. We’re all very excited about it.”

Rachel’s Challenge will be held during an all-school assembly that will take place during the second and third periods of the school day. After the lunch period, 40 to 50 students who have been selected by the dean of students and the guidance department will take part in a training on how to start a Friends of Rachel (FOR) Club.

Swanson said that while Columbine was a watershed event, current high school students were toddlers or had not been born at the time of the attack. “What I’m hoping for is that [students] can become empowered with the idea that kindness can be passed on,” she said. “I think we have a good group of students. They’re very caring. They can make a difference.”

The one-hour community presentation will be held Wednesday evening at 7 p.m. at CHS for parents. Swanson encourages parents to attend regardless of whether their child has experience with bullying, either as a perpetrator, victim, or bystander.

“It’s a different kind of message,” Swanson said of the Rachel’s Challenge mission. “Their youngsters are going to learn how to become very empowered and want to talk about it. Parents can help to support the message.”

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Posted by Mary Ann Price on Oct 3 2013. Filed under Uncategorized. Both comments and pings are currently closed.