Accepting 'Rachel's Challenge'

Monroe-Woodbury High School students challenged to create a chain reaction of kindness and compassion CENTRAL VALLEY — Rachel Scott, the first of 13 people killed in the 1999 Columbine High School tragedy, once wrote about her theory that if one person can go out of his or her way to show compassion, then it will start a chain reaction of the same. Monroe-Woodbury High School junior Adi Zivan couldn’t agree more. Zivan was among the 2,400 high school students who heard that message - inspired by Scott and her writings - during two assemblies this past Tuesday. “This program came at a good time,” said Zivan after she joined others in signing the huge “I accept Rachel’s Challenge” banner in the one of the lunchrooms. “This program was significant.” High school officials brought in Cody Hodges - a former NFL player with the Tennessee Titans who is now a speaker for the non-profit Rachel’s Challenge organization - as an extension to its district-wide anti-bullying and character education curriculum, according to Principal David Bernsley. 'A culture of acceptance’ The last Rachel’s Challenge presentation at the school was more than four years ago, so there was a new audience to hear its ideas. “The message of kindness and compassion and empathy is important,” Bernsley said. “What we’re trying to build at Monroe-Woodbury is a culture of acceptance and appreciation. I’ve had parents who tell me their kids never communicate anything to them about what goes on in school and they came home and told them about this and that it was really good. That means something.” Rachel’s father Darrell Scott established Rachel’s Challenge to perpetuate his daughter’s example and the two-page “Code of Ethics” she wrote a month before her death by Columbine students Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold. The organization’s mission statement is to “motivate, educate and bring positive change to many young people,” according to its Web site, www.rachelschallenge.org. Rachel’s Challenge presentations are given in schools and communities nationwide by family members and other speakers, using video footage of the Columbine High School massacre and its aftermath, combined with Scott’s art work and writings, in a campaign to stop school violence, bullying and teen suicide. More than 16 million people worldwide have heard the Rachel’s Challenge message. Words and actions matter Though certainly a cliché, students sat stone silent as they listened to Hodges’ presentation about Columbine and Scott. The youngest students were only preschoolers when the Columbine shootings took place. “You have no idea what the previous night was like for some of your classmates,” said Hodges. “You have no idea what their morning was like, or even their last 20 minutes. Look for the good in people instead of the bad. Rachel believed that one act of kindness could start a movement of the same. Don’t tell me that your words and actions don’t matter because they do. Our words carry a lot of power.” Scott - who was killed outside the building while sitting on nearby grass eating lunch with a friend - was known as a kind individual who helped others, Hodges told the two assemblies. Her diaries, discovered after her death, revealed how much she wanted to positively impact the world. Hodges methodically reviewed Scott’s five challenges to students, including: Look for the best in others; dream big; choose positive influences; and speak with kindness. Sprinkled among his comments were images of Scott; her diaries; her funeral; video footage of rescue efforts and the massacre’s aftermath; and reflections from Scott’s teachers and brother. 'Because of one girl’ But it was when Hodges discussed Scott’s fifth challenge of starting a chain reaction that he became most emotionally charged. “This movement came about because of one girl,” Hodges said. “This is her story. What does your story say about you right now? “Your story has already started by your choices and by the way you treat people,” he continued. “You’re all going be remembered for something. And remember we’re not guaranteed the next 20 minutes here. Think about the things you may do to your body or how you treat others. Think about the people who mean something to you. Today is a new day. Start a new story you will be proud of. It’s time to step up and start that chain reaction.” 'The challenge to take action’ Many students were brought to tears during his presentation, including Zivan, who sought Hodges out afterward to tell him how important his comments were. Her emotions were still raw even after she signed the large banner which the high school will hang in a public place as an ongoing reminder to the high school community about the power of Rachel’s Challenge. Zivan shared her personal experiences, which included the loss of a friend to suicide (not a Monroe-Woodbury student) and how conversations about empathy, compassion and acceptance at summer camp this past year helped save the life of a troubled friend. “We have to change the way we talk to each other,” said Zivan. “No matter who you are, you will be accepted. Give everybody a chance. We are all the same, one way or another. Accept the challenge to take action.” In light of the two student suicides earlier this year, Zivan said the Rachel’s Challenge program was an extremely powerful reminder of the importance of everyone watching how they talk to and treat each other, no matter where they are, who they are with or what they’re doing. “We don’t want this to happen again,” she said. “Make the change now, so that we all can make a difference. This program is significant. I believe everything happens for a reason. “We had an anti-bullying program here last week,” Zivan added, “but this program, this is what should happen in other schools. There’s potential for anything and everything.” What is Rachel’s Challenge? 1. Look for the best in others. 2. Dream big. 3. Choose positive influences. 4. Speak with kindness. 5. Start your own chain reaction. To learn more, visit www.rachelschallenge.org. The Combine High School massacre The Columbine massacre took place April 20, 1999, at Columbine High School in Columbine, Colo. Two of its students, Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold, killed 12 students and one teacher. The boys also injured 21 other students directly. Three people were injured while attempting to escape. The pair then committed suicide. Columbine is the fourth-deadliest school massacre in U.S. history, after the 1927 Bath School disaster, the 2007 Virginia Tech massacre, and the 1966 University of Texas massacre. But, it remains the deadliest for an American high school. The massacre continues to stir national and local debates regarding gun control laws, the availability of firearms and gun violence involving youths. Other discussions continue to focus on the nature of high school cliques and subcultures; bullying; teenage Internet usage; the use anti-depressants by teens; and roles of violent movies, music and video games. Material from a variety of sources, including Wikipedia. My Ethics, My Codes of Life By Rachel Scott Period 5 Ethics vary with environment, circumstances, and culture In my own life, ethics play a major role. Whether it was because of the way I was raised, the experiences I’ve had, or just my outlook on the world and the way things should be. My biggest aspects of ethics include being honest, compassionate, and looking for the best and beauty in everyone. I have been told repeatedly that I trust people too easily, but I find that when I put my faith and trust in people when others would not dare to, they almost never betray me. 1 would hope that people would put that same faith in me. Trust and honesty is an investment you put in people; if you build enough trust in them and show yourself to be honest, they will do the same in you. I value honesty so much, and it is an expectation I have of myself. I will put honesty before the risk of humiliation, before selfishness, and before anything less worthy of the Gospel truth. Even in being honest and trust worthy, I do not come off cold and heartless. Compassion and honesty go hand in hand, if enough of each is put into every situation. I admire those who trust and are trust worthy. Compassion is the greatest form of love humans have to offer. According to Webster’s Dictionary, compassion means a feeling of sympathy for another’s misfortune. My definition of compassion is forgiving, losing, helping, leading, and showing mercy for others. 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. It wasn’t until recently that I learned that the first and the second and the third impressions can be deceitful of what kind of person someone is. For example, imagine you had just met someone, and you speak with them three times on brief everyday conversations. They come off as a harsh, cruel, stubborn, and ignorant person. You reach your judgment based on just these three encounters. Let me ask you something: Did you ever ask them what their goal in life is, what kind of past they came from, did they experience love, did they experience hurt, did you look into their soul and not just at their appearance? Until you know them and not just their “type,” you have no right to shun them. You have not looked for their beauty, their good. You have not seen the light in their eyes. Look hard enough and you will always find a light, and you can even help it grow, if you don’t walk away from those three impressions first. 1 am sure that my codes of life may be very different from yours, but how do you know that trust, compassion and beauty will not make this world a better place to be in and this life a better one to live? My codes may seem like a fantasy that can never be reached, but test them for yourself, and see the kind of effect they have in the lives of people around you. You just may start a chain reaction. Source: www.rachelschallenge.org/LearnMore/RachelsEssay.php