On April 20, 1999 Columbine High School in Colorado, experienced the worst school shooting in our country's history. Two boys put bombs in the cafeteria hoping they would go off during lunch, and as students walked out the boys were prepared with shot guns and other weapons to shoot students. When the bombs didn't go off the boys went into the school and began shooting. There were 13 people murdered including one teacher. The first girl shot was Rachel Joy Scott. Many of the students were in the library with one teacher trying to hide from the shooters. They started hearing gun shots and within minutes the shooters were in the library. Rachel's brother was in the library with two of his friends. His two friends were shot while he was sitting in the middle of them. One of his friends was African American and the last thing he heard while he was alive were racial slurs. His response, "I want to see my mom," and was then shot. Rachel Scott was sitting outside by a tree eating lunch with a friend when she was shot. Throughout her life, Rachel kept countless journals. She always wrote that all people had to give was compassion and kindness. With that you can start a chain reaction. She said that she was going to die young and wanted to make an impact on the world and that is what has happened since her death. The shooters in some ways had a relation to Adolf Hitler, who was their role model. Hitler killed millions of Jews for no reason the same way these two boys shot innocent students. In many ways Anne Frank and Rachel Scott are very similar. Anne Frank wanted to be a famous writer and inspire other people. Rachel was inspired by Anne Frank. They both died for unnecessary reasons at a young age. Rachel's Challenge has 5 steps. Step 1: Get rid of prejudice by looking for the best in others, in reality without prejudice there wouldn't be bullying. Step 2: Chose positive influences and role models in your life. Step 3: Keep a daily journal or diary for a month, it will change your life. Step 4: Look for little things that make a difference. Sometimes the smallest thing in life can have the biggest reward on someone else. Step 5: Tell the people you love how much you care about them, you NEVER know what could happen. It is all about people treating others with respect and being positive to all kinds of people. Rachel was the girl that sat with the new person on campus, stood up for bullies, and defended people with special needs who didn't have a voice of their own. When Rachel saw a boy getting bullied because he had a disability, she stepped in-between the bully and the boy and told the bully that he would have to fight her too. The bully stepped aside. Little did Rachel know but the boy that was getting picked on had decided to commit suicide because he was tired of being bullied. Her small act of kindness kept someone from taking his life. Weeks before Rachel's death she wrote an essay about kindness and compassion. One day her teacher saw her drawing; it was a picture of eyes with tears, 13 tears, that when they hit the ground it grew into a flower. A business man called Mr. Scott, Rachel's dad, a few weeks after her death and said he had a dream of a picture. It happened to be the same picture Rachel had drawn in her journal. No one knew that until Rachel's dad picked up her backpack at at the town sheriff's office. Her dad opened her backpack, took out her journal and flipped to the last page. On the last page, starring at her Dad was the exact picture the business man had described. Normally, school presentations are all about how to better yourself. Rachel's Challenge did more than just that. The entire time I was at the presentation I wanted to immediately make a difference. After seeing this speaker I want to be the girl to go sit with the new student, stand up for the disabled student and support kids getting bullied. While her parents were cleaning her room, they found a hand traced on her dresser and inside was written, "these hands belong to Rachel Joy Scott and will someday touch millions of people's hearts."
"I have this theory that if one person will go out of their way to show compassion, it will start a chain reaction." -Rachel Scott.
Her challenge has inspired people nation wide. From celebrities to students, people have changed their daily lives to adapt to her challenge. I could write on and on about Rachel's Challenge but instead I just want to now challenge you to accept what I have told you about Rachel and take the challenge.
Rachel's challenge tied into something personal to our school. The Peer Helpers and Peer Mediators have been working on an anti-bullying campaign, "It Starts With Me." In each fourth period class today there was a bullying discussion led by Peer Helpers, Peer Mediators or Student Council class representatives. We discussed types of bullying, how to prevent it, individual stories, and how one person can start a chain reaction; the motto of Rachel's Challenge.
You might just start a chain reaction.
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