South Carroll High School students and community members will have the chance to take part in Rachel's Challenge, an anti-bullying program inspired by Rachel Scott, the first person killed during the Columbine High School shooting in 1999.
The program, based on the writings and life of 17-year-old Rachel, aims to equip students and adults with strategies to combat bullying and feelings of isolation and despair by creating a culture of kindness and compassion.
The core component of Rachel's Challenge is a school assembly that tells Rachel's story and aims to inspire a desire for positive change among students.
According to http://www.rachelschallenge.org, shortly before her death Rachel wrote in her diary, "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."
The program was founded by Rachel's father and stepmother, Darrell and Sandy Scott, according to the website.
It first began as a program in high schools, but it has now expanded to middle schools, elementary schools, colleges and corporate offices, with the material adjusting slightly to fit each audience. There are also programs for teachers, counselors and administrators.
More than 18 million people around the world have participated in a Rachel's Challenge program, and at least 2 million are added to that number each year, according to the website.
Judy Klinger, supervisor of counseling at Carroll County Public Schools, said Sykesville Middle School and Oklahoma Road Middle School have hosted Rachel's Challenge in the past.
"The response from students, staff and parents has been positive," Klinger said. "Students are motivated by the inspiration of Rachel's Challenge to contribute to a learning environment that is safe and proactive to promote kindness and establish civility in schools as antidotes to bullying and violence."
Klinger said student-to-student respect issues, including bullying, are always an issue to school officials, but she said the school system has many initiatives and strategies in place to promote a healthy and positive learning environment.
According to surveys that CCPS has conducted, most students feel that their schools are a safe and friendly place to be, Klinger said.
South Carroll High School Acting Principal Jeffrey Hopkins said bullying has always been a problem in schools, but there is more emphasis today in trying to prevent it.
Jennifer Brauer, a crisis intervention specialist at South Carroll High School, said she brought the Rachel's Challenge program to the school with hopes making an even more positive culture for students at South Carroll.
On Oct. 10, all South Carroll students will experience the program during the school day. Anyone interested in participating in Rachel's Challenge and hearing the program's message is invited to attend an assembly at the school in the evening, Brauer said.
She said she would extend the invitation to join the program to adults and middle schoolers, but maybe not elementary aged children, due to the graphic nature of some of the videos shown.
But while some of the content may be graphic, most of Rachel's Challenge is positive and focuses on Rachel's legacy of reaching out to those who were different.
Hopkins said that is exactly the message he hopes South Carroll students and community members will take away from the program.
"The purpose of Rachel's Challenge is to help promote more random acts of kindness," he said. "We are trying to change the culture for the students in order to help them see the positive effects of being kind to one another. Hopefully, these acts of kindness will spread."
