A Celebrity Story that Will Bring You to Tears and Change Lives: Rachel's Challenge

Rachel Joy Scott dreamed of being famous and touching millions of people's hearts one day. When she was 13 years old, she traced her hands on the back of a piece of old furniture and wrote, "These hands belong to Rachel Joy Scott and will some day touch millions of people's hearts." Rachel Scott wrote a school essay in which she described how she would accomplish this goal: "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." Rachel also kept diaries of her passionate goals and actions that would change the world by being kind and compassionate to others. Rachel drew a picture of 13 tears coming out of her eyes that watered a growing rose.

Rachel's dream came true and she has touched the hearts of over 10 million people including celebrities like Chuck Norris, President Bill Clinton, President George W. Bush, sports celebrities, and media celebrities like Larry King, Oprah, and Bill O'Reilly. Sadly, Rachel Joy Scott became a celebrity by being fatally shot four times while eating lunch on the sidewalk of Columbine High School on April 20, 1999. Rachel Scott was the first Columbine High School victim to die that fateful day. The shooters targeted Rachel because of her Christian faith. The bullets penetrated Rachel's backpack and tore the cover of one of her diaries inside the backpack. The bullet tore the back cover of the journal immediately next to a life goal she wrote, "I WON'T BE LABELED AS AVERAGE."

Rachel's brother Craig was in the Columbine High School library that day. Craig and two of his friends were crouched under a table when the shooters approached them. One of Craig's friends was black and the shooters made racial comments about him before killing him. They shot and killed Craig's other friend next. Craig knew he was going to die, but the sprinkler system went off in the library and distracted the shooters. They left the table where Craig was hiding and never returned to shoot Craig. Craig did not yet know that his sister Rachel had already been shot and killed. It would take years for Craig to recover from the tragedy, but he is now a filmmaker and is dedicated to making films that change the world through Rachel's Challenge.

The Scott family would not realize the full potential of Rachel's Challenge for months after the tragedy at Columbine although Rachel Scott's father wrote on her memorial wooden cross that her death would not be in vain. Shocking prophetic stories started to emerge shortly after Rachel's death from friends, strangers, and Rachel's diaries that sparked what would become one of the most successful life-changing school culture programs in the world: Rachel's Challenge (click here to view video). How did Rachel know that she would die young as she told people? Why did Rachel draw 13 tears on her rose picture - the number of victims who died at Columbine High School that day, not including the shooters? Why did the sprinkler system come on just as Craig was about to be shot?

I became a Mom in 1977 and a high school teacher in 1981. As I sat in a middle school auditorium watching the Rachel's Challenge presentation given by one of Craig's best friends, I cried and watched as students, teachers, and administrators were all brought to tears by the determination and commitment of one 17-year old celebrity to change the world through kindness and compassion. The presentation included video footage of the shooters making their way through the high school and I could only think of my own daughter and the horror those children, families, and friends must have experienced that day. The audience grieved ten years later, but that was not the message of the story.

The presentation included a testimonial video from a young man who had written a suicide note to his family and within days of committing suicide met Rachel. Rachel, through her kind words, became his friend and he decided not to carry out the suicide. I was stunned by the effectiveness of the messages Rachel wrote in her diaries and in her essay that inspires all of us to take Rachel's Challenge. The real message of the story is Rachel's Challenge to others:

Eliminate Prejudice by looking for the best in others

Dare to dream - set goals - keep a journal

Choose your influences - input determines output

Kind words and small acts of kindness = HUGE impact

Start a chain reaction with family and friends

After the Rachel's Challenge presentation, 100 students met with program trainers to become the school's leaders for changing the school's culture and accepting Rachel's Challenge by starting a chain reaction of kindness and compassion. That night, parents were invited to see the presentation and also accept the challenge. During the presentation, students were encouraged to keep a journal of their goals in writing and their plans to accomplish their goals as Rachel did. Why is this important?

According to a Harvard Business School study, students were asked if they kept clear written goals and their plans to accomplish them. The response:

Only 3% had written goals and plans

Only 13% had goals but they were not in writing

84% had no goals

Ten years later, the same students were surveyed to see what impact this had on their lives:

The 13% of students who had goals were earning on average twice as much as the 84% of students who had no goals.

The 3% who had clear written goals were earning on average an astonishing 10% more than the 97% of other students combined!

The Scott family and friends have spoken to over 10 million people in live settings, and have reached millions more through features on CNN, Fox News, The Today Show, Good Morning America, Larry King Live, Oprah, Dateline, O'Reilly Factor, Hannity and Colmes. Rachel's Father, Darrell Scott and Rachel's Mother, Beth Nimmo have authored three books including the best seller Rachel's Tears. Rachel's Mother, Beth Nimmo authored The Journals of Rachel Scott. The family has started an online networking community called FORspace for people who accept Rachel's Challenge and start a chain reaction. As of August, there are 6,248 members. F.O.R. stands for Friends of Rachel and the F.O.R. program is a year-long school non-violence curriculum.

2009 is the 10-year anniversary of the Columbine High School tragedy. As I ponder my New Year's resolutions and review my written goals, I realize from the Rachel's Challenge presentation, that I need to modify my written goals and start a chain reaction of kindness and compassion. The message of Rachel's Challenge to students is: you have the power to make PERMANENT, POSITIVE, CULTURAL CHANGE in your schools and communities by accepting the challenge of Rachel Scott to start a chain reaction of kindness and compassion.

I accept Rachel's Challenge and will be more like Rachel in my own life. I share this chain reaction for kindness and compassion in memory of all the families and friends that were affected by the Columbine High School shootings on April 20, 1999.

Sources:

Rachel's Essay: My Ethics, My Codes of Life

http://www.rachelschallenge.com/LearnMore/RachelsEssay/tabid/1701/Default.aspx

Rachel's Challenge Web Site

http://www.rachelschallenge.com/

Rachel's Challenge YouTube Video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-rmm_-gnU3Y

Harvard Business School Goal Study

http://www.lifemastering.com/en/harvard_school.html

Rachel's Challenge Media Fact Sheet

http://rachelschallenge.com/Portals/RachelsChallenge/docs/3.MediaFactSheet.pdf

Rachel's Tears

http://www.amazon.com/Rachels-Tears-Spiritual-Journey-Columbine/dp/0785268480

The Journals of Rachel Scott

http://www.amazon.com/Journals-Rachel-Scott-Journey-Columbine/dp/0849975948/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1228660048&sr=1-2