Top 2009 New Year's Resolutions for Middle School Students Taking Rachel's Challenge

The students at Midvale Middle School near Salt Lake City, Utah are starting a chain reaction of kindness and taking Rachel's Challenge for their 2009 New Year's Resolutions. I recently saw a middle school presentation of Rachel's Challenge, the very popular school non-violence curriculum based on the life and death of Rachel Joy Scott. (click here to read my full story about Rachel's Challenge)

A month after the Rachel's Challenge presentation, the school dance classes at another middle school presented a moving Rachel's Challenge Holiday Dance show to the entire school body. Rachel was the first person to be shot and killed at Columbine High School on April 20, 1999. The dance show included a choreographed depiction of the fear, panic, and grief the students must have gone through at Columbine High School that day. Then, the dancers presented all five challenges that Rachel gave the world in her essays and journals to start a chain reaction of kindness and compassion. Rachel's five challenges are:

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

As a certified high school business teacher, Rachel's Challenge made a big impact on me to start a chain reaction of kindness and compassion. I decided to poll 150 middle school students to see if they had any clear written goals and what impact Rachel's Challenge made on them. I asked if they had any 2009 New Year's Resolutions. Here is their remarkable, compassionate response.

Top 2009 New Year's Resolutions for Middle School Students at Midvale Middle School

Rachel made me realize how lucky I am to be here. She never betrayed anyone. She did everything she could to be a friend to everyone. Whenever someone needed something, she would be by his/her side. Rachel is my idol and my hero. My goal is to try to befriend people that aren't exactly my friends. I will always try to be a friend to everyone. Rachel will always be remembered for her friendliness, love and respect for everyone. We love you, Rachel! -- Student in Ms. P's class at Midvale Middle School in Utah

Don't procrastinate as much in school

Work harder in dance

Keep my room clean

Get a phone and pay for it myself

Make new friends and achieve my goals

Go to a Civil Air Patrol (CAP) encampment for kids aged 12 to 21

Live life to its fullest and have fun

Try to get a 4.0 GPA for the next 2 quarters

Become better at volleyball

Get A's in all my classes

Be nicer to my sister

Organize my papers in my binder and desk

Be a nicer person

Do a cartwheel

Be on time to all my classes

Get better at soccer

Be nicer to my brother

Eat more veggies

Go to South Korea

Do well in swimming

Marry my substitute teacher

Be a better photographer

Get a summer job to live comfortably over the summer

Get all A's in Mr. B's class 2^nd semester

Practice with different art mediums like pastels, watercolors, oils and especially charcoals

Be better at Spanish and Korean

Beat my mile running record

Be happier and smile more often

Be better on the violin

Balance my time better

Don't make judgments about other people

Help kids my age with their life problems so they can smile

Not argue with my siblings: a long-term project

Work to be a veterinarian or lawyer against animal abuse

Lose 20 pounds

Help new kids at the school

Stop drinking soda and caffeine

Help each other to get all A's in class

Get a fresh new start in school

Have a positive attitude towards people

Be the best that I can be

Get in the ALPS

Not be so up tight - calm down, chill out, and relax

Eat healthier

Invite people to sit with me if they are left out and alone

Control my anger and quit getting into fights

Think harder about my actions so I know right from wrong

Impact 150 people by January 1, 2010

Be organized!

Become a responsible person

Make 3 new friends before school gets out; give new people a chance to be friends

Participate in Rachel's Challenge

Improve my writing

Reduce stereotyping

Recycle!

Watch the rest of Star Trek The Next Generation

Make progress in Runescape by going up 5 levels in everything

Get really good at guitar

Do more exercises to get stronger

Travel more places

Play the piano better

Use my time more wisely

Play with my brother more - quit telling him he plays ball like a girl

Go to more dance competitions

Ride my bike every day if I get one for Christmas

Do more random acts of kindness

Wake up every morning and say, "What good will I do today?"

Most of today's middle school and high school students are too young to remember what happened at Columbine High School. As we approach the ten-year anniversary of the Columbine High School tragedy, make it your New Year's Resolution as a parent, a teacher, an administrator, a best friend, and a good person to start a chain reaction of kindness and compassion. Take time with your children to write clear goals and actions that will change your life and maybe change the life of someone who needs kindness. Join F.O.R.space, a community network for Friends of Rachel. Thank you to Rachel Scott's family for starting Rachel's Challenge.

Happy New Year to All and Best Wishes for Achieving Your Goals!