by Mike Schnitzel
After the tragedy, Scott was grieving over the loss of his daughter when one day, he found two pieces of paper under her bed. They were from an essay she had written called "My Ethics, My Codes of Life," for a class a month prior to her death.
Scott was moved by a passage his daughter had written in the paper. It said, "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." It was then that Scott decided he had to do something, and what he did was create "Rachel's Challenge."
According to Scott, he was asked to speak before Congress about a month after the shootings at Columbine, and he elicited a huge positive reaction. After that, schools and a variety of community organizations began to ask him to speak.
"If it wasn't for her writings, I wouldn't be here today," said Scott as he began his presentation to the assembled eighth graders at Lynbrook North Middle School on Nov. 2. An assembly for parents in the community was held the same night at Lynbrook High School.
"Rachel's Challenge" is a campaign to teach tolerance and moral values to students to help them make a positive impact on other people's lives. It consists of a school assembly depicting what can happen when rage and feelings of abandonment are ignored, and how violence can be avoided by showing compassion. Later in the day, students gather in small groups to talk about what they learned at the assembly. Students are provided with 4 to 8 months worth of materials that will help them start the chain reaction of compassion that one of seven speakers tell the students about.
The speakers who present the assemblies include Rachel's father Darrell, who gave the presentation at North, her older sister Dana, brother Craig and Crystal Miller, who were in the library at Columbine on the day of the shootings, Scott Dodge, who spent the weeks following the shootings counseling students at the school, Rachel's step-brother Ryan Hollingshead, and olympian Shane Hamman, who holds the Guinness Book of World Records weightlifting record for 1,008 pounds in the standing squat.
After showing the students a short film about his daughter, Scott showed news coverage recapping the events at Columbine on that fateful spring day, and issued his first of five challenges to the students.
"Look for the best in others," said Scott, as he encouraged the students to eliminate bullying and prejudice. Scott said that by showing compassion to others, the students could make their school a better place for everyone.
The second challenge Scott issued was for the students to write down the goals they want to accomplish in their life by keeping a journal.
"You never know when your writings, the things you put down, will affect other people," said Scott.
Scott then challenged the students to choose their influences carefully, saying that violence in movies, music, books, and television influenced children in the wrong way. Scott said that Klebold and Harris were acting out a scene from one of their favorite violent movies while they were carrying out the massacre at Columbine.
"Don't let your character change color with the environment," said Scott, quoting his daughter. "Find out who you are and stay true to its color."
Scott asked the students not to give into bullying, saying that only people who are not secure have to bully others to make themselves feel better. He encouraged them to reach out to the handicapped, students who are new at school, and those who are chronically picked on or put down.
"Once a month when you go into the cafeteria, just go up to someone you've never talked to before and say hello," said Scott.
Scott then challenged the students to practice little acts of kindness whenever they can, saying that a little kindness can go a long way. Scott then showed testimonials from people who were affected by Rachel's kindness, including a young man in a wheelchair who was considering suicide until Rachel reached out to him because he was picked on so relentlessly.
Scott's final challenge to the students involved starting the chain reaction of kindness and compassion that is the central theme of "Rachel's Challenge."
"Over the next three days, go to the people you really care about and tell them how you feel about them," said Scott. "I promise they'll never forget the conversation."
Scott's presentation received a standing ovation from misty-eyed teachers and students alike, with Principal Dean Mittleman thanking Scott for his presentation, and encouraging students to use Scott's words as a way to make the school the best it could be.
"Rachel's Challenge" will be holding an assembly at East Rockaway Junior / Senior High School on Nov. 15 at 7:30 p.m. in the high school auditorium. For more information on "Rachel's Challenge" you can visit their website at http://www.rachelschallenge.com.
