Start a Chain Reaction of Kindness
The Rachel’s Challenge Mission…
We exist to inspire, equip, and empower every person to create a permanent culture change in their school, business, and community by starting a chain reaction of kindness and compassion.
Rachel’s Story…
Rachel Scott was the first person killed at Columbine High School on April 20, 1999. Rachel’s acts of kindness and compassion coupled with the contents of her six diaries have become the foundation for the most life-changing school program in America. Her brother, Craig, was in the library that day and lost two close friends and narrowly escaped death himself. He was the only student at Columbine who was in the library, the worst of the killing zone, and also lost a sibling.
A few weeks after the tragedy Darrell Scott, Rachel’s father, spoke to a Congressional House Judiciary Committee regarding issues of school violence. His speech has become one of the most widely read on the internet. Shortly afterwards he founded “Rachel’s Challenge”, a bullying and violence abatement program. More than 1.5 million students annually experience Rachel’s Challenge and have the opportunity to accept the challenges, modeled after Rachel’s life and writings. The universal message of kindness and compassion told by Rachel’s story has been heard by students in several other countries.
Since its beginning in 2000, the number of requests to present Rachel’s Challenge to students, parents, and educators continues to increase. The Scott family and other Rachel’s Challenge certified presenters have spoken to over 15 million people in live settings, and has reached millions more through being featured on popular media outlets like CNN, Fox News, The Today Show, Good Morning America, Larry King Live, Oprah, Dateline, O’Reilly Factor, Hannity and Colmes and numerous others. Mr. Scott has also authored three books including the best seller “Rachel’s Tears.” Darrell meets regularly with politicians and educators, and is also a keynote speaker at many large educational venues. He met with President Bill Clinton on two occasions and President George W. Bush has written a personal letter recommending Rachel’s Challenge.
The school program founded by Mr. Scott has prevented over 350 suicides since 2008,drastically reduced bullying, and in at least 6 instances has prevented school shootings.
Rachel’s Challenge is an educational program that has gained national notoriety – as well as praise from educators and parents alike – on the strength of its message: kindness, compassion and starting positive chain reactions. The program is devoted to prevent violence and bullying by engaging youth and adults to spread acts of kindness and compassion.
Oak Mountain Academy is inspired by Rachel’s story and the Rachel’s Challenge program so we are asking you to help us spread Kindness and Compassion as far as it will go. It’s a movement meant to have a positive impact on people’s lives every day. In one of Rachel’s essay she writes, “Compassion is the greatest form of love humans have to offer. I have this theory that if one person can go out of their was to show compassion, then it will start a chain reaction of the same. People will never know how far a little kindness can go.
Start your Chain Reaction today. Simply download a sheet of chains and begin your random acts of kindness. Each time you perform an act of kindness simply write the act of one of the chains, cut out the link, and staple or glue the links together to start a chain. Bring your chain by Oak Mountain Academyto help us form a long Chain of Kindness for our community. Your act of kindness just might change someone’s life.
For more information on Rachel’s Challenge please visit their website at www.rachelschellenge.org.