That encouragement, which Darrell Scott shared during the Institute’s second general session, is the legacy of his daughter, Rachel, one of 12 students killed in the Columbine High School tragedy April, 1999. Scott now coordinates “Rachel’s Challenge,” a program that goes into middle and high schools to encourage students to be kind and compassionate.

In an emotional presentation that included video of Rachel and her family, Scott told principals how Rachel “was like a sparkplug who would light up a room whenever she walked in.” He took the principals through an inspirational presentation similar to the one Rachel’s Challenge speakers deliver to students at schools.

A prolific writer in her journal, she left a challenge to others to start a chain reaction of kindness and compassion. She made a commitment at school to reach out to others, helping the handicapped, those new to the school, and people who were picked on or put down.

Scott frequently compared his daughter to Anne Frank, noting that both wrote similar statements in their diaries and indicating that Frank was a role model to her daughter. He told the story of how Rachel had set a goal to have a positive impact on others throughout the world.

He also left the principals with challenges—

Eliminate prejudice. You should look for the best in others. Rachel urged others to always give a person three chances before you judge them because you never know what could be going on in their lives at any moment. Scott related how his son Craig, one year younger than Rachel, was in the library the day of the shooting huddled next to Isaial Shoels, one of the few Black students at Columbine. Craig relates that the shooters taunted Isaial with racial slurs before shooting him. “Those words were the last Isaial heard in his life.”

Dare to dream. Scott urged principals to set dreams for their schools, set goals in their lives and keep a journal. He recalled a Harvard University study that reported that only three per cent of the Harvard students had set goals while in school. Follow-up research indicated that those three percent earned more upon their graduation than the other combined 97 percent.

Choose positive influences. Saying that “input determines output,” Scott related how Rachel tried to be a positive influence on those in need and select positive role models, such as Anne Frank, for her own life.

Use kind words. He challenged principals to look for ways they can be kind and compassionate to others and reported that his program brings the same message to students.

“Our goal must be to open students’ hearts. When kids hear Rachel’s story, they become more caring, and attendance and achievement increase.”

He left the participants with powerful words written by his daughter, including “Don’t let your character change color with your environment. Find out who you are and let it stay its true color.”

More information on Rachel’s Challenge can be obtained at www.rachelschallenge.com.