On September 23rd, the East-West community joined Rachel's Challenge to promote a positive school culture through tolerance. Ms. Marinos described her motivation for bringing this powerful program to East-West:
The goals were to create a safe learning environment for all students, prevent school violence and bullying, improve academic achievement by engaging students' hearts, heads and hands in the learning process, and provide them with a social/emotional education.
Rachel Scott was the first student who was killed in the Columbine High School tragedy in 1999. During the school day portion, a Rachel's Challenge speaker shared Rachel's story and her message: Start a chain reaction with simple acts of kindness. Teachers gave special lessons and activities about anti-bullying during their regular classes.
A class discussion on "What is Bullying?"
Rachel's Challenges.
Students and staff signed a banner to honor their commitment to Rachel's Challenge
"I accept the challege to dream big."
Family, friends, and community members were welcomed to an evening assembly, where they participated in the same presentation the students had earlier in the day and invited to share in the mission to create a lasting positive change in the school culture.
In order to keep the positive impact of the program alive at East-West, a group of teachers and students from grades 6-12 were trained to be in a "Friends of Rachel" club. Hiba Rashid, a senior, described her experience:
As the members of the F.O.R. met for the first time to discuss our goals and the purpose of this club, many people surprised me. I began to see many people in a new light, a side of them I’ve never seen or expected. It just made me realize that everyone has a story and before understanding that individual’s story, you shouldn’t even begin to judge them.
I hope that East-West students will be able to continue Rachel Scott’s memory and create their own ways of how to change the point of view of others. The advice I have to offer to those who experienced the extended presentation of Rachel’s Challenge is this:
I hope everyone will dedicate themselves to the F.O.R. club, not just for the first couple of days, or a few months but for this entire year and onward. If you were truly touched today, then take a chance to change someone else's life too.
For more information, visit Rachel's Challenge.
PHOTOS BY MS. CHENG. View full photo album:
 |
| Rachel's Challenge |
Friends of Rachel training.
Students shared ways to promote kindness within their community.
"I will look for positive influences in life so it can help me exceed more and learn what I can't learn on my own."
Students developed their own "code of ethics" after studying Rachel Scott's essay.
A class discussion on the impact of the presentation.
A signed commitment to Rachel's Challenge. The banner wil be displayed in the hallway.
Ms. Marinos welcomed family, friends, and community members to the evening assembly.
Elected officials and community leaders attended the assembly.
Signing the banner.
|
| Rachel's Challenge |
Comments
Nichole (not verified) - December 4, 2012 - 9:03pm
Wow, everyone in my groups is comming up with ideas to get the message arcoss about racheal. If anyone wants to give me feedback that would great maybe we will do it in our school i hope get feedback soon thanks
admin - December 4, 2012 - 9:45am
Wow, that's fantastic! Our school hopes to be an inspiration to others, just like Rachel's Challenge was an inspiration to us. At our school, everyone is involved in Rachel's Challenge, because we all need reminders of how bullying effects others, and how it can be deadly. The post it notes is also a great idea. Our school has a wall full of post it notes with positive messages written on them for all to read. We also have Acts of Kindness, which means once you see an act of kindness, great or small, it gets recorded on a kindness strip with the person's name and deed on it. Once a week, during our morning announcements, acts of kindness is given recognition. The kindness strip is formed into an act of kindness chain. Our chain is so long, which shows you this saying is true...Kindness goes a long way.
Nichole (not verified) - November 11, 2012 - 8:52am
wow my school did the same thing my school is so in to Rachel message that we did have club. But teachers had to pick which students could join. They were looking who had traits about Rachel.Im so grateful that im in this club. I have this club every day 6 which we do group act. and see how we can make this school a better place to learned.My suggest was to Have every students in the school and teachers as well get posted notes and they can go all over the school having postive message. I hope who ever reads this that you look up Rachel's Story and if known her story than pass it on the chain a kindess