High School News
Rachel's Challenge - The Power of One
Port Jervis students
commit to continue
Rachel’s Legacy
POSTED: JANUARY 13, 2009
Students have the power to make
PERMANENT, POSITIVE, CULTURAL CHANGE in their schools by
accepting the challenge of Rachel Scott to start a chain
reaction of kindness and compassion. Rachel Scott was one of the
first students killed at Columbine High School in 1999. Her
legacy lives on through the award-winning program that is inspiring students nationwide to change the way they
treat others.
Last year, Port Jervis High School students participated in
Rachel's Challenge, which uses powerful video footage of
Rachel's life and the Columbine tragedy to motive students to
stop bullying and start a chain reaction of kindness.
On Jan. 13, the students attended
the follow-up program, Rachel's Legacy, which uses a new set of
motivational stories and challenges to encourage students to
make a difference at their school and in their community.
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Hundreds of students signed a petition to continue
Rachel's Legacy by making a difference at their school. |
The program consisted of two powerful school
assemblies, a peer training session, and a special evening
presentation for parents and community leaders.
All of the
emotionally-charged
sessions were led by Rachel's
classmate and Columbine High School shooting survivor Nicole
Nowlen.
Following the assemblies, more than 100 students made a
commitment to get involved in the Friends of Rachel, a service
club formed at Port Jervis High School after last year's
presentation. Along with the current club members, the students
participated in an interactive training session that provided
them with strategies to continue the positive momentum of the
presentation by treating fellow students with kindness and
inspiring others to do the same.
The assembly's powerful message was also reinforced
through a one-hour presentation geared toward parents and
community members. Similar to the
student assembly, the evening program provided parents with tips
to help reinforce their teen's positive decisions.
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Columbine
High School shooting survivor Nicole Nowlen (left) and
club advisor Jan Schools (seated) are pictured with Port
Jervis High School Friends of Rachel club members.
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Rachel’s incredible story has been featured on Oprah, Larry King
Live, and every major television network. It is also the basis
for a television documentary, a television advertisement about
kindness, and has been the subject of several books.
If you want to get
involved in Friends of Rachel, please call club advisor Jan Schools at 858-7881.
You can also visit
Rachel's Challenge Web site to
learn more about the award-winning program.
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Link to Times Herald-Record article
on program
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