Each day 160,000 students do not go to school because they are bullied, teased and harassed. By turning the story of a tragic death at Columbine High School into a mission for change, Rachel's Challenge is helping create safer learning environments and making a world-wide impact.
Rachel's Challenge is a series of student empowering programs and strategies that equip students and adults to combat bullying and allay feelings of isolation and despair by creating a culture of kindness and compassion. The programs are based on the writings and life of 17 year-old Rachel Scott who was the first student killed at Columbine High School in 1999. Rachel left a legacy of reaching out to those who were different, who were picked on by others, or who were new at her school. Shortly before her death she wrote:
Rachel's Challenge Objectives for Schools:
1. Create a safe learning environment for all students by re-establishing civility and delivering proactive antidotes to school violence and bullying.
2. Improve academic achievement by engaging students' hearts, heads and hands in the learning process.
3. Provide students with social/emotional education that is culturally relevant.
4. Train adults to inspire, equip and empower students to affect permanent positive change.
Rachel's Challenge Objectives for Businesses:
1. Create an environment of kindness and compassion within the business setting.
2. Empower and equip individuals through training with the ability to make a difference in their place of work.
3. Inspire and motivate individuals to start a chain reaction of kindness and compassion.
4. Impact the corporation's bottom-line results. (people, profits and revenue).
Learn more about Rachel's Challenge here:
www.rachelschallenge.org.
