Random acts of kindness can start a chain reaction that has potential to change the world. This was the belief of 17-year old Rachel Joy Scott, the first victim of the Columbine High School shooting in 1999.

Her message was brought to the Barrington community last week through a Barrington Education Foundation (BEF) grant and co-sponsored by the Chain Reaction Club at Barrington High School. Two in-school sessions were held and a community session on Tuesday, Oct. 23 at 7:30, all in the high school auditorium.

Rachel’s Challenge, is a global program intended to promote a positive climate in schools, one where younger generations and the community approach eachother with kindness and dignity.

Although Rachel's senseless death devastated her family, something positive sprang from the tragedy.

Following the horrific event, many students that Rachel knew, reached out to share stories with her family about the profound impact her simple acts of kindness had on their lives — even preventing one young man for taking his own life. Rachel kept detailed journals, wrote poetry and created artwork that expressed her outlook and even held a premonition of her early death and the effect she would have on the world. Her family soon realized the transformational effect of Rachel’s story and started the non-profit organization that is Rachel's Challenge today.

Rachel’s Challenge is not new to BHS, but BEF’s four-year commitment to expand the program to more students and the community is new this year.

Chris Barton, president of BEF, said the community piece was designed to help parents and others understand what was presented to the students to allow for further discussion at home and in the community.

“It was very similar to the school session with a bit more explanation on how the program is incorporated into the schools; through student leadership, teacher involvement and the Chain Reaction Club," said Mrs. Barton. "We were able to understand the specific challenges that the students are given at their presentation, as we accepted the same challenges."

Mrs. Barton said BEF officials were pleased with the turnout at this year's event — more than 100 people attended the community portion of the program.

“The feedback was overwhelmingly positive from everyone who walked out that evening," she said. "It was very powerful and many were impressed with the focus on positive culture change in the school. In fact, BEF received a sizable donation the very next day that was specifically noted as a result of our 'Rachel’s Challenge' grant on the donation card. A good indication of the positive impact." 

In addition to the presentations, which were facilitated by Veda Tucker from the Rachel’s Challenge organization, a more in depth layer is offered with the Friends of Rachel (FOR) club. FOR training is designed to help a select group of students — up to 100 pre-assigned cross-section of the school and adults — create a club within the school whose mission is to put into practice what they just learned in the assembly and foster a permanent culture of kindness and compassion on their campus. 

The training starts with a limited, yet powerful, time of sharing about what the assembly meant to participants and the school community. The bulk of the training goes into specific instructions on why the club is important, how it is unique, activities that have worked at other schools and how to plan for their first meeting and first activity. 

FOR falls under the umbrella of the Chain Reaction Club with staff advisor Jason Appel leading the group.

Rachel’s Challenge:

1. Look for the best in others

2. Dream Big

3. Choose to be a positive influence

4. Speak with kindness

5. Tell the ones you love how much you love them

Rachel's reach

Since 1999, Rachel’s Challenge has touched 26 million people and is the foundation for creating programs that promote a positive climate in K-12 schools. Her vision to start a chain reaction of kindness and compassion is the basis for their mission: Making schools safer, more connected places where bullying and violence are replaced with kindness and respect; and where learning and teaching are awakened to their fullest.

In an essay Rachel wrote six weeks before the 1999 shooting, she stated: “Compassion is the greatest form of love humans have to offer. I have this theory that if one person can go out of their way to show compassion, then it will start a chain reaction of the same. People will never know how far a little kindness can go.”