Legacy of Rachel's Challenge Continues at HHS

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Since its founding over a year ago, the Harrison High School “Friends of Rachel” club has been encouraging peers to participate in small acts of kindness toward others to help maintain the positive culture at school.

The “Friends of Rachel” club began last year as an outlet for students who had participated in the powerful PTA-sponsored event “Rachel’s Challenge” and wanted to make a difference. Rachel Scott was a compassionate and caring high school student when her life ended dramatically as a result of the Columbine High School tragedy. After her death, six of her inspirational diaries became the foundation of a movement to inspire, equip and empower every person to create a permanent positive culture change in their school and community.

The “Friends of Rachel” club at Harrison High School has remained focused on five challenges and thepotential positive outcomes.

• Eliminate Prejudice by looking for the best in others
• Dare To Dream by setting goals and keeping a journal
• Choose Your Influences – the input determines the output
• Use Kind Words – small acts of kindness can provide a huge impact
• Start a Chain Reaction with family and friends

The club, with advisors Cathy Rogers-Gans and Jessica Maricevic, recently sponsored a school-wide Day of Kindness. Students were encouraged to wear red, yellow or orange and send “Ripple Kindness Cards” to peers that had been kind to them or to whom they wanted to send a message of kindness. Money raised from this event was donated to the Lady Gaga Born This Way Foundation.

This year, the club also encouraged peers to build an Act of Kindness Wall, dress in specific colors to celebrate and promote tolerance among nationalities, and act as “mentors” for new students on their first days of school in an effort to ease the transition and make them feel welcome at Harrison High School.