Staff Writer
PRESQUE ISLE – A special Rachel’s Challenge assembly last Wednesday at Presque Isle Middle School may very well start a chain reaction of kindness and compassion.
Staff photo/Scott Mitchell Johnson
AT A SPECIAL RACHEL’S CHALLENGE ASSEMBLY held last Wednesday at Presque Isle Middle School, students were given five different challenges that can ultimately start a chain reaction of kindness and compassion. Those students who accepted the tasks were encouraged to sign a banner pledging their support of Rachel’s Challenge. Pictured signing the banner are, from left: Sam Gray, Elena Ford, Alex Michaud and Devin Grant. Named after Rachel Scott, the first person killed during a shooting incident at Columbine High School 10 years ago in Littleton, Colo., Rachel’s Challenge seeks to motivate, educate and activate by getting students to realize that a simple act of kindness can change someone’s life.
Named after Rachel Scott, the first person killed during a shooting incident at Columbine High School 10 years ago in Littleton, Colo., Rachel’s Challenge seeks to motivate, educate and activate.
“What we want to express to kids is how easy it is to show kindness and compassion and how it can change someone’s life,” said presenter Karissa McCoy. “We go into schools and influence students to not only change their campus, but their community, and we want them to reach out on a worldwide level, as well.
“We give the students five different challenges during the presentation, and then we encourage them to start a Friends of Rachel or Chain Links Club,” she said. “We’ve all heard great presentations before and then eventually we forget the message. At Rachel’s Challenge, we don’t want that to happen, so the purpose of these programs is to make sure that schools maintain that momentum. We want students to be constantly reminded of how easy it is to create that chain reaction.”
McCoy has been involved with Rachel’s Challenge for just over a year.
“I had the opportunity to intern for Rachel’s Challenge as a presenter, as well as working with the travel coordinators when I was in college,” said McCoy. “After I heard the message, I was very inspired and touched and I realized that that was a place that I wanted to be.
“I actually work full-time in the Rachel’s Challenge office. I’m an RC coach, so I work with the Friends of Rachel and the Chain Links Clubs that we set up after the assembly is completed. I’m also an occasional speaker,” she said. “Our busy season is September to the first of December, and I may go out anywhere from three to five times. Our seasonal presenters are on the road for three weeks straight and then they’ll have a week off.”
This was McCoy’s first visit to Maine.
“I think it’s beautiful here. It’s definitely different than Denver,” she said. “We’re used to huge mountains, but there are some mountains here. I think it’s gorgeous and you still have some fall colors out which is great.”
A native of Ignashville, Colo., McCoy remembers being in middle school when the Columbine shooting occurred.
“Littleton is about six hours from where I grew up,” she said. “We didn’t have TVs in the classroom at that time, so we listened to it on the radio. I remember our teachers being very upset, but I didn’t really get it. It very much impacted my school and community.”
While in Presque Isle, McCoy spoke at three different assemblies. Earlier in the morning, she spoke to freshmen and sophomores at Presque Isle High School, and then addressed both PIMS and OTC students later in the day. An evening assembly was also held for the community.
The majority of middle-schoolers also attended a special training following the PIMS assembly aimed at giving them the tools needed to start a chain reaction both in their school and community.
“I feel like I have the best job in the world,” said McCoy. “I have the opportunity to go into schools and share Rachel’s message which I believe is one of the most powerful messages out there. Then I have the opportunity to work with Friends of Rachel schools, so not only do I get to see the instant impact, but also what the kids are doing with that impact as time goes on.
“I hope anyone who hears this presentation will walk away knowing how big a simple act of kindness can be and how it can change someone’s life,” she said. “For example, while she didn’t do it every day, occasionally Rachel would sit in the cafeteria with someone totally different at lunchtime … someone who was sitting alone or someone who looked like they were down that day. Something like that is very simple to do. We don’t expect students to become best friends with someone; we just want them to reach out. We’re very much pro-kindness.”
The five challenges presented to the students include:
• Eliminate prejudice: Look for the best in others.
• Dare to dream: Set goals and keep a journal.
• Choose your influences: Input determines output.
• Speak kind words: Small acts of kindness equal huge impact.
• Start a chain reaction with family and friends.
Students who accepted Rachel’s Challenge were encouraged to sign a banner in the hallway. Among those who signed their names were sixth-grader Sam Gray, seventh-grader Alex Michaud, and eighth-grader Elena Ford.
“I thought the presentation was really heart-warming,” said Gray. “Rachel seemed like a really nice person, and it was a really great program to have come to our school.
“This school year alone I’ve seen examples of people being bullied … not so much physically, but a lot of name calling,” he said. “Now that I’ve seen the presentation, I’m going to try to make the bullying stop and try to help the person whose being picked on and try to be more of an example to be a good person. I think if you asked everybody in the school if they’ve been bullied, it would be off-the-charts how many people have.”
Gray said he’s thinking about starting a journal like Rachel did.
“I might want to start doing that and write down my thoughts,” he said. “That’s a pretty cool thing for both boys and girls because you can write what you think.”
Michaud said more people “need to be like Rachel.”
“I liked the example of how she went and sat with the new kid,” he said. “I was the new kid here last year, so I can relate. I felt a little uneasy and didn’t know who the good influences were, but I soon became friends with people.”
Michaud attended the student training, as well.
“I wanted to know more on how to stop bullying, how to help out,” he said, “and how to be a better friend. I hope Rachel’s Challenge comes back to our school. I’d like to hear more about Rachel.”
Ford said she was impressed by the assembly.
“I’m glad that Rachel’s Challenge came. They set good examples for our school, and hopefully kids will take what we’ve learned to heart,” she said. “Before, if I saw someone being bullied, I probably would have let it go because I’m really not into fighting, but now I’d like to help out other people. I’d go get a teacher or the principal and help out that way.”
All of the challenges “had an equal impact” on Ford, but she, too, likes the idea of “daring to dream.”
I think I’m going to start writing a journal,” she said. “I’ve tried before but I never seemed to have the time. I’m going to try again.”
Ford, who is a member of the school’s Civil Rights Team, hopes the school will be more proactive when it comes to bullying.
“I think that a lot of teachers think that when we tell them about someone whose bullying someone else that we’re tattletaling or don’t really like that person for some reason and are trying to get them in trouble,” she said, “but that’s not always the case.
“I hope Rachel’s Challenge will make an impact on our school,” said Ford, “because bullying has always been an issue here.”
Allison Reed, the school’s Civil Rights Team adviser, said her organization will continue to encourage acts of kindness.
“We’d like to implement a Hero of the Week Club which is going to honor kids who stand up and do the right thing whether it be standing up for someone whose being bullied, intervening in situations where kids are being picked on, or just doing random acts of kindness by helping their fellow students,” she said.
“We’re either going to have one hero a week or if we get enough nominations we’ll do a sixth-, seventh- and eighth-grader each week,” said Reed. “We want to spread the word of those random acts of kindness and how they can transform our building.”
The Civil Rights Team made a monetary contribution to help bring Rachel’s Challenge to PIMS, as did the Parent Teacher Organization.
“The Civil Rights Team mission is to attempt to make our school a safe and welcoming place. We do things with drug and alcohol prevention, anti-bullying, nutrition, and silent mentors where kids choose someone in the school that they think maybe doesn’t have as many friends or needs a pick-me-up,” said Reed. “Rachel’s Challenge goes hand-in-hand with our mission, and I’m glad our team is involved.
“It’s important for kids to realize that a single person can make a difference,” she said. “Sometimes we feel very alone in our beliefs, and although we might want to make a difference as an individual, we feel like maybe that’s a little overwhelming, but I think it’s very important for kids to realize that their simple acts of kindness can have a great impact on our school environment.”
This is the second time Rachel’s Challenge has been presented at PIMS. Rachel Scott’s brother, Craig, who was in the library at Columbine High School during the April 20, 1999 shooting, spoke to students and community members in September 2006.
For more on Rachel’s Challenge, log onto www.rachelschallenge.org.
Staff photo/Scott Mitchell Johnson
KARISSA McCOY of Rachel’s Challenge was the featured speaker last Wednesday at three different assemblies in Presque Isle. Earlier in the morning, she spoke to freshmen and sophomores at Presque Isle High School, and then addressed both Presque Isle Middle School and OTC students later in the day. An evening assembly was also held for the community.
Staff photo/Scott Mitchell Johnson
STUDENTS AT PRESQUE ISLE MIDDLE SCHOOL raise their hands in response to a question asked by Karissa McCoy of Rachel’s Challenge during an assembly last week. Named after Rachel Scott, who was killed during a shooting incident at Columbine High School 10 years ago in Littleton, Colo., Rachel’s Challenge exists to inspire, equip and empower every person to create a permanent positive culture change in their school, business and community by starting a chain reaction of kindness and compassion.
