Last night in the Columbia Borough High School auditorium, a sprinkling of perhaps 30 people were transfixed by the story of Rachel Joy Scott.

The school district hosted this amazing program for members of the community — a free event — that was shared with students earlier in the day on Tuesday and Wednesday. Announced at the School District Website, the program is a multi-media production that is directed toward “Creating a school climate less susceptible to harassment, bullying and violence … .”

Rachel Joy Scott was the first person killed in the Columbine High School shooting on April 20, 1999. Rachel’s Challenge is focused on “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.“

Those who were at last night’s program presentation were totally engrossed, even captivated, during the one and a half hour event. They were awed by the person that Rachel Joy Scott was. Her insight showed in her art, her writing and her interactions with people she knew and didn’t know.

“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.”

The above sentence comes from her writing, “My Ethics, My Codes of Life” by Rachel Scott. 

Read her writing about her ethics and you’ll instantly see that Rachel’s ethics are so developed and poignant. Her message is a message for everyone. It’s from her writing that Rachel’s Challenge developed.

The message in Rachel’s Challenge is for all of us; take the challenge. We can do this.