On Wednesday, September 25th, kindness and compassion set the tone for the day at Camden High School. Students flooded into the auditorium to hear an important message from Veda Tucker, who represents the Rachel’s Challenge organization.
Rachel's Challenge is an organization that addresses the challenges posed by bullying and school violence. They do so through programming that examines the problems at their source, and promotes connection and kindness across school communities. The program was born in memory of Rachel Joy Scott, a young woman who tragically lost her life at Columbine in 1999.
Scott believed that if enough people practiced kindness daily, it would create a chain reaction across the globe that would touch millions of lives. Her family started this organization to do exactly that.
By taking "Rachel's Challenge", a student pledges to spread kindness, set a positive example, and make their school and community a better place to be through those efforts. To date, the organization has presented its message to over 30 million people worldwide.
Among the many places Rachel’s Challenge has visited, the Camden Central School District has been fortunate to enjoy a multi-year partnership with the organization for middle and high school level students. And that has built a sense of familiarity with the organization’s message, and its presenters. Many students in the room were already familiar with Tucker, as she came to Camden Middle School a few years ago to facilitate the Rachel's Challenge "Chain Reaction" event on behalf of the organization.
Following a general school-wide assembly, Tucker worked in a small group session throughout the morning with members of the CHS Student Leadership group. The meeting was a productive one, as students were able to bring the conversation home about continuing to build a positive school culture and building on the impact of that morning’s presentation, They created action steps to ensure a sustained positive outcome for Rachel’s Challenge within Camden High School, and became the first students to sign the new CHS Rachel’s Challenge banner.
The student leaders also served as a focus group, giving feedback from a student’s perspective that could shape future Rachel’s Challenge presentations around the globe.
