Posted on November 19, 2007
Before a standing ovation of 1,400 teary-eyed JMU students and faculty, Darrell Scott, the father of the first person killed in the Columbine high school shootings in 1999, spoke about the legacy his 17-year old daughter Rachel Joy Scott left behind.
Just six weeks prior to Columbine, Rachel wrote a school paper challenging her peers to start a chain reaction of compassion.
“Compassion is the greatest form of love humans have to offer,” Scott’s paper said, according to her father. “People will never know how far a little kindness can go.”
From his daughter’s words, Scott began Rachel’s Challenge, which has become the largest middle and high school assembly programin the U.S.
“I believe I can have a little part in changing the culture of this nation, but I can’t do that alone,” Scott said.
Scott’s goal is to get one million people committed to Rachel’s Challenge by 2012. Following the Virginia Tech shootings, Scott decided to expand the program to colleges. JMU is one of the first universities to participate including University of Texas.
Rachel’s Challenge consists of four tests. The first challenge, he said, is to eliminate prejudice by looking for the best in every single person you meet.
Among the 13 students killed that day was Isaiah Shoels, a friend of Rachel’s brother, Craig Scott. In the last moments of his life, Shoels heard his two killers insult and degrade him with racial slurs.
Secondly, Scott challenges students to dare to dream. Scott promised success to those who write down their goals in a journal.
“If you want something bad enough, you can be the best that you can be if you dream,” Scott said.
Choosing positive influences in your life is Scott’s third message.
In a letter to a cousin talking about peer pressure, Rachel said, “Don’t let your character change color with your environment. Find out who you are and let it stay its true color.”
The final challenge is to know the power of words. Scott emphasized that small acts of kindness can make a huge impact on people’s lives.
“Even the power of a compliment is so huge,” he said. “The best antidote to violence is kindness.”
In 2001 Rachel Scott was awarded posthumously the National Acts of Kindness Award for her outreach to others.
After intervening in the beating up of a mentally and physically disabled peer, Adam, Rachel quickly befriended him unaware that she was saving his life. Adam later revealed that before he met Rachel, he planned to commit suicide but decided against it because she made him feel worthwhile.
Realizing that the world will never be perfect, Scott hopes Rachel’s Challenge will make its contribution to creating a better world.
“We can’t stop violence totally but we certainly can stop some of it,” he said.
Students agree that kindness can prevent violence inflicted on others.
“The people who do those things are angry at people,” sophomore Emily Jamison said. “For whatever reason, I think if one person smiles at them the right way, it could prevent that one day.”
In addition, the Friends of Rachel program exists to maintain the chain reaction of kindness and compassion ignited by Rachel’s Challenge. FOR is also in the making at JMU.
“You can have a major impact on this city,” Scott said. “Open your eyes - there is so much to do [to help] around you.”
Through fundraising and charity, FOR helps those in need including child cancer patients, inner city kids and burn victims. They awarded $8 million in scholarships to child cancer victims, many of whom may never get the chance to go to college. Every March at participating high schools, FOR holds the Unified Food Drive donating canned foods to local shelters.
Some JMU students have already been doing their part to promote kindness. Jamison and sophomore Ashley Ourslek participate in MOVE, an unofficial JMU organization that meets every Tuesday to do random acts of kindness throughout campus.
Last week, they stood outside d-hall and opened doors for people.
Ourslek said, “I know if someone does something nice for me, it completely brightens my day.”
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