The gauntlet has been thrown to our school district and our community! During this past week all 3,628 of our students at Piqua City Schools participated in kick-off assemblies for the Rachel’s Challenge program. This program, sponsored by the Upper Valley Medical Center (UVMC) Foundation, sets forth to equip and inspire all of us in Piqua to replace acts of violence, bullying, and negativity with positive acts of respect, kindness, and compassion.
Rachel’s Challenge is based on the life and journal writings of Rachel Joy Scott who was the first victim of the Columbine school shootings in 1999. Rachel’s inspiring story can serve as a simple, yet powerful example of how small acts of kindness and acceptance motivate us to develop positive relationships with the people we come in daily contact.
I greatly appreciate the UVMC Foundation for recognizing the escalating problems facing our students, families, schools, and communities such as: bullying, student isolation, teen suicide, discrimination, school violence, societal pressures, and increased disciplinary and prosecution referrals. Through their generous support we are able to provide powerful presentations, trainings, community events, and professional development to help provide awareness, and form sustainable solutions.
During the week our students focused on increasing acts and words of kindness within our schools and community. At the elementary level our students were challenged to create paper links for each action or word of kindness they exhibit. The links will be joined together to create chains with all of our elementary schools challenging one another to create the longest chain.
Skylar, a student at Favorite Hill, gave the program two thumbs up complimented with a big smile! Connie Strehle, Principal of Favorite Hill Primary appreciated how the program provoked students to ask themselves “How am I treating my friend?” and emphasized using kind words, accepting and including others, choosing positive influences and setting goals." Our primary students are also encouraged to join the K-Kids Club (sponsored by Piqua Kiwanis Club) and current Ambassador’s club (sponsored by PCS to welcome new students) to impact a positive school climate.
Our junior and senior high school students were presented with an assembly focusing on increasing acts and words of kindness and compassion within the school and community. Describing her reaction to the assembly Piqua High School (PHS) Student Abigayle Poling shared: "This message was something that the school needed. My hope is that this will bring more peace to PHS." Christian Starrett, Piqua Junior High School (PJHS) Student, added: “For me the Rachel's Challenge Assembly was emotional, powerful, and motivating. I was already a helping, kind person, but now I want to do even more.”
During the program students were challenged to join together to create ways for positive messages to be sent and received along with addressing negative issues in a positive manner. "This program really grabbed my attention. It made me realize that I can help others simply by being kind. I hope that the chain reaction occurs and that PHS students get involved" expressed Travis Williams, PHS Student. Reganne Tate, another PHS Student described her thoughts of the assembly in the following manner: "I liked that they challenged everyone to become better people. Nothing was forced, we were just encouraged. I hope that people take on the challenge and reach out to help others."
Teams of student leaders were asked to create ways to make our schools a more positive place. Teams came up with strategies including: posting positive messages throughout our school buildings, recognizing when an individual commits an act of kindness or uses kind words, creating a chain link to show all the acts happening within our schools, creating positive posts on social media, creating a kindness squad, developing positive locker tags, and designing a campaign to make a new friend everyday. Our students at the secondary level are also being encouraged to join the leadership clubs already in existence to further develop plans to bring our youth together to create a more positive climate.
As I watched the Rachel’s Challenge program unfold within our schools this week I was reminded of the hope that we have in our children and our future. Our students have such great potential and can truly pour their hearts into making our world a better place as explained by PHS Student Treona Whitmore: “This program was an inspiration to a lot of people. I personally have been inspired to treat others more respectfully. I plan to spend more time with my family and plan to utilize these moments to make them as meaningful as possible." Our students get it!
Beyond our students, this program provides a source of renewal for our schools and community in which we all need to play a role. Rachel’s story serves as a catalyst for all of us here in Piqua to start our own chain reaction of kindness and compassion. Inspired by her story, Micah Karn, PJHS Student, shared: “I liked how Rachel wrote in her journals about how she was going to help people. So, I thought, I could stand up and help kids who need it.” Our children not only get it, but they are committed to doing something about it! We all need to join in and help create and support a chain reaction of respect, kindness, and compassion. Rachel’s Challenge has thrown the gauntlet and it is time for us to step up as a community! We are Piqua!
For additional information regarding Rachel’s Challenge visit www.rachelschallenge.org