JENNIFER GUSTAVSON PHOTO | Greenport schools hosted the national anti-bullying program “Rachel’s Challenge” last night in the auditorium.
A group of Greenport students pledged to surround themselves with positive role models and become kinder to their peers in an effort to deter bullying after seeing the national anti-bullying program “Rachel’s Challenge” last night in the school auditorium.
The program is based on the writings of 17-year-old Rachel Scott, the first student killed during the 1999 Columbine High School shooting massacre.
Rachel’s Challenge provides students and adults with advice on how to combat bullying, feelings of isolation and despair through kindness and compassion. Rachel had reached out to those who were different, were picked on by others, or new at her school.
Shortly before her death, Rachel wrote: “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. People will never know how far a little kindness can go.”
Seventh grader Ashley Payne described the presentation as “life changing.” Although Ashley and her friends watched the presentation during a morning assembly, they decided to watch it again later that evening.
“We’ve been talking about it all day,” Ashley said. “It was really inspiring.”
For more information about the program, visit rachelschallenge.org.
Read more about this story on Dec. 13 in The Suffolk Times or on our E-Paper.