Rachel's Challenge shown to students
By Arthur McLean Editor

PHOTO BY ARTHUR MCLEAN Erin Lackey talks to Thomasville Middle School students during a presentation of Rachel's Challenge Thursday.

An emotional program was presented to Thomasville High School and Middle School students Thursday at the THS Gym when a representative of Rachel's Challenge presented the students with the story of Rachel Scott.

Scott was the first person killed in the shootings that took place at Columbine High School in Colorado.

After finding a number of her writings after her death, her father, Darrell Scott decided to make her life's story the basis of a program that would challenge teens to be more compassionate towards each other.

Erin Lackey, a friend of the Scott family, presented the program, showing photos and videos of Scott's life and selections of her writings.

Among the memorable lines penned by Scott were, "don't let your character change color with your environment," and that kindness to others "just might start a chain reaction."

It is a chain reaction of kindness and compassion that the program hopes to start in the schools and communities where it is performed.

Lackey said there were a number of specific challenges based on Scott's life story that are presented to the students, including not prejudging others, setting goals, and choosing positive influences.

A number of students were also chosen among volunteers to receive special training after the presentation to continue working on Rachel's Challenge and to help spread the spirit of kindness and compassion amongst the student body.

Since it's beginning and through 2005 more then 400,000 students have heard the Rachel's Challenge presentation. In 2006 more than 475,000 students experienced Rachel's Challenge and had the opportunity to accept the challenges, modeled after Rachel's life and writings. The universal message of kindness and compassion told by Rachel's story has been heard by students in several other countries. The number of requests to present Rachel's Challenge to students, parents, and educators continues to increase. This year the number of students to hear Rachel's story will be 1,000,000.

The program was organized by Thomasville High School's Sandra Williams, and sponsored by a number of local businesses which were: Lewis Pest Control, Brooks Chevrolet, Wal-Mart, First United Security Bank, Sweet Water State Bank, Pope's Real Estate and Family Medicine Pharmacy and American Mortgage.

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