On October 14, there was an assembly in the auditorium held for Rachel Scott, a girl who died in the 1999 shooting at Columbine High School.  A speaker spoke of Rachel’s belief in compassion how she believed that everyone should be able to get along without people judging others.  Rachel wanted everyone to start their own chain of compassion and kindness. 

Rachel had five challenges for high school students.  The first challenge is to eliminate prejudice, which still happens in high school. She felt that everyone should have a place where they feel that they belong to. Rachel also felt that everyone should look the best in others. 

The second challenge is dare to dream.  A Harvard study showed that about three percent of students at their school wrote their goals down and about ninety seven percent didn’t.  Ten year later, that three percent was earning ten times as much than other kids combined. 

Rachel inspires people to choose positive influences. She befriended the disabled, people who are new at school and people who were picked on or put down.  For example, a boy named Adam was walking down the hallway and a group of guys walked up to him and knocked his books out his hands.  Rachel was so mad that she met the boys, put her fists up, and said “if you want to pick on someone, you pick on me.” Those boys never picked on Adam again.  He had been picked on for some time now and was planning to commit suicide by the end of that week.  Adam had said to Rachel’s parents that she had truly saved his life. 

The fourth challenge is to treat others well because you never know what one random act of kindness would have huge results. 

The last and final challenge is to start a chain reaction of kindness.  Rachel had said in her sixth diary that she will not be labeled as average.  This challenge begins when you start participating in the challenges and when you pay it forward.  “Look hard enough and you will find a light” Rachel said truly believing that everyone has a bit of light in them.