On Tuesday, September 10, students experienced an extended homeroom period, lasting 70 minutes instead of 30 minutes.
This session was for a presentation by JB Braden, a representative from Rachel’s Challenge, an organization dedicated to addressing the causes of school violence through student wellness presentations.
Rachel’s Challenge was established in honor of Rachel Scott, a victim of the Columbine High School shooting, and aims to foster a culture of compassion and connectedness within schools.
Seniors gathered in the Birge Auditorium to hear Braden speak, while students in grades 9-11 watched the presentation via Zoom in their homeroom classes.
Assistant Principal Nick Brewer began planning the event with Rachel’s Challenge in May. The goal was to empower students to create a more connected and kind school culture.
“One of the things we were hoping for is that this can help foster a connection to school and connect student to student so that we can prevent some of the tragic things happening around the nation,” Brewer said.
Although the presentation centered around the Columbine shooting, its core message focused on kindness and compassion. Principal Jagga Rent emphasized the importance of promoting positive actions.
“I would love for the news and the media to cover mass kindness and not mass killings,” Rent said, “What if we lived in a world where mass compassion was on the front page and not mass shootings? How do we sensationalize the positive things in our schools rather than the worst of the worst?”
After the presentation, Student Council, Senior Class Council and Junior Class Council members attended a training session to implement Rachel’s legacy into our school culture.
Braden encouraged the students to take charge of creating a compassionate environment.
“Kids have the power to change things,” Braden said, “There are so many more of you, but you don’t realize that you guys get tired of being told what to do. But if you say this is what we are doing as students, you are empowered to do it.”
Students brainstormed kindness-oriented projects during the training session to cultivate a more compassionate school culture.
The presentation left students feeling empowered to combat the normalization of violence through kindness.
“I don’t want us ever to get used to or normalize school shootings because they happen so much we don’t ever pause or take a moment to realize these are real lives, real people,” Rent said.
Students dedicated to implementing Rachel’s legacy into their everyday lives were encouraged to sign the banner left by Braden to pledge their commitment.
