Silence and wide eyes spread across a room of area high school students as Bill Sanders showed the group film footage of the April 20, 1999, Columbine High School shootings.
Sanders visited with the school and members of the community Thursday as part of Rachel’s Challenge — a program that promotes kindness and encourages people to break the chain reaction of evil.
“You have the power to be a protector,” Sanders told students.
Rachel’s Challenge came to the Falls in 2010, and was asked back by popular demand, according to LeeAnn Meer, executive director of Friends Against Abuse in International Falls.
“It really got to the students and the community two years ago,” Meer said.
Rachel’s Challenge is a program based on Rachel Scott, the first student killed at Columbine High School 13 years ago. The example she set with kindness and compassion coupled with entries from her diaries have become the foundation for what’s been called one of the most life-changing school/community programs in the country.
“Friends Against Abuse has been actively working on an anti-bullying initiative with the schools, and this (program) fits perfectly with what we’re doing,” Meer said.
Sanders helped design Rachel's Challenge with Scott's family 12 years ago. He has traveled the world presenting the program, which aims to help kids on the fringe feel included. Since he began spreading Scott’s words of kindness, Sanders said he has spoken to more than 5 million students.
“We’re challenging kids to care more about someone else when you walk down the hallway instead of just looking for a mirror to see how they look,” he said.
Sanders’ presentation showed footage of the deadly shooting that took Scott’s life, as well as clips from her family and friends. He also presented the group with five challenges to steer them in the direction to make changes not only in their lives, but those of others.
He said it is no secret it can be difficult for some kids to embrace the notion of approaching others who are different and unpopular because it requires them to step outside of their safe zone.
“Yes, it’s scary and yes, you might get rejected, and yes, you might be embarrassed,” he said to students. “It’s really quite amazing what you have the power to do. You could impact someone’s life. I challenge each of you for one week to do something that will change your life and probably some else’s.”
Meer said the message of the Rachel’s Challenge program is a “powerful one.”
“We’re challenging kids to do nice things,” she said. “That’s what we’re all about. They need to do something to pay it forward and start a chain reaction of kindness. This is the direction we need our kids and community to move in.”
Following the presentation, students chose to sign a pledge acknowledging they accepted Rachel’s Challenge and would model their lifestyles after the teen.
