Schools

Rachel's Challenge for Compassion Returns to Stamford's Turn of River

On Monday night, Turn of River Middle School opened its doors to community members to welcome the kickoff of the fourth year of the Rachel's Challenge program, which has instilled in the student body at the school a strong spirit of community, school representatives said. 

Rachel's Challenge was a program ignited by the death of Rachel Joy Scott, who died in the Columbine High School attack on April 20, 1999. Scott was known for being unwaveringly kind and compassionate. After her death, a two-page detailing of her own personal moral compass was discovered by her parents. That work, in which Scott calls for readers to start a chain reaction of kindness, did just that, and Rachel's Challenge was born. 

Speakers visit schools around the country to challenge students to be more compassionate and kind to the people they cross paths with in their lives. The program came to Turn of River when an after-school club dedicated to the girl took up the cause. 

"It's Turn of River's fourth year participating in the program," said Principal Brendan Fox. "It's helped us lessen bullying and inappropriate texting and Facebook messaging. It's helped up build a more positive school climate. Children here are making the choice to be kinder, rather than judgmental or prejudice."

Sharon Wade runs the program throughout the year and organized things like community service projects in which the students participate. The program was debuted to students for it's fourth installment Monday during school hours. The evening event was to allow parents to visit and learn as well so they could talk with their children at home about the values the program presents. 

"This evening, we open it up to the community," Wade said. "That way parents can go home and start talking to their kids about what the program is teaching. The story of Rachel is sad, but inspiring. When students see it, they are motivated to make a change. We have seen a pretty positive change in the culture of our school. Kids are focused on being kind and practicing anti-bullying themselves."

Students find the program moving and a number were on hand to help with the event. The program starts at Turn of River's sixth grade, but freshman students from Westhill High School returned to see the program again. 

"After seeing the program, it really made me realize how much I take for granted and I just wanted to tell my family and friends how much I love them," said eighth grader Arden Lesoravage. "It makes me want to live a kind life. I want to applaud others, you never know what their lives at home are like."


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