Columbine victim's foundation inspires Quentin pupils

At the end of class on April 20, 1999, 17-year old Rachel Scott told her teacher, "I'm going to make an impact on the world."

Twenty minutes later, Rachel became the first of 12 students to be killed in the Columbine shootings.

Rachel made life better for everyone around her by doing the little things - by stopping to greet a disabled boy picked on by other kids; by inviting a new student to sit with her group of friends during lunch.

Her family, friends and teachers are working to keep her legacy alive through Rachel's Challenge Foundation, which develops anti-violence programs for elementary, middle and high school students.

Last week, a representative from the foundation stopped at Quentin Elementary School in Avondale to spread Rachel's message to students, faculty and community leaders. The presentations featured video footage from the Columbine shooting as well as interviews with Rachel's friends and relatives.

The program ended by underscoring one person's power to make a profound impact on his or her community.

"The idea is to teach kids to be kind and compassionate through witnessing Rachel's legacy," said the assembly's speaker, Derek Kilgore.

The foundation's programs encourage youths to exhibit the kindness and acceptance modeled in Rachel's own life and expressed in the journals, essays and letters she left behind.

One month before Rachel died, she wrote an essay in which she challenged her readers to "start a chain reaction" through acts of kindness. The program hopes to inspire children to take up that challenge.

"It just touched me," 13-year-old Kassie Simmons said of the presentation.

Kassie and Morgan Schocken, also 13, are the team leaders who helped organize the assembly at Quentin Elementary.

"I used to be bullied all the time. I wanted to help other people who have been bullied, to show people how to be kind," Kassie said.

Morgan thinks the presentation will motivate students to be more conscientious in their treatment of others.

"I've seen kids sit with new kids at lunch and introduce themselves more," she said.

According to data from Rachel's Challenge Foundation, its programs will have reached nearly 2 million students by the end of this year.

For information on the foundation or to schedule an event, visit www.rachelschallenge.org.