Rockwall students' paper chain represents kindness

Rachel's Challenge program inspired by Columbine shooting victim

08:37 AM CDT on Thursday, May 8, 2008
By CHRIS COATS / Special Contributor to The Dallas Morning News
(Photo credit: Cheryl Diaz Meyer/DMN)

Even though she was the new kid just a year ago, Hannah Hernandez didn't know if she would go up and befriend a new student on her own.

"Now some new kids are my friends because I introduced myself and helped them around the school," said Hannah, 12. "Rachel's Challenge has impacted a lot of kids to step out more and help others."

Acts of kindness are rewarded in the Rockwall school district's Rachel's Challenge program. And tonight at Rachel's Rally, a 3-mile paper chain will be paraded onto the football field by 600 fifth- and sixth-graders. The chain's 123,000 links represent individual acts of kindness performed by 7,000 elementary students during the year.

Inspired by Rachel Scott, a victim of the April 1999 Columbine High School shootings, the national Rachel's Challenge organization seeks to spread kindness in schools worldwide.

Rachel's father, Darrell Scott, developed the program based on her journal entries such as "if one person can go out of their way to show compassion, then it will start a chain reaction of the same."

Rockwall ISD counselors chose to emphasize a Chain Reaction of Kindness at the elementary level.

Teachers, students, bus drivers and cafeteria workers witnessing acts of kindness would write them on slips of paper, which in turn were formed into links of a chain.

Libby Tolle, a sixth-grader at Reinhardt Elementary, said she's seen a "dramatic change."

"Kids would say some really rude things to hurt me and my friends," the 12-year-old said. "This year, they've been a lot nicer."

Nancy Boyd, the district counseling coordinator, originally divvied up more than 73,000 slips of paper. She never imagined she'd need 50,000 more.

"Kids were doing whatever they could to help out," Ms. Boyd said. "It's been contagious."

Mr. Scott reviewed the Rockwall program and was so impressed that the national organization is now partnering to launch it nationwide.

"We're all blown away by it," said Mr. Scott, who is attending the 7 p.m. rally at Wilkerson Sanders Stadium. "Rachel would've been excited. She loved children, and this program would've touched her heart."

The national organization has been inundated with 1,500 requests for information on the elementary school program.

Superintendent Gene Burton is hoping for a ripple effect.

"This could spark a chain reaction of rallies recognizing kindness and compassion," he said. "All it takes is an act by one person. Never underestimate the power of one."

Performances by Rockwall middle and high school bands and choirs will help welcome the chain as it is paraded into the stadium. State Sen. Florence Shapiro, R-Plano, is speaking about the importance of kindness and compassion.

Libby and Hannah are on the team carrying the chain.

"Everyone is excited to see the big chain," Libby said. "To me it represents kindness and accepting people for what makes them unique. Just like Rachel did."