Without context, this photo seems to depict your average ‘90s teenager. But there's a lot more to it.
Many of you recognize her as Rachel Scott. If you don’t, here is her story. Her elementary school had a bullying problem. But Rachel Scott befriended a boy who was severely bullied. They started hanging out a lot and became friends. An international student came to the school and was made fun of because of her native country. She was sitting alone at lunch when Rachel asked to sit with her, and they also became friends.
She founded the chain of kindness movement to combat bullying. This became an elementary school program where every time something kind happen, a new paper chain would be added with the name of the person being bullied and the student who helped out. Kids were also taught to not discriminate against people and how bullying will negatively effect your future. It caught the attention of the district and she became a school activist.
She attended Columbine High School in Colorado. Two students brought guns to school on April 20, 1999, and the infamous shooting ensued. It was the first such high school massacre with so many victims in U.S. history. Rachel was one of the first students shot and killed, just outside one of the school’s exits. A year after her death, her father found the drawing below in her room.
“These hands belong to Rachel Joy Scott and will someday touch millions of peoples hearts.”
This picture gave the Scott family an idea to continue her anti-bully group but with more power. And today millions of schools in America know the story of Rachel and many make chains. The longest one ever made was over 10,000 feet. People also make walls of kind statements using sharpies. And by the end of the year, it gets shown at a Rachel’s Challenge meetup.
Rachel Scott on her Prom night in 1999 (below) just two days before being killed at school.
