I am encouraged and impressed by the positive impact that Rachel’s Challenge has already made in the D’Evelyn community, and I look forward to witnessing the short-term and long-term benefits of this powerful program.
 
As the leader of the school, I felt challenged along with the students, faculty, staff, and families that participated in the Rachel’s Challenge events over the course of the week.  It gave me an opportunity to reflect on areas of my own life, both personal and professional, where I can pay additional attention and dedicate extra energy towards positive interactions with everyone in my life - family, friends, colleagues, and D’Evelyn students and families.
 
With that in mind, I accept the five components of Rachel’s Challenge, as follows:

1. Look for the best in others
2. Dream Big
3. Choose positive influences
4. Speak with kindness
5. Start my own chain reaction of goodness

There are many ways that I can incorporate these important actions into my daily life and work, and I look forward to the continued opportunities to do so.  It is my sincere belief that with all individual community members focused on these positive daily actions, our community will continue to grow stronger, and more supportive and engaging for all.
 
One important distinction that our Rachel’s Challenge presenter made really struck me.  He noted that while in the pursuit of Rachel’s Challenge, it is important to know that the challenge is not about being perfect all the time.  Considering the essential function of our school - to support the development of the hearts and minds of D’Evelyn students - I found that statement to be particularly empowering and uplifting.
 
D’Evelyn students are the future leaders of our communities - they are future parents, spouses, partners, workers, business owners, church members, and politicians.  As a school community, and as outlined in the D’Evelyn Founding Document, it is our shared responsibility to help our students grow up to contribute positively to their communities in the future, no matter what that future holds.  
 
Please join me and the D’Evelyn faculty, staff, and administration, and discuss Rachel’s Challenge as a family, taking the opportunity to start your own chain reaction.  We are all working to encourage, support, celebrate, and at times, correct, our students in their pursuit of an excellent education that will prepare them for a happy, full, and enriching life.  I am confident that the message of Rachel’s Challenge provides our students the proper foundation to consider the power and magnitude of their individual daily words and actions.

I am honored to share with you that we will be hosting Rachel’s Challenge on Wednesday, October 24th and Thursday, October 25th at D’Evelyn.  Rachel’s Challenge is an organization started in memory of Rachel Scott, the first victim in the tragic Columbine shooting in 1999. In honor of Rachel’s life, Rachel’s Challenge was organized with a mission of “awakening individual transformation and promoting safer, more connected schools”, and the vision of seeing “a school free from harassment, bullying, and violence where teachers are free to teach, and students are awakened to learn.”

Each year, Rachel’s Challenge visits more than 1,200 schools and reaches 1.5 million people.  The program is designed to encourage all community members to engage in random acts of kindness and compassion.  We are fortunate to have this great resource available to all D’Evelyn students, faculty, staff, and families on October 24th and October 25th.

On October 24th, all D’Evelyn students & faculty will engage in the Rachel’s Challenge assembly in our Main Gymnasium.  The assembly will replace the time generally allocated for 7th hour, and we will follow a modified bell schedule throughout the day.  On October 25th, during 7th hour, student leaders and faculty/staff members will have a chance to receive additional leadership training.

Additionally, on October 25th, D’Evelyn students, staff, and families are invited to attend the Rachel’s Challenge Community Event presentation at D’Evelyn at 6:30 pm, so that they can learn more about this important message and begin to act throughout our school community.  We encourage interested families to attend this community event to learn more about the program.

To learn more about Rachel’s Challenge, I encourage you to visit their website.

The D’Evelyn Founding Document states, “All students, staff and parents will be expected to maintain a behavior standard that demonstrates respect for authority, others, and self. Responsibility, honesty, self-control, kindness and fairness will be encouraged and expected.”  There is an important message within this statement - D’Evelyn was designed to help prepare students for life, to be good people, hard workers, and contributing members in their respective communities. It is my sincere belief that the message and actionable elements of Rachel’s Challenge will very much help both students and adults in the D’Evelyn community embrace the importance of kindness and compassion in their life.

Thank you for your support of this important event.  I appreciate you talking with your children about this program and emphasizing your support that our students attend this event with attention and an open mind.  As an administration, we are confident that this training can be a great starting point in building an even stronger, more supportive community at D’Evelyn.