Rachel’s Challenge helps schools combat bullying

The non-profit organization Rachel’s Challenge said that every day, 160,000 students do not go to school because they are bullied, teased or harassed. Tuesday Longfellow Elementary held an activity to combat bullying.

Rachel Scott was the first student killed in the Columbine shooting in 1999. Rachel wanted to impact millions with her kindness, which is a legacy her parents have carried out with the Rachel’s Challenge program.

“If you see someone being bullied, you can go up to them and tell them to stop, but if they’re being shoved into a wall, you should probably get an adult,” said Andrew Bott.

Bott is a fifth-grader at Longfellow Elementary. He said Tuesday’s activities have taught him to be aware of bullying and try to stop it.

One of the activities children did was hand painting and it showed that their hands will touch your heart. The activity focused on goal setting, kindness, influence, journaling and acceptance.

Rachel’s Challenge is something that school counselor Amy Gallagher Wilkerson takes seriously. She said it sends a good message. The message Tuesday was our hands and words will touch people’s hearts.

“I think bullying is still prevalent in all schools, but the more we focus on kindness and compassion, the less bullying that we have,” she said.

Every school in the Idaho Falls School District will be holding activities throughout the year for Rachel’s Challenge.