St. Vincent students create a chain reaction of kindness
FOX23 News at 9 p.m.
PERRYVILLE, Mo., (KBSI) — Students at St. Vincent Catholic Schools are turning acts of kindness into a visible display through Rachel’s Challenge.
Students in kindergarten through sixth grade recently participated in the national program, which was created in memory of Rachel Joy Scott. Scott was the first person killed in the 1999 shooting at Columbine High School in Colorado.
Scott was known for reaching out to people who were new, struggling, bullied or alone. Her family later created Rachel’s Challenge to encourage others to continue her commitment to kindness and compassion.
A Rachel’s Challenge representative visited St. Vincent to lead age-appropriate assemblies and discuss how students’ words and actions can affect others.
Fifth- and sixth-grade students learned five challenges: dream big and believe in yourself, be kind to others, practice “positive gossip,” show appreciation and “be the answer.”
Following the assemblies, each elementary classroom began creating a Chain Reaction of Kindness. Students receive paper links when they demonstrate kindness, such as helping a classmate, including someone who feels left out or offering encouragement.
The links are added to each classroom’s growing paper chain, providing students with a visual reminder of how individual acts of kindness can add up.
Classrooms will also participate in a weekly competition. Each Friday, the class that collects the most links will celebrate with an ice cream party.
On Oct. 29, elementary students will bring their chains to the school’s football field, where they will be connected to create a larger display representing acts of kindness throughout the school.
School officials said the project supports St. Vincent’s mission of developing students through faith, knowledge and service.
