Waggoner Campus Students Take Rachel's Challenge

Did you know that every day, 160,000 kids miss school due to fear of attack or humiliation by their fellow students? Students at Waggoner Road Middle and Junior High Schools learned first-hand how to promote kindness and diffuse negative or conflicting situations during a leadership workshop for Rachel’s Challenge, an organization that focuses on making schools safer and more connected.

One hundred students were nominated by teachers at both WRMS and WRJHS to join the FOR Club, which stands for Friends of Rachel, named after Rachel Scott, the first victim of the 1999 Columbine High School shooting tragedy. After listening to a presentation, students were asked how they view themselves and others every day, and participated in role playing, leadership training and brainstorming activities. These 100 leaders will become ambassadors at Waggoner Road to carry out the Rachel’s Challenge mission, which focuses on individual transformation and promotes safer schools while promoting a sense of belonging within the Reynoldsburg community.

Aaron Kinebrew, the facilitator, worked with students to develop strategies and strengthen conflict management techniques in the presence of bullying. He then had them break off in groups to brainstorm projects that the kids can bring into their schools to create an atmosphere of kindness. Some of the ideas included “Project Locker Room” where anonymous compliments written on index cards are slipped into lockers or “Project Leave a Compliment” where students can compliment others over the loudspeaker during morning announcements.

The 100 students took a pledge today when they became members of the FOR Club. The 5th and 6th graders committed to Five Challenges:

1. Dream big and believe in yourself
2. Be kind to others
3. Practice positive gossip
4. Show appreciation to those you love
5. Be the answer

The 7th and 8th grade students also pledged to the following Five Challenges:

1. Look for the best in others
2. Dream big
3. Choose positive influences
4. Speak with kindness
5. Start their own chain reaction

As a next step, the leadership group will meet to choose their first project. “We hope that our students identify with the Five Challenges and consider their relationships with the people they come in contact with every day to build a more positive student experience at Waggoner Campus,” said Principal Chris Brooks.