Heather Latter
Steve Latimer has seen the “Rachel’s Challenge” presentation and calls it powerful program—something not to be missed.
While students in Grades 7-12 across the district will see the presentation during school hours next week, the public also is invited to one of the two events scheduled next Wednesday and Thursday (Sept. 28-29) at 7 p.m. at the Townshend Theatre in Fort Frances.
Tickets are still available at Northwoods Gallery & Gifts and the United Native Friendship Centre in Fort Frances, as well as Cloverleaf in Emo.
The one-hour presentation shares the message of compassion shown by Rachel Scott, who lost her life in the Columbine High School massacre back in 1999.
“It’s a public presentation and worth seeing,” stressed Latimer, the youth justice co-ordinator with the local UNFC.
“It’s free but people do need to pick up tickets,” he noted, adding tickets have moving although not as quickly as he had hoped.
The mission of “Rachel’s Challenge” is to inspire, equip, and empower every person to create a permanent positive culture change in their school, business, and community by starting a chain reaction of kindness and compassion.
“It’s just a wonderful program,” Latimer enthused. “It’s all about starting a chain reaction of kindness and just changing the way kids act towards other kids.”
Latimer has been collecting funds for months in order to bring “Rachel’s Challenge” to the area.
“We now have all the funding that we need committed to us,” he remarked.
Besides bringing in the presentation, Latimer also wanted to purchase resources for each school so they can take up “Rachel’s Challenge” and continue with the positive culture change.
Latimer has been able to purchase kits for each school, which contain a handbook, a classroom manual, a journal, banners, posters, kindness cards, and other materials.
And thanks to the Family Violence Network, a series of three books featuring Rachel Scott’s message have been purchased for each public library and high school library in the district.
More than 2,000 students from all three school boards in the area (Rainy River District School Board, Northwest Catholic District School Board, and Seven Generations Education Institute) will view the “Rachel’s Challenge” presentation.
Next Wednesday will see three assemblies, each one hour and 15 minutes long, at the Townshend Theatre.
The following day will feature two assemblies, as well as a peer training session in the afternoon that selected students will attend.
The final day of the program will be held in Atikokan, with students from Mine Centre School and Lac La Croix attending there.
“I really do think this is the best possible program the students could ever get,” Latimer enthused.
“And it’s going to be possible because the communities have just stepped up to the plate like they always do.”