FOR Club Returns to MHS: What is it?

By Bailey Smith

Edited by Alanis Martinez

Twenty five years ago, Columbine High School was subject to the first mass school shooting. Among the twelve students killed, Rachel Scott is the name that will forever be remembered, for her death ended a cherished life, but also began a worldwide organization.

Following the devastating loss of Rachel, her parents came across their daughter’s writings on compassion and spreading kindness, opening their eyes to the true extent of Rachel’s heart. This ignited a spark and they knew that they had to continue her journey, for that’s exactly what she would have wanted. Her father, Derek Scott, would go on to create “Rachel’s Challenge”, a wide-spread non-profit organization that works to prevent violence within schools. To this day, school’s across the globe still follow Rachel’s Challenge through FOR (Friends Of Rachel) clubs, which aim to spread kindness around campuses. 

A book containing a collection of Rachel Scott’s journal entries, personal narratives, notes, and more. 

Middletown High School had an active FOR Club prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, but after three years back in-person, it had yet to return. It was only a few months ago that the club was revived by a former MHS FOR Club member, who now most students know as their coach or P.E teacher. Teacher Wyatt Hall explains, “There’s a huge disconnect between our students, more so than when I was in school. I think we’re missing a little bit of kindness, so I wanted to help students to spread that kindness and hopefully inspire other students to do so.”

Hall easily gathered a team of officers and by the second meeting, the club was already growing in popularity. With the combination of dedicated student minds and Hall’s supervision, the FOR Club crafted their first activity; covering the school with self-esteem boosting sticky notes. These notes were made with the hope of encouraging positivity and reminding students that they play an important role in both our school and our community. The following meeting, club members put their plan into action and wrote hundreds of sticky notes that would later be posted on lockers.

FOR Club members write kind words on sticky notes to spread around the MHS campus. 

The following morning, students walked into school like it was any other day, except that this time they were met with touching messages, which they would carry with them for the rest of the day. The FOR club hopes that with more activities like this, they can continue to bring light to all students and Middletown as a whole.

The future of the Friends of Rachel Club holds so much potential for connecting our school through compassion. Hall tells, “I’m hoping that it will build itself into an almost completely student run club.” We, the students, are the true foundation of this organization and what it can accomplish through kindness and positivity.

In the words of Rachel herself, “Find out who you are and let it stay its true color. I had my ups and downs and I fell a few times, but I did not give up.”