Kristi Krings
2024 Sholl-Freede Family Education Award
CEO, Rachel’s Challenge
United States
Rachel’s Challenge was created after the Columbine High School shooting, in honor of Rachel Scott and the other victims lost on that terrible day. As the first widely known mass school shooting, the Columbine tragedy was a catalyst for action for many people.
After Rachel’s death, her family discovered that she left behind a legacy of kindness and compassion – through her life, her writings, and the people she had reached out to. One after another, stories emerged about the profound impact of her simple acts of kindness.
Her family soon realized that Rachel’s story could help transform the way we relate to each other, and how we feel about ourselves. It provides an antidote: a path to ending school violence, bullying, self-harm and suicide. How? By creating positive connections that improve self-worth and mental health.
In what would be her final essay, Rachel wrote about the power of kindness and compassion, and challenged her reader to, “start a chain reaction.” Her request – that we all try kindness, to see how far it can go – is the foundation of our mission, and today we are joined in that mission by millions of people who have embraced Rachel’s challenge to act with kindness and end school violence.
Rachel’s Challenge addresses the root causes of school violence, bullying, prejudice, and self-harm through student wellness programs that build connection, hope and resilience. We improve school culture so that students are able to reach their full potential academically, socially and emotionally.
