LYNN — St. Mary’s High School and school nurse Lisa Morin-Plante received national recognition for their long-term commitment to Rachel’s Challenge, a program dedicated to spreading kindness, compassion, and positive change in schools across the country.
Started in 2005, the St. Mary’s chapter of Rachel’s Challenge is the oldest and largest in the country, according to Morin-Plante. Meetings are held Tuesdays at 7 a.m., and it is not uncommon to have 150 students attend, with more than 200 students participating in Rachel’s Challenge overall. The Nov. 4 Rachel’s Challenge meeting was the 782nd since the school began the affiliation.
To acknowledge St. Mary’s and Morin-Plante’s commitment to the program, Darrell Scott, father of Rachel Joy Scott, the first student fatality of the Columbine High School shootings in 1999, presented the school with a national service award, and Morin-Plante with a lifetime achievement award, in a virtual ceremony on Thursday.
Other members of Rachel’s Challenge who participated included Michael Scott, Rachel’s brother, Rachel’s Challenge CEO Kristin Krings, and Regional Partnership Manager Peter DeAnello. Several St. Mary’s students shared what Rachel’s Challenge means to them.
“Thank you to St. Mary’s for 20 years of faithful service to the underprivileged, the hungry, those in need of clothing,” Darrell Scott said via Zoom. “St. Mary’s has done an incredible job. And a special thank you to Lisa. You are a true hero for Rachel’s Challenge.”
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. The goal is to improve school culture so that students are able to reach their full potential academically, socially, and emotionally.
“This award belongs to every student, teacher, and member of the community who has chosen kindness,” Morin-Plante said. “This milestone represents two decades of compassion, leadership, and service – an incredible example of students making a lasting impact. Our participation in Rachel’s Challenge is a shining example of what St. Mary’s is all about and the pillars of our school: Catholic, Excellence, Integrity, Respect.”
Students in the St. Mary’s chapter have completed dozens of community service projects over the last two decades, including: food and clothing drives, raising money for cancer research, serving more than 15,000 meals at My Brother’s Table, blood drives, Christmas parties for people with disabilities, Christmas presents for more than 3,500 children in need, and providing meals for the elderly.
That is not their sole mission, however. Students design positivity posters, provide tutoring and conduct random acts of kindness.
“We concentrate on being pro-kindness,” Morin-Plante said. “We want to bring kindness and compassion to our school family and the community.”
Rachel Scott was one of 12 students and 13 people overall killed at Columbine on April 20, 1999. After her death, her family discovered she left a legacy of writings and drawings, and she foretold of an early death. Many of her writings were insightful for what she perceived of attitudes and what she observed at the school. A young woman of great faith, she also expressed a desire to impact the world.
