Effort to Bring Rachel's Challenge to Schools Continues

Crystal Lake parents supporting a character education program are making the rounds to local community groups. 

Andrea and Bob Tuszynski made a PowerPoint presentation to the Crystal Lake Jaycees April 4 during its general meeting held at Lakeside Legacy Arts Park. 

“We decided to approach the Crystal Lake Jaycees because of their known community efforts,” Andrea Tuszynski said.  “Our goal is to bring about more community awareness in supporting a movement of increased social and emotional learning in our Crystal Lake schools. I feel change is possible if we can all stand together to support the acceptance of every child.” 

Twenty-three members and guests viewed the presentation highlighting the benefits of Rachel’s Challenge, a world-wide effort promoting tolerance and compassion for all ages.   

The 20-minute presentation provided information and videos outlining the program’s inception, objectives and successes including statistics and teacher, school administrator and student comments and encouraged participation on their on-line petition to request Crystal Lake schools consider Rachel’s Challenge. 

Bob Tuszynski discussed how he and Andrea became interested in Rachel’s Challenge after reading news reports of school violence at Crystal Lake high schools and shared how other school districts had benefited from offering the assemblies, training and ongoing support programs to their students. 

Jaycees President Kara Repsys said the message of Rachel’s Challenge would benefit the non-profit leadership’s members in its work with young people. 

“Many of our members are parents and they are interested in programs like this,” she said. 

The Tuszynskis, along with fellow supporter Nancy Borchert, have been working to bring Rachel’s Challenge to the with limited success. Only one of Crystal Lake’s high schools to date has accepted it while middle and elementary schools are only beginning to learn of the program.

They have encouraged school district administrators to attend a Rachel’s Challenge assembly at neighboring schools; and some have. They have offered to defray the expense of speakers and materials by organizing fundraisers. 

While over 90 schools in Illinois have jumped on board with Rachel’s Challenge, the expense can be off-putting. School assemblies alone can cost nearly $1,500, with training and community outreach efforts combined reaching about $4,800. 

PTO members at Prairie Ridge Junior High School ware so impressed with Rachel’s Challenge after visiting an assembly at McHenry Middle School last year, they committed $2,500 for speakers to conduct the school-wide assembly April 19. 

Jeanne Nowakowski, co-chair of the PTO’s assembly committee, said letters were sent to parents advising them that there were references to the Columbine High School shooting in 1999, where Rachel Scott was the first to die from bullets fired by fellow students. Rachel’s Challenge is based on her efforts to encourage others to being tolerant of others, accepting of themselves and to help other people. 

Nowakowski said parents have the option of not sending their children to the assembly if they choose. 

From her perspective, one of the appeals of the assembly was that there was no focus on bullying behavior in schools, or what to do about it when it exists; but rather a message about how being considerate of other human beings is rewarding both for the giver and the recipient. 

“Middle school children are more difficult to reach,” she said. “This is a program that has touched so many at this age group.” 

Prairie Grove Junior High School Principal Chad May, who had been impressed with the assembly at McHenry Middle School, said the school could not have afforded the assembly without the help of the PTO. It will enhance the school’s existing social and emotional learning programs. 

“What we have in place is ongoing messages from teachers to students in an advisory program to cope with adolescence,” he said. “Rachel’s Challenge is intended to be a life-changing perspective for kids who have never looked outside of themselves, to change their perspective.” 

The Tuszynski’s next presentation will be at the Crystal Lake Lyons Club on April 25.