I never imagined that we would be where were at right now, where there are so many mass shootings that we cant even keep up its just unfathomable that Columbine wasnt enough.. His son Craig also attended Columbine and was in the library that day. They give brief insights into our people and places, our flora and fauna, and our past and present, from every corner of Colorado. As of 2009, Rachel's Challenge has developed a team of 30 speakers addressing young people in schools and colleges worldwide about Rachel's example. She literally has inspired millions of people to continue the chain reaction she started". Scott and his family found comfort in these words, and ever since, have used Rachel's message to inspire students around the world with their nonprofit organization, Rachel's Challenge. [12] He is also periodically interviewed on various television programs, such as 20/20, Dateline NBC, and the Today show, to discuss the loss of his sister and his difficult recovery from the traumatic ordeal he experienced as an eyewitness to the murderous rampage. Scott opened up to Couric about Rachel and the kind of warmhearted person she was. I wouldnt have pardoned Eric and Dylan. You've stripped away our heritage Im thankful because it has made me who I am now, he said. "[59][n 1] Pastor Bruce Porter delivered a sermon later in the service, in which he called Rachel a "warrior" who carried "a torch that was stained by the blood of the martyrs from the very first day of the Church's existence". Scott's daughter, Rachel, was among 13 killed in the 1999 rampage in suburban Denver. Mauser said Australia and New Zealand went after guns when those countries experienced mass shootings, and he has no patience for politicians who are quick to offer up platitudes when it happens in the United States but wont push for gun control. Survivor stories: Craig Scott reflects on the Columbine shooting nearly 20 years later, Katie Couric interviews Columbine victims' families in 1999, How former Columbine principal is helping faculty after Florida school shooting. "I think she would be proud of my family," Scott said. Scott and Nimmo later published two more books inspired by their daughter and her legacy: Rachel Smiles: The Spiritual Legacy of Columbine Martyr Rachel Scott, and The Journals of Rachel Joy Scott: A Journey of Faith at Columbine High. [77] Rachel's Challenge is a national nonprofit and nonpolitical organization[78] whose stated aims are to advocate a safe and positive climate and culture in schools in a campaign to quell school violence, bullying, discrimination, and both homicidal and suicidal thoughts in students. It is true, however. Men and women are three-part beings. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. (William Luther/The San Antonio Express-News via AP). Another thing I liked and respected so much was that she made it clear what her beliefs were". Darrell Scott, the father of Columbines first victim Rachel Scott, joined "Outnumbered" Wednesday to reflect on the horrific shooting and discuss his mission to prevent future school violence. "It seems like every month, theres a new tragedy of some kind somewhere around, said Rick Townsend, whose daughter, Lauren, was 18 when she was gunned down. or redistributed. [97] Darrell Scott was selected as the 2009 winner of the "All-Stars Among Us" initiative in recognition of his selfless dedication toward preserving his daughter's memory in a positive manner through Rachel's Challenge in the U.S.[98][99], Along with 29 other recipients, Scott was formally honored as part of the 2009 Major League Baseball All-Star Game ceremonies, held in St. Louis, Missouri, on July 14 that year. [94], The Random Acts of Kindness Foundation posthumously awarded Scott the 2001 National Kindness Award for Student of the Year. [83][84][85], Each attendee is asked to pledge to accept the five principles discussed during the presentation before leaving the assembly: to eliminate any form of prejudice from their being, and seek only the best in others; to keep a journal and seek to achieve accomplishments; to choose to accept only positive influences in their lives;[86] to commit to bringing a positive change in their home, school, and community through kind words, and undertaking tasks great and small; and to show care and compassion to those who are vulnerable, ridiculed, or in any form of need. Darrell Scott, the father of Rachel Joy Scott, a victim of the Columbine High School shootings in Littleton, Colorado in April, 1999, was invited to address the House Judiciary Committee's subcommittee on crime holding hearings on "Pending Firearms Legislation and the Administration's Enforcement of Current Gun Laws." "Gore Says GOP Stalling Gun Control for NRA." "I talk to them about forgiveness and letting go, and how if they don't, it can really imprison their heart," Scott said. Theres a difference between forgiveness and pardon. I asked Darrell what we should do to prepare for evil and suffering. The days and months following the massacre were challenging for Scott and his family. Market data provided by Factset. While this did not remove his pain, it did provide solid footing from which he could move forward, trusting God instead of resenting Him. Visit Value Up to learn more, or if you're interested in reaching out to Craig, please email him at craig@value-up.org. He said he often thinks about the students who were killed, about what kind of grown-ups they would have been. Since then, he's been working tirelessly to share her beliefs far and wide. Darrell Scott said he frequently gets asked what he would advise other parents who have lost children in mass shootings. We all consist of body, soul, and spirit. "[100] Both of Scott's parents have also spoken with entertainers, world leaders, and notable individuals including Miep Gies one of the people who hid Anne Frank and her family from the Nazis, and preserved her diary after her capture. "She was talking about things like not judging or labeling other people, looking for the good in others and being a leader, showing mercy and forgiveness," Scott said, adding that at the end of the piece she wrote: "I have this theory that if one person will go out of their way to show compassion, it will start a chain reaction of the same.". However, were here to serve everyone without cost, so please dont feel obligated to give unless the Lord leads. "Columbine Victim's Dad Says NRA a Scapegoat." The real villain lies within our own hearts. "[71] Other sources report that Castaldo had survived by "playing dead". And ask the question "Why"? Do your own reading and study, devour good books, talk about the things of God.. By noon, both shooters were dead after turning their guns on themselves. [88] The initial presentation is followed by a 45-minute, interactive training session involving both adult and student leaders. [59] The Hollywood Reporter accounts that Richard Castaldo, who was shot while sitting with Scott and survived, "told a newspaper that not only did the killers ask Rachel about her faith but that he, too, was asked if he believed in God, and he answered truthfully that he did not, and his life was spared. These courageous words spoken by Darrell Scott are powerful, penetrating, and deeply personal. If youve been impacted by our resources, we invite you to make a year-end gift before December 31. Im taking his place on the debate team at Columbine, arguing this great issue about gun violence.. A Columbine High School student is rescued by emergency personnel during the shooting spree at the school in the southwest Denver suburb of Littleton, Colorado on April 20, 1999. 1995 - 2023 by Snopes Media Group Inc. And their lives were taken far too quickly.. Scott, Darrell; Nimmo, Beth; Rabey, Steve (2009). Darrell Scott is the father of the first Columbine victim; Rachel Joy Scott. "Parents of Slain Students Differ on Blame for Shootings." Free shipping for many products! The true killer was Cain, and the reason for the murder could only be found in Cain's heart. Mr. Scott testified before the House Judiciary Committee subcommittee on crime delivered 27 May 1999, Rayburn House office building in Washington, D.C. "This is an amazingly strong, loving community, and Columbine, that word Columbine, should mean that. [87] A final impetus is to commit to Rachel's theory of the formation of a chain reaction through these five pledges by sharing these commitments with their family members, friends, and peers. And I want people to know that its OK to need to heal. Legal Statement. Darrell Scott father of Rachel Scott killed in Columbine shooting gives congress the truth on God and gun control. I think that taking every single threat of any kind seriously is of utmost importance, and again to me it's cultivating an atmosphere, a climate and a culture where everyone's accepted. "The days right after you're in so much shock," Scott said. DeAngelis, the Columbine High School principal that day, waited until 2014 to retire, saying he felt a moral obligation to stay until those who were in elementary school at the time of the shooting graduated. "One of the most horrible things is not knowing," Scott shared, remembering his own experience of losing his daughter. Scott gave life to this non-profit organization after his 17-year-old daughter Rachel went down as the first student killed in one of the deadliest school shootings in U.S. history: Columbine. Darrell Scott is the father of Rachel Joy Scott, a victim of the Columbine High School shooting that occurred on April 20, 1999. "We must create a culture in which our classmates become our friends.". Your membership is the foundation of our sustainability and resilience. A state trooper walks past the Robb Elementary School sign in Uvalde, Texas, Tuesday, May 24, 2022, following a deadly shooting at the school. When Darrell looked back at his daughter's murder, he said that years before, God had prepared him. Through legislative creed These books were published in 2001 and 2002, respectively. She was the third of five children born to Darrell Scott and Beth (Nimmo) Scott. Columbine High School massacre The massacre, National Education Association of New York, Rachel's Tears: The Spiritual Journey of Columbine Martyr Rachel Scott, 2010 CENSUS CENSUS BLOCK MAP: Columbine CDP, CO, "Rachel's Story: Darrell Scott brings his daughter's memory to the Shoals", "Craig Scott, Columbine Massacre Survivor, Revisits the High School and Remembers his Murdered Sister Rachel Scott", "In the Face of Death: Craig Scott Revisits the Columbine Shooting", "Rachel Scott touched 'millions of people's lives", "Colorado News and Denver News: The Denver Post", "17 years later, murder of two teens in Subway restaurant still unsolved", "Rachel Joy Scott Memorial Racheljoyscott.com Gloves of Conviction", "Columbine Victim's Dad Traveling to Share his Daughter's Journal", "Victims in High School had Big Dreams, Plans for Future", "Craig Scott Reflects On The Columbine Shooting Nearly 20 Years Later Survivor Stories TODAY", "Terror in Littleton: the Details; Attack at School Planned a Year, Authorities Say", "Heart-wrenching Farewells Begin In Grieving Town", "Terror In Littleton: The Details; Attack at School Planned a Year, Authorities Say", "After Columbine, martyrdom became a powerful fantasy for Christian teenagers", "How 17-Year-Old Rachel Scott's Death At Columbine Made Her A National Martyr", "Christian Film Stirs Controversy Over Columbine Massacre", "Apology to Rachel's kin 'from the heart', "Remembering Columbine victim Rachel Scott", "Rachel's Challenge to offer small school programs", "Rachel's Challenge: Preventing Teen Violence", "Columbine Survivor Shares Message of Kindness with Tokay High", "Columbine victim's sister urges students to act", "Rachel Scott touched 'millions of people's lives', "Rachel's Challenge: One Story Changing the Lives of Millions Slide To Safety", "Rachel's challenge brings character compassion", "Rachel's Challenge: One Story Changing the Lives of Millions", "Rachel's Challenge Community Event: A Challenge of Kindness MilfordNow", "Major League Baseball honors off-field all-stars", "Rachel's Challenge Program at Grafton High School November 20th", "MLB and 'People' Announce Finalists for "All Stars Among Us", "All Stars Among Us MLB All Stars Baseball All Stars", "Obama kicks off historic night in St. Louis", "Students Take up Rachel's Challenge to Combat Hatred", "Columbine Victim Rachel Scott's Kindness Lives On", "The diary of Rachel Scott: Uncle keeps Columbine shooting victim's spirit alive", "Scott: On the Road to tell Rachel's Faith Story", "I'm Not Ashamed Review Faith-based Drama Exploits Columbine Tragedy", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Rachel_Scott&oldid=1141712126, Wikipedia articles needing clarification from October 2020, Articles with dead external links from February 2018, Articles with permanently dead external links, Articles with dead external links from March 2018, Pages using infobox person with multiple parents, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, Bethanee (sister), Dana (sister), Craig (brother), Mike (brother). "I think my story's a real eye-opener for some students going through a hard time," Scott said. [22], Scott struggled with self-esteem issues as a teenager, and has been described by her family as being "blind to her own beauty". Through the more than 50 designated speakers and the international expansion of Rachel's Challenge,[79] the annual international student outreach of the organization is estimated to be in excess of two million. Scott gave his first high school presentation about Rachel's. While his dad, Darrell, is still overseeing Rachel's Challenge, Scott is now working with Value Up, a school assembly program focused on helping students realize their internal value. Corky Siemaszko is a senior reporter for NBC News Digital. "My family, in the months to come, started to feel a sense of purpose and mission with telling Rachel's story," Scott said. Do not let the many prayers offered by those students be in vain. On one occasion, this included writing a prayer for one of the future perpetrators of the Columbine High School massacre. He hopes to help them figure out a way to turn their pain into purpose. I am not here to represent or defend the NRA because I don't believe that they are responsible for my daughter's death. All Rights Reserved. To date, they've shared Rachel's story with 25 million people. By 11:35 a.m., they had taken 13 lives and wounded more than 20. [100][101] At this ceremony, Darrell Scott stated: "Rachel loved to watch baseball. Chicago Sun-Times. Associated Press. I never imagined we would be where were at right now, where there are so many mass shootings we cant keep up," the daughter of a slain teacher said. Sweet, Lynn. On Thursday, May 27, 1999, Darrell Scott, the father of Rachel Scott, a victim of the Columbine High School Shootings in Littleton, Colorado, was invited to address the House Judiciary Committee's sub-committee. Mr. Scott wasn't speaking to national leaders present at a "special session of Congress," people who were "not prepared for what he was to say" and "did not receive it well." All their victims were chosen at random, it was later revealed. Rentals include 30 days to start watching this video and 7 . In 1998, she performed a mime act to the song "Watch the Lamb" at the school talent show. [13], At the White House Conference on School Safety held in Washington, DC, on October 10, 2006, Craig Scott addressed the President of the United States, the United States Attorney General, and the Secretary of Education, saying, in part, "Kindness and compassion can be the biggest antidotes to anger and hatred, and I believe the biggest antidotes to violence. No previous school shooting had done that. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. Some of these sites explicitly or implicitly refer to Scott's belief in Christianity and suggest that she was killed because of it. I wrote a poem just four nights ago that expresses my feelings best. 2023 Colorado Public Radio. At the beginning of the ceremony, Barry Palser, a pastor from an Assemblies of God organization, gave a speech in which he said she was "one who has given [her] life for the Lord Jesus Christ, a modern-day martyr. 13 January 2000 (p. B7). The death of my wonderful daughter, Rachel Joy Scott, and the deaths of that heroic teacher and the other eleven children who died must not be in vain. Darrell Scott, the father of Rachel Scott, a victim of the Columbine High School shootings in Littleton, Colorado, was invited to address the House Judiciary Committee's subcommittee. [60][69] Scott did not know the two boys personally and was in a different academic grade than them. The Washington Post, using law enforcement reports, news articles and various databases, has calculated that as of April 8, more than 226,000 students have experienced gun violence at school since Columbine. "To me, that would mean a lot more for this anniversary to move forward in a positive vibe than anything else.". The following morning, authorities confirmed that Rachel was one of the first students killed. We can help you keep up. [38], Scott was eating lunch with her friend Richard Castaldo when she was shot four times with a Hi-Point 995[39] by Eric Harris[39] on the lawn outside the west entrance of the school. I defy any law or politician to deny him that right! "New Laws Would Have Done Nothing to Protect Kids at Columbine." When we view life through the eyes of faith, we can say, Things appear one way, but my God is sovereign, loving, merciful, and kind. And precious children die 1991 - 2023 Eternal Perspective MinistriesAll Rights Reserved. "You could ask me a question, and I could just sit there, looking at you, because (I felt like) I'm not even there. The villain was not the club he used. A few hours later, two students, 17-year-old Dylan Klebold and 18-year-old Eric Harris, went on a shooting rampage. Castaldo, who was also hit and played dead while the killers moved on, was left paralyzed. Rachel's parents divorced in 1988; they maintained a cordial relationship[10] and held joint custody of the children. Craig Scott, who was a sophomore at the time, first spoke publicly about what happened in a wrenching "Today" show interview during which he and Shoels father held hands to comfort each other. They were not prepared for what he was to say, nor was it received well. Scott gave his first high school presentation about Rachel's message when he was 18 years old. Youve got people that were physically injured, you got people that lost their lives, he said. [3] Darrell Scott, Rachel's father, established Rachel's Challenge to perpetuate his daughter's example and the two-page "Code of Ethics" she wrote a month before her death at the hands of the perpetrators of the Columbine High School shooting, Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold. The two perpetrators then committed suicide in the school library, the place where they slaughtered the most victims. Forgiveness is not for them. [45], Shortly after Rachel was murdered, Harris and Klebold went on a killing spree around the school, claiming 12 more lives and leaving 24 injured. Dare to move into the new millennium with a sacred disregard for legislation that violates your God-given right to communicate with Him. "It was the first time I started to talk about my sister on camera," Scott said. The first recorded act of violence was when Cain slew his brother Abel out in the field. "[9] Scott told Newsweek, "principals and teachers always need to be on the lookout for that kid who's isolated, or that's quiet, who always stays to himself, because that's typically the type of kid who ends up exploding. ". [14] Acting did not initially come easily to her, and she had to devote extra effort to succeed in this activity. [7] This essay advocates her belief in compassion being "the greatest form of love humans have to offer". A viral account describes Darrell Scott's statement before a House subcommittee on crime after the Columbine school shootings. [70] Journalist Wendy Murray Zoba argued that the shooters targeted evangelical Christians during the massacre. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for CHAIN REACTION PB: A Call to Compassi., SCOTT & RABEY at the best online prices at eBay!