RMMS Students Learn About Tolerance Through Film Study
Each year the North Babylon PTA sponsors a presentation of “Rachel’s Challenge,” one of the most inspirational programs in America. Based upon the life of Rachel Scott, the first victim of the Columbine High School shootings, it teaches lessons about tolerance and respect for others. The challenge is to respond in one’s life and become more positive in words, attitudes, and actions.
This year Ms. Donna Lafferty, a 6th grade teacher at Robert Moses Middle School, developed a series of lessons to further explore the themes and messages of “Rachel’s Challenge” after classes watched the film “Remember the Titans.” The film was about racial relations in the South during the early 1970’s. The story line follows an underdog football team banding together in spite of their racial differences, defying the odds and intolerance of others, and winning the State Championship. Inspired by the film, students chose to write an essay, compose a poem, or complete a film review character contrast. In her computer classes Ms. Lafferty’s students added images to their work and printed and matted the finished projects. They then shared their powerful messages with each other and displayed their work for the school to enjoy. It was truly a valuable learning experience about tolerance.
