Rowdy middle school students filed into the auditorium at Wareham Middle School on Tuesday. A presentation started and students saw yellowed family photos interspersed with news footage from April 20, 1999, the day Columbine High School was the site of the one of the nation’s worst school shootings. The auditorium became silent as the students listened with rapt attention to the presenter.

“Thanks for letting me be a part of your family and letting me share this story with you today,” said Adam Northam, a presenter for Rachel’s Challenge, an organization that attempts to inspire young people to create change in their schools using the writings of Rachel Scott, the first victim of the Columbine massacre.

Rachel left behind six complete journals which her family pored over after her death. Within the journals were writings depicting an immensely compassionate and intelligent young woman. Writing that she wanted to cause a “chain reaction of compassion,” Rachel believed that caring for others and treating her fellow students fairly was a challenge that she had to place upon herself.

Using the journals as source material, Rachel’s father, Darrell Scott, created the Rachel’s Challenge presentation. Beginning with news footage from Columbine, the presentation segues into videos of Rachel’s relatives reminiscing about her and how she endeavored to change the world.

"She didn’t say 'maybe' or 'I hope,' she said I 'will' touch millions of people’s hearts," Northam said.

Wearing a t-shirt emblazoned with the words “start a chain reaction,” Northam explained the journals Rachel left behind and the rules she lived by, such as treating others the way she wished to be treated, dreaming big, and appreciating everyone. He implored the students to take up "Rachel’s Challenge" and apply those same rules to their own lives.

“If you apply these challenges, your school will immediately become a better place,” said Northam. “If you want to make a change, take this seriously.”

Bringing the presentation to Wareham Middle Schools took two years of perseverance on the part of the school's PTA, said Wareham Middle School principal Howard Gilmore.

After seeing the presentation in Bourne two years ago, Wareham Middle School PTA president Chris Holbrook said she felt she had to bring it to Wareham. The PTA immediately began raising the $8,000 needed to do so.

"You only have to see it once," Holbrook said, describing how powerful the presentation was while laying out a banner that asked students to accept Rachel’s Challenge. "In Bourne, when they did it, the kids were texting ‘I love you’ to their parents by the end."

With the presentation finished and students streaming to the cafeteria for lunch, Holbrooke stood over the banner as clusters of students began stopping to sign it. By signing the banner, students were pledging to take on Rachel’s Challenge in their own lives.

“It was powerful, moving,” said Alberto Sanchez, an 8th-grader.

Three presentations of Rachel’s Challenge were given Tuesday at Wareham Middle School with Wareham High School set to receive the presentation Wednesday and a special community presentation Wednesday night at 7 p.m.

"It’s huge. It’s going to make a difference," Holbrook said.