Rachael Scott was 17 when she died in the Columbine High School massacre in 1999, but from her life, a movement has sprung.

Rachael’s Challenge is an organization that travels to schools to spread a message of compassion, and on Dec. 13 and 14, the nonprofit brought the message to Wareham students in the form of an all-day "Chain Reaction" event.

“The program itself is about breaking down the barriers that kids and adults build up around themselves,” explained program coordinator, and Wareham High School English teacher Ashleigh Salerno. Students "do a bunch of activities and games where they get to know people on a personal level.”

One of the games was called “perfect storm,” and the participants raced back and forth across the gym floor imitating whichever type of storm system the presenter shouted out.

Then, at the presenter’s signal, participants would have to link arms with a certain number of people. If a group had the wrong number of people, they had to sing in front of everyone.

Mandatory a cappella makes for a good ice breaker.

Wendy Monteiro, who helped organize the event, established the Scotty Monteiro Jr. Foundation in the name of her nephew, who was slain in 2009, to help spread a message of peace. Partnering with Rachael’s Challenge is one way she hopes to spread that message deep into the community.

“Our goal is to stop the violence through education and awareness,” said Monteiro. “We’re always looking for different foundations that have a little authority. … You don’t just want anybody.”

The group visited Wareham Middle School on Dec. 13, and Wareham High School on Dec. 14.

One of the goals of the event is to bring together students from different social groups, who might not necessarily interact with each other daily.

Rachael’s Challenge presenter Kristi Krings said this was done to show students “they’re not alone, they have value, and their peers know more than they think. … It’s so hard to know what’s going on with each other,” which can lead to people making snap judgments about people.  When that snap judgment is vocalized, it’s like weaponizing words, she said.

As the event got underway, the high-school students and the adult volunteers couldn’t help but interact with one another. A diverse group of about 100 students participated, along with approximately 20 adult volunteers.

“Each game has a purpose, each game builds you up,” Rachael’s Challenge motivational speaker Jimmy Braden said.

While the day begins with fun “getting to know each other” games, the event segues into more serious discussions.

“We’re going to encourage them to deal with those emotional things with us,” said Braden. He also made it clear that he expected students to take the event seriously: “What’s said in here is not to be used for gossip and rumors.”

Monteiro said she hopes the message will stay with students after high school, and throughout their adult lives.

“What they learn today becomes part of the culture in the community," Monteiro said.

In a heartbreakingly ironic twist of fate, as the Wareham High School students were learning about treating each other with compassion in memory of the Columbine victim, 20-year-old Adam Lanza was wreaking havoc on Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut, killing 20 six- and seven-year-old children and six adults, making the Rachael's Challenge message all the more important.