Elementary Programs
Assemblies and Programs We Offer for Middle Schools
Rachel’s Challenge programs for middle school are age-appropriate, student-driven, and grounded in evidence. With high-impact live assemblies, ongoing digital curriculum, and on-campus student leadership training, each program meets middle schoolers exactly where they are.
In-Person Programs
Story, Impact & Challenge presentations
Digital Programs
RC Digital secondary curriculum
Student Training
Friends of Rachel (FOR) Club
Educator Training
On-demand PD for staff
Educator Resources
Lesson plan playbooks & program guides
Digital Tools
Student & educator LMS portals
Better Together
Live Events and Digital Tools for Middle Schools
Live In-Person
RC Live
Personal storytelling, on-site energy, and deeper student engagement through a shared assembly experience.
Digital Experience
RC Digital
Flexible scheduling, cost-effective delivery, and a staff-led curriculum with full support materials included.
Prevention Before It Starts
Why Rachel’s Challenge Works for Middle Schools
Middle school is its own kind of hard. Students are forming their identities in real time, testing social boundaries, and figuring out where they belong; all while navigating a constantly shifting social landscape. Rachel’s Challenge meets that head-on.
Our approach works in two stages. First, we help students build self-regulation and resilience to navigate daily social pressure with more confidence. Then, from that steadier footing, we invite them to extend that same steadiness to others- choosing connection over conflict, and curiosity over judgment. That includes navigating conflict that doesn’t stay in the hallway; cyberbullying and online conflict are just as real a part of the middle school social landscape as anything face-to-face, and our programming addresses both.
We do this by creating a shared experience around the true story of Rachel Scott, the first victim of the Columbine tragedy. It’s a story that gives middle schoolers permission to be kind without it feeling uncool, and a common reference point that can turn social differences into connection instead of division.
Program Options
Customizable Middle School Anti-Bullying Program Plans
Every school is different. That’s why our middle school offerings are built to flex by grade level, maturity, and what your campus needs most.
60 MINUTES
Story Presentation
Recommended: 5th–6th grade
A 60-minute assembly introducing Rachel’s story through the eyes of her family, at an intensity level appropriate for younger middle schoolers.
60 MINUTES
Impact Presentation
Recommended: 7th–8th grade
A 60-minute presentation exploring personal bias, forgiveness, and daily choices to uplift others — a measured version of our full Challenge program.
60 MINUTES
Challenge Presentation
Available: 7th–8th grade
Our flagship 60-minute program, telling Rachel’s full story for schools ready for our most in-depth presentation.
90 MINUTES
FOR Club Training
90-minute, same-day add-on
Our student leadership training builds a student-led club that carries the program’s culture shift forward all year, with a returning Year Two track for established clubs.
6 HOURS
Chain Reaction Workshop
6-hour intensive add-on
An immersive follow-up workshop for schools ready to go deeper with a cross-section of students and staff. Personally transformative, culturally unstoppable.
Let's Build the Right Program for Your School
Every school has unique needs, and we’re here to help you meet them. Tell us your students, staff, and schedule, and our team will design the right fit — a single assembly, a full campus initiative, or anything in between.
Built for Every School Community. Non-Political. Non-Religious. Universally Impactful.
Rachel’s Challenge is designed to unite, not divide. Our programs are completely non-political and non-religious, making them a trusted fit for public, private, and charter schools of all kinds. No matter your district’s size, values, or demographics, we help students and staff build stronger, safer, more connected communities.
$750–$5,800
per school, for a typical middle school implementation
Exact cost depends on which programs, delivery format, and add-ons your school chooses.
What Affects Your Price
- Delivery format — Live assembly, RC Digital, or a Combined package
- Bundling: — a single Presentation Day (Story, Impact, or Challenge) vs. Add-ons and building toward the full multi-year path
- Add-ons and Return Visits — Community Events, Chain Reaction workshops, multi-year follow-ups
- School size & scope — single school vs. multiple schools in one visit
Don't Let Cost Keep You From Reaching Out
~25%
of Rachel’s Challenge programs were fully or partially covered by grant or donor funding last year
$0
price increase since 2012; our pricing has stayed stable for over a decade
Every school’s situation is different, your Rachel’s Challenge representative can walk through grant options, donor funding and bundling options specific to your school to reduce costs.
Evidence-based Programs. Results That Matter.
Measurable Impact. Proven in Schools.
Rachel’s Challenge isn’t just inspirational; it’s measurable. Our programs are grounded in peer-reviewed research and used in thousands of schools each year. Administrators report measurable improvements in school climate, behavior referrals, attendance, and student safety.
- Schools using the Story Presentation report up to a 90% reduction in disciplinary referrals and out-of-school suspensions.
- Research on Impact Presentation shows a 43% increase in students who report they would intervene in a bullying situation.
- School-based anti-bullying programs have been shown to reduce bullying perpetration by approximately 20–23% and bullying victimization by approximately 17–20%.
Our Impact
It Started With Rachel. It Continues With You.
Every day, students choose kindness because of Rachel’s story. Educators rethink how they lead. Campuses grow safer, closer, and more compassionate. These aren’t just anecdotes; they’re ripple effects of a single life and a singlular challenge.
Consider Our Other Programs
Programs That Fit Your School's Needs
Every school is different. That’s why our offerings are tailored to fit each learning environment, from foundational character-building in elementary school to student leadership and culture change at the high school level.
Elementary
School
Middle
School
High
School
Conferences
& Keynotes
School Challenges
We Help Schools Address Today's Toughest Issues
Today’s middle schools are navigating bullying, cyberbullying, digital safety, and youth mental health all at once. Rachel’s Challenge gives your school practical tools to address them.
Prevent Bullying
Create a school culture where kindness and respect are the norm. Our anti-bullying strategies empower students to become upstanders, not bystanders.
Stop School Violence
Address the root causes of school violence before they escalate. We help schools foster safer environments through proactive connection and support.
Prevent School Shootings
Early intervention and student engagement save lives. Rachel’s Challenge has been directly credited with preventing multiple school shootings.
Stop Youth Gun Violence
Equip your campus with tools to reduce threats and promote peaceful conflict resolution. Compassion and connection are your best prevention strategies.
Support Mental Health
Support student mental wellness with practical, peer-driven tools. We make mental health approachable and actionable across every grade level.
Stop Teen Suicide
Help students see their value and build resilience before a crisis hits. Our programs have led to hundreds of suicide interventions, and lives saved.
Stop Youth Self-Harm
Students in pain often turn inward. We help them turn toward hope, connection, and trusted adults instead.
Encourage Digital Citizenship
Teach students to lead with empathy; online and off. Our approach builds awareness around digital behavior, responsibility, and emotional impact.
Apply Positive Behavior Support
Reinforce a culture of kindness through consistent, student-led behavior models. Rachel’s Challenge enhances PBIS and other campus-wide systems.
School Challenges
Middle School Program FAQ
Still deciding? These are the questions elementary principals and counselors ask us most often before they book.
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Our middle school programming covers 5th through 8th grade, and adjusts by grade band. Younger middle schoolers (5th–6th grade) typically experience our Story Presentation, while 7th and 8th graders can choose between our Impact Presentation or our full Challenge Presentation, depending on your school’s preference.
