A Rachel’s Challenge event connected close to 177,000 paper chain links.

The event brought all LISD schools together with their “act of kindness“ chains that were linked together. These links were strips of paper that said something students had done nice for another person.

VMT had 2,900 links. In total, LISD had 176,751 links.

“Let the parade begin!”Rosina Silva, director of guidance and counseling and parent liaisons, said, to start the parade of schools each carrying thousands of links.

Before she would announce the number of links, everyone watched each school march around the track at Shirley Field and eventually meet on the field. Each school had a banner to indicate where they were from.

As the school teams came onto the field, members began to sit down as they listened to others speak about Rachel’s Challenge.

LISD superintendent Dr. Marcus Nelson said bullying in schools is not accepted.

“I’m so very proud, first of all, for all our teachers and students. In every school we have bullies. We won’t tolerate it. We have Rachel’s Challenge to address that,” he said.

VMT sophomore Kathryn Carroll, a dance student, read a part of Rachel’s journal right after a video was played of the Columbine shooting, on the south score board.

All three high school bands, Nixon, Martin and Cigarroa, played at this event. To begin Anthony Martinez, a fourth grader from Ryan Elementary, said the Pledge of Allegiance. Lorena Gomez, a fifth grader from Lyndecker Elementary then sang the National Anthem.

After the amount of links were announced each school marched off the field as Nixon, Martin and Cigarroa’s drum lines played.