Fulton Junior High’s Friends of Rachel group spread Valentine cheer

by Submitted article | February 13, 2013 3:50 pm

Students from Fulton Junior High School’s Friends of Rachel Group recently visited The Manor at Seneca Hill, a residential facility for older adults.

They presented a handmade Valentine card and a carnation to each resident.

Participants in the Friends of Rachel group at Fulton Junior High School created handmade Valentine cards and ordered carnations for every resident of The Manor at Seneca Hill. They are pictured with their club advisors before heading off to make their deliveries.
Participants in the Friends of Rachel group at Fulton Junior High School created handmade Valentine cards and ordered carnations for every resident of The Manor at Seneca Hill. They are pictured with their club advisors before heading off to make their deliveries.

The Friends of Rachel group was organized at the junior high last fall when students at the school pledged to continue to build a chain reaction of kindness and compassion following a visit to their school by Rachel’s Challenge.

Rachel Joy Scott was the first person killed during the Columbine High School shooting, and her father began sharing Rachel’s message of kindness and compassion following her death with a powerful program called Rachel’s Challenge.

The program has visited thousands of schools across the country with the message that encourages young people to build a positive culture, accept differences, and spread kindness in their school and community.

Students involved in the Friends of Rachel club at Fulton Junior High School spread happiness and well wishes when they visited residents of The Manor at Seneca Hill and presented them with handmade Valentine cards and a carnation recently. The FOR club students have pledged to build a chain reaction of kindness and compassion and their visit to The Manor was one example of their kindnesses to members of the community. Pictured, left to right are: Erin Baker, Onylee Gratzer, Reba Peenstra and Aryelle Barbagallo.
Students involved in the Friends of Rachel club at Fulton Junior High School spread happiness and well wishes when they visited residents of The Manor at Seneca Hill and presented them with handmade Valentine cards and a carnation recently. The FOR club students have pledged to build a chain reaction of kindness and compassion and their visit to The Manor was one example of their kindnesses to members of the community. Pictured, left to right are: Erin Baker, Onylee Gratzer, Reba Peenstra and Aryelle Barbagallo.

According to Emily Paglia, an 8th grade teacher at FJHS and coordinator of the Friends of Rachel group at the junior high, the club has had a very positive impact on the school and involvement in the program has remained strong throughout the school year.

Residents at The Manor were happy to visit with the students and receive the unexpected generosity, and students in the group were happy to have spread a little cheer to members of their community.

Rachel Scott would have been proud to have witnessed the generosity and charity exhibited by the FOR group.

Share this:

Like this:

Discover more from Oswego County Today

Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.

Source URL: https://oswegocountytoday.com/community/fulton-junior-highs-friends-of-rachel-group-spread-valentine-cheer/

Copyright ©2026 Oswego County Today unless otherwise noted.