April 20, 1999. Most of the student body is too young to recognize this as the date of one of the deadliest school shootings in America: the Columbine High School massacre. Two students opened fire and killed 33 of their fellow students, including Rachel Scott — the main character of Rachel Georges’ senior theatre arts recital April 9 at 5 p.m. in Stratton Hall.

Georges said she will perform her senior recital, titled “Strike a Chord: Her Pages, Her Story,” by recalling Scott’s life from the perspective of her mother, Beth Nimmo, because a mother’s close bond with her child makes losing her child so hard.

Georges will show the audience the raw thoughts and emotions Beth Nimmo had concerning her daughter’s death. “Beth shows you how much she’s learned from life,” Georges said, “how she can’t be bitter and how she’s thankful to God.”

Georges’ play will integrate journal entries from two books written by Beth Nimmo, Rachel’s Journal and Rachel’s Tears. “I show [in my recital] through her journal entries that she’s faced so many inner struggles and doubts,” Georges said, “and that, through her journal entries, that was her form of praying to God.”   

Georges believes that Scott shined in the darkened halls of Columbine until her death. Georges said Scott was a normal girl who had dreams, hopes and ambitions, but she knew serving God was more important than anything she wanted. Scott chose to die to herself and to be an outcast for Christ’s sake every day of her life, Georges said.

Georges said Scott is an inspiration to her because she had so much wisdom at a young age and she desired God’s will more than anything else.

While this play has affected Georges personally, she said she hopes this play will be moving and inspiring to her audience as well.

“You will see a lot of parts [in the play] that [Beth Nimmo] is overcome with emotion,” Georges said. “I want the audience to see how God can take someone, no matter how old [she is], and change her life and make her on fire for Him.”