Starting a chain reaction of kindness was one Columbine victim’s goal, and it was the theme of her father’s speech Thursday night.

Darrell Scott, father of Columbine victim Rachel Scott, spoke to an audience of about 2,300 people at CY Stephens Auditorium. He talked about his daughter’s death and the work that is being done to get her message of compassion to people across the country.

Scott was inspired by many of Rachel’s writings that she left behind in journals, essays and even messages written on her book bag. He has been spreading his daughter’s message of compassion across the country at high schools and on college campuses.

“I have this theory that if one person can go out of their way to show compassion, then they will start a chain reaction of the same,” Rachel Scott wrote in an essay she titled “My Ethics, My Codes of Life.”

Scott told several stories about the numerous people his daughter had an impact on. Scott said Rachel stood up to two boys who were bullying a disabled boy named Adam. Scott then showed a video of Adam talking about how Rachel changed his life simply by showing him she cared.

“One of the things I want to challenge you to do is put your thoughts down on paper,” Scott said. “Rachel had no idea when she was inspired by Anne Frank that her writings would affect millions, too.”

Scott said on countless occasions that his daughter told people she was going to have an impact on the world.

Brooks Brown, a friend of Columbine gunmen Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold, said in video footage that Rachel Scott was the wrong person to go after.

“The one thing I loved about Rachel was that she was a true Christian,” Brown said. “She is what Christians were intended to be.”

She said Rachel Scott was so confident in her beliefs that she was not offended by those who did not believe, including Brown.

Since his daughter’s death, Scott has heard countless stories of how people were affected by her, including one from a Denver, Colo., man who Rachel helped change a flat tire a few weeks before her death.

Scott said he prayed for guidance to deal with the tragedy.

“God, if anything can come out of this horrible situation that’s redeemable, I’m open to that,” Scott said. A few weeks later he testified before Congress and has since been traveling the country speaking.

The quiet crowd seemed receptive to Scott’s message, with some shedding tears.

“It was basically overwhelming to hear a story about an amazing person and many people’s lives since watching her funeral live two-and-a-half years ago, and it really moved me,” said Pete Iacovazzi, junior in pre-advertising.

Felicia Hochstedler, sophomore in art and design, echoed that sentiment.

“Listening to the story of her life was a real inspiration to live my life for Christ and to make the most of every opportunity to reach out to people,” she said.