Auburn’s annual Reaching Out Fair was born of the April 1999 shootings at Colorado’s Columbine High School and the period of national mourning and reflection that followed.

It always has been about promoting the idea that the more connections kids have to the community, be it playing baseball or volunteering at the food bank, the less alienated they will feel and the better off they will be.

With its focus on keeping children and youth safe, Auburn’s 12th annual Reaching Out Fair this week marks a return to those roots.

Everybody is invited from 6-8:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 7, at the Auburn Performing Arts Center, 700 E. Main St. This year’s theme is “Chain Reaction of Kindness,” with information on “Rachel’s Challenge.”

“This year’s event is really focused on doing random acts of kindness, which is really what Rachel’s challenge is all about,” said Jason Hill, principal of Olympic Middle School and a member of the ROF organizing committee. “Rachel (Scott) was the first person killed at the Columbine shootings. From there, her family has created this network that tries to drive home the message of random acts of kindness. The idea is to show communities and schools that hey, if you are picking on students or making fun of them, these kind of bad things can happen. So, rather than focus on that, they are focusing on random acts of kindness.”

During the Resource Fair from 6-7 p.m., various organizations, including Auburn Parks, Arts and Recreation, the Auburn Valley YMCA and Auburn Youth Resources, plan to share information tailored for middle school students. Kids may learn more about the resources available to them, but also enter their names in a drawing to win one of three $100 SuperMall gift certificates. Organizers will provide free pizza, juice and cookies.

After the Resource Fair, students will show off their talents and share testimonials about people who have made a difference in their lives. This part of the event highlights student success and gets across the message that all children can affect their homes, schools and communities.

The live finale includes a hip-hop dance performance by the Fab-5, a local organization dedicated to providing youth a safe place to develop their talents within the hip-hop culture.

The Fab-5 will introduce its hip-hop dancers and youth outreach program to all middle school students during school-wide assemblies the week of the fair, on the following dates:

• 1 p.m., Monday, Oct. 4, Mt. Baker Middle School

• 8:15 a.m., Tuesday Oct. 5, Olympic Middle School

• 8:15 a.m., Wednesday, Oct. 6, Rainier Middle School

• 1 p.m., Thursday, Oct. 7, Cascade Middle School

The Auburn School District, the cities of Auburn, Algona and Pacific, Green River Community College and the Muckleshoot Indian Tribe are co-hosting The Reaching Out Fair.