SAUGUS — Saugus is doing its part to combat school violence.
Terrance White from the violence-prevention group, Sandy Hook Promise, gave multiple presentations on empathy-building to the town’s middle and high school students on Friday. The talks were held as part of the non-profit’s “Start With Hello” initiative.
“We have to say ‘what can we do as a community to make sure every person feels heard?’” White told his second audience of roughly 300 high schoolers early Friday morning. “When we see someone going through a rough time, we have to do what we can to help them.”
Sandy Hook Promise was founded in the aftermath of the 2012 Sandy Hook elementary school shooting by family members of some of the young victims in Newtown, Conn. Their mission is to create a culture actively engaged in preventing shootings and other acts of violence in schools.
The organization created their Start With Hello training program as a way to give kids the tools they need to end social isolation within their peer groups, as well as address what the organization’s website calls “the human side of gun violence.”
“I think they seemed really receptive,” White said of the day’s first group of students. “My job as a presenter is to get them to listen … (if) someone walks away with a new desire to shape their community in a positive way, then I’ve done my job.”
The presentation given to students breaks the Start With Hello mission into three steps: 1) Spot the signs of peer isolation 2) Reach out and help, and 3) Start with hello. White also gave his audience tips for conversation starters and allowed them to share their own experiences and ideas on how to develop a more inclusive educational environment.
Superintendent Dr. David DeRuosi said the district had been working with the state Attorney General’s office and Sandy Hook Promise since September to bring the program to Saugus Public Schools. He believes current statistics on school violence can help educators target some of its root causes.
“There’s been so much research now on school shootings and what the characteristics are of the type of person who would be the shooter,” he said. “They’re realizing there is this level of isolation.
“This is a three-pronged approach to combat (the problem).”
Elyse Carmosino can be reached at [email protected].
