The School Advisory Committee (SAC) is a wonderful group of educators who empower and support the Sandy Hook Promise National Youth Advisory Board (YAB), a group of youth leaders who serve as the national voice of SAVE Promise Clubs and Sandy Hook Promise. The SAC also provides insight, feedback, and direction for our violence prevention programs. We are grateful for their leadership, participation, and dedication to SAVE Promise Clubs!
La-Shanda West
Cutler Bay Senior High School, FL
“I am a child survivor of gun violence. No child or adult should be impacted by gun violence, as well as deal with short- or long-term trauma. This is why I serve and advocate for safe schools and communities to prevent gun violence everywhere.”
Dr. West is a high school teacher of 23 years. As her passion about school and community safety continues to grow, this marks her seventh year serving as a SAVE Promise Club Advisor. As a child, her mom was impacted by gun violence. One of her goals is to bring the Say Something Anonymous Reporting System to Miami-Dade County Public Schools. Her favorite Sandy Hook Promise Program is Start With Hello, which fosters inclusion and builds school and community culture. Her proudest accomplishment is being a mom of three amazing sons; she recognizes through them that children have different strengths and needs. The SAVE Promise Club at Cutler Bay Senior High continues to accomplish increased club membership and involvement, post COVID-19 virtual learning, and engagement. Students’ desire to return to “normal” social opportunities increased a wave of energy for CBSH SAVE Promise Club.
Lindsay Redman
Tantasqua Regional High School, MA
“I personally believe that we are in a humanitarian crisis and there is not enough empathy towards others, but also a lack of knowledge on how to make a difference in our communities. The SAVE Promise Club is a great group that teaches students about building up communities and creating events or establishing programs that helps communities become stronger.”
Lindsay finished her first year as an Adjustment Counselor at Tantasqua Regional High School. This marks her second year serving as a SAVE Promise Club Advisor and first year on the National School Advisory Committee. Lindsay has been very passionate about bringing inclusion and communities together. That is something she really appreciates about the SAVE Promise Club’s mission. In the upcoming school year, Lindsay hopes to continue supporting and mentoring her Youth Ambassador Board Member, along with helping to continue growing the Club at Tantasqua.
Marilyn Toshner
Mukwonago High School, WI
“Our SAVE Club has made a positive difference in our community because we are educating many students on knowing the signs and reporting anything they feel that needs to be reported. Also, we really start our school year with a positive message of starting with hello and create an inclusive environment.”
Marilyn has been a Special Education teacher for the Mukwonago Area School District for the past 25 years. She has served as a SAVE Advisor since 2009. Mukwonago High School has been a very active Club for many years. She is proud of the many successful activities that the Club has completed over the years. A favorite is their kickoff for America’s Safe Schools Week. It’s the last home football game of the season, so the SAVE Promise Club students encouraged all students in the stands to go on the football field at half-time. They have an announcement that gets said to announce America’s Safe Schools Week. Students play TAPS, while students on the field hold purple, orange, and green stars. The community enjoys seeing this activity every year.
Dustin Barksdale
Barack Obama Male Leadership Academy (MLA), TX
“I hope to encourage the young men on campus to say something when they see something and to help empower young men to have a voice for what is right and safe, taking away the snitching stigma.”
Mr. Barksdale is currently in his third year as Director of Choirs (6th-12th grade) at the Barack Obama Male Leadership Academy in Dallas, TX. Mr. Barksdale’s choir program encompasses more than half of the campus enrollment with over 250 members involved. He was elected as the campus Teacher of the Year for the 2023-2024 school year and led his students in performance for a Dallas Stars game, a Dallas Mavericks game, and numerous UIL Sweepstakes awards. Mr. Barksdale hopes he can help prevent violence on his campus and to see the work grow into local community prevention. This marks his first year serving as a SAVE Promise Club Advisor.
Andrea Borys
Southern Columbia High School, PA
“After our school community was devastated by the loss of two students to suicide within 6 months of each other, we looked into suicide prevention programs. Sandy Hook Promise and SAVE Promise Club stood out as excellent opportunities. I have been nothing but thrilled with the program.”
Andrea feels her strongest personal attribute is being an empath. Being able to feel another’s perspective, encouraging, and motivating them to see the best in themselves and others, or the world, is something she does well. Andrea believes that it is a blessing to be able to find a positive in a negative situation, to take a tragedy and create something lifesaving, just like Sandy Hook Promise does, every day. Andrea is blessed to be a wife, mother of five, and World Language teacher. This marks Andrea’s sixth year serving as a SAVE Promise Club Advisor with 90 active students amongst the middle and high school Clubs. They began their Promise in 2019 and have not looked back once—they only look forward. They look forward to what they will be able to do next for their students, district, and community.
Rachelle Goldenberg
California High School, CA
“The Cal High SAVE Promise Club is an integral part of our campus culture and has expanded to incorporate the program into our Safe School Ambassadors Program. Through the Club, students have begun to address challenges in building communities of care on campus where students learn how to include others and support each other. Entering our seventh year, we continue to grow the message within our school and develop further partnerships with other community building clubs, campus resources (like the Wellness Center), and continue to set our sights on growing more Clubs in our area of the San Francisco Bay Area.”
Rachelle is a School Social Worker and Wellness Center Coordinator who strives to help students achieve self-efficacy and build community. As a first year Advisor, she is very familiar with the organization and the power it has to encourage students to be upstanders. She is looking forward to further building the message of SAVE into the culture of campus and solidifying its message into the culture of the school.
Melissa Johnson
Booker T. Washington High School, GA
“My experience as a Site Coordinator with Communities in School of Atlanta aligns with Sandy Hook Promise’s mission and work, because empowering and educating the youth is important to ensure the safety of our students in schools and in the community.”
Melissa is the Site Coordinator for Communities in School of Atlanta, housed at Booker T. Washington High School. This marks her first year serving as a SAVE Promise Club Advisor. Her goal is to empower the students in creating an inclusive environment where all students feel welcomed and valued.
Brooke Hagler-Duffaut
Northshore High School, LA
“I am very passionate about this program and its message. It’s clear that there needs to be more resources and education in the country about violence in schools, resources available, and advocacy for mental health. Working with the youth as an advisor and mentor in these programs for the past 13 years gives me hope that we can make a difference for the future of our community, even if it means helping one person.”
Brooke is a dedicated music educator specializing in Talented Music, an advanced class that requires students to pass a state audition for enrollment. This role allows her to work with some of the most exceptional students on campus. Brooke also offers piano and voice lessons after school. She is a board member of ACTION Youth and Community Resources, a local organization that promotes a drug- and alcohol-free lifestyle for children, while fostering their leadership skills. In her personal time, Brooke enjoys spending time with her new husband and their three dogs, playing the piano and singing musical theatre and opera. This marks her first year serving as a SAVE Promise Club Advisor.
Shannon Healy
Jonathan Law High School, CT
“These students are such change-makers and strong young leaders, and to be able to support them is amazing. The message of SAVE Promise Clubs is an important one and it’s something that can’t be shared enough. I want to be able to continue to encourage students to get involved, not only at school but within their larger community and work to make change wherever they go.”
Shannon is entering her fourth year as a Social Studies teacher at Law—this marks her third year serving as a SAVE Promise Club Advisor. From the moment her Club branched off under a former Youth Advisory Board Member, she has had the privilege of working with an extraordinary group of young leaders and changemakers. As a result, their Club has grown significantly, inspiring the creation of similar Clubs in other schools within the district. Shannon is eager to continue her role on the National School Advisory Committee, collaborating with impressive advisors and student leaders. This allows her to strengthen her community and help create and sustain an inclusive and welcoming environment back home in Milford.
SAVE Promise Club creates lasting change that leads to safer schools and communities. Join your local Club or start one today!
