Sandy Hook Promise is pleased to announce the winners of the 2020 Start With Hello Week Student Voices Awards. These awards recognize students who creatively voice their commitment to inclusiveness and kindness in one of three categories. These include: Visual Art, Written Essays, Stories or Poems, and Videos. This year’s theme is “How Start With Hello Can Create Unity in Diversity.”
Congratulations to our 2020 Student Voices Contest Winners!
Spoken Word Category
- Fernando Monroe, Jr., Dixie M. Hollins High School, Pinellas County, Florida
- Oriella C., Belhaven Middle School, Lindwood, New Jersey
- Ruby Stone, Hillview Middle School, Menlo Park, California
- Abigail S, Central Elementary School, Okeechobee, Florida
- Camila M., PS 361 Woodside Community School, Woodside, New York
- Frederick N., PS 361 Woodside Community School, Woodside, New York
- Charley Goren, Mt. Pleasant Elementary School, Livingston, New Jersey
- Isabela Russo, Sunset Park Elementary School, Windermere, Florida
- Jeremiah Hall, Central Elementary School, Okeechobee, Florida
- School-Wide, Central Elementary School, Okeechobee, Florida
Visual Category
High School Winners
- Grace Raimo, Swansboro High School, Swansboro, North Carolina
- Marianela Ortiz-Vasquez, Texas school for the Blind and Visually Impaired, Austin, Texas
- Favour Izah, Absegami High School, Galloway, New Jersey
- Honorable Mention: Chase Hackett, Mukwonago High School, Mukwonago, Wisconsin
- Honorable Mention: Camille S., Northwest Rankin High School, Brandon, Mississippi
- Honorable Mention: Linoshka Jeithsell Velez, Miami Southridge Senior High School, Miami, Florida
Middle School Winners
- Andrew Picon, Glades Middle School, Miami, Florida
- Stella Curtis, Hillview Middle School, Menlo Park, California
- Yasmin Selman, Kestrel Heights Charter School, Durham, North California
- Honorable Mention: Miya Chang, Glades Middle School, Miami, Florida
- Honorable Mention: Valeria Ramirez, Data at Adams Middle School, Grand Prairie, Texas
- Honorable Mention: Riya Malhotra, Heritage Middle School, Livingston, New Jersey
- Honorable Mention: Lia P, Southwood Middle School, Miami, Florida
- Honorable Mention: MURAL 137 student PJHS 6th grade, Pearl Junior High School, Pearl, Missisippi
- Honorable Mention: Group Circleville Middle School, Circleville Middle School, New York
Elementary School Winners
- Sophia S., Anne Sullivan Elementary School, Sugar Land, Texa
- Hridi Sengupta, PS361Q The Woodside Community School, Woodside, New York
- Guadalupe S., John Small Elementary School, Washington, North Carolina
- Honorable Mention: Jayden G., PS 361Q, The Woodside Community School Woodside, New York
- Honorable Mention: Elvira S., Anne Sullivan Elementary School, Sugar Land, Texas
- Honorable Mention: Lucas Baker, Sunset Park Elementary School Windermere, Florida
Written Category
High School Winners
- Sara K., North Broward Preparatory School, Coconut Creek, FL
- Chloe Cramutola, Absegami High School, Galloway, NJ
- Alexandria B., Dixie Hollins High School, St. Pete, FL
- Honorable Mention: Bobby V., Dixie Hollins High School, St. Pete, FL
Middle School Winners
- Kaitlyn Rodriguez, Glades Middle School, Miami FL
- Liliana Bell, Guilford elearning University Prep, Greensboro, NC
- Naveen Yengera, Dunedin Highland Middle School, Dunedin, FL
- Honorable Mention: Anabella Anceaume, Glades Middle School, Miami FL
- Honorable Mention: Kaitlyn Tadlock, Mountain Island Charter School , Mount Holly, NC
- Honorable Mention: Liah Cabrera, Glades Middle School, Miami FL
- Honorable Mention: Jaiden Calderon, Data at Adams Middle School, Grand Prairie, TX
- Honorable Mention: Indira Yengera, Dunedin Highland Middle School, Dunedin, FL
Elementary School Winners
- Julia Churilova, Cypress Woods Elementary School, Palm Harbor, FL
- Purnata S., PS361Q The Woodside Community School, Woodside, NY
- Thamidha T., PS361Q The Woodside Community School, Woodside, NY
Social Media and Video Highlights
Fernando Monroe, Jr., Dixie M. Hollins High School, Pinellas County, FL
Fernando Monroe Jr.
— Fernando Monroe Jr (@MonroeFernand) October 16, 2020
12th grade
Dixie M. Hollins HS
Pinellas County FL.@sandyhooks #startwithhellostudentvoices pic.twitter.com/UEXaEnQfHs
Oriella C., Belhaven Middle School, Lindwood, NJ
Oriellah C.
— Oranit (@OranitC) October 14, 2020
6th grade
Belhaven Middle School
Linwood, NJ@sandyhook #StartWithHelloStudentVoices pic.twitter.com/tTjmrj9Koc
Frederick N., PS 361 Woodside Community School, Woodside, NY
“The more we get together, the happier we'll be!”
— Catherine Chan-Ng (@wkwcfn) October 19, 2020
Frederick N.
2nd Grade
The Woodside Community School, @PS361Q@sandyhook #StartWithHelloStudentVoices #StartWithHello pic.twitter.com/hfjgftZQtW
Abigail S., Central Elementary School Okeechobee, Florida
Abigail S.
— Christie Torres (@ctorres0215) September 22, 2020
4th Grade
Central Elementary School
Okeechobee, Florida@sandyhook #StartWithHelloStudentVoices pic.twitter.com/xFvWoV9M77
Camila M., PS 361, Woodside Community School, Woodside, NY
@PS361Q
— carolina flores (@carolinaflores7) October 15, 2020
Camila M.
Second grade.
PS 361 Woodside Community School. pic.twitter.com/53LqS7FQnF
Charley Goren Mt. Pleasant Elementary School Livingston, NJ
Isabela Russo, Sunset Park Elementary School Windermere, FL
Jeremiah Hall, Central Elementary School, Okeechobee, Florida
Schoolwide, PS 361, Woodside Community School, Woodside, NY
Sophia S., Anne Sullivan Elementary School Sugar Land, TX
Sophia S.
— Supriya Solanki (@MrsSolanki24) October 6, 2020
3rd Grade
Anne Sullivan Elementary School
Sugar Land, Texas@Sandyhook #StartWithHelloStudentVoices pic.twitter.com/XwV4Mjvnqp
Guadalupe S., John Small Elementary School Washington, NC
Guadalupe S
— Jessica (@Xx_Forteza_xX) November 5, 2020
5th Grade
John Small Elementary
Washington, North Carolina@sandyhook #StartWithHelloStudentVoices pic.twitter.com/DN0gWT71lB
Jayden G., PS 361Q, The Woodside Community School Woodside, NY
Jayden G, 3rd Grade, PS 361Q- Woodside NY! @sandyhook #StartWithHelloStudentVoices pic.twitter.com/njwhNyWAUP
— Ms. Singer 361Q (@MsSinger8) November 4, 2020
Lia P., Southwood Middle School Miami, FL
Lia P.
— Yanet Marroqui (@jane2m2003) November 5, 2020
6th Grade
Southwood Middle School
Miami, Florida@sandyhook #StartWithHelloStudentVoices pic.twitter.com/4dowEHWPjn
Grace Raimo, Swansboro High School Swansboro, North Carolina
Grace Raimo
— Grace Raimo (@thegraceraimo) September 30, 2020
12th Grade
Swansboro High School
Swansboro, NC@sandyhook #StartWithHelloStudentVoices pic.twitter.com/kUEcrpH40h
Chase Hackett, Mukwonago High School Mukwonago, Wisconsin
@MUKSAVE @sandyhook #StartWithHelloStudentVoices pic.twitter.com/zKnHLhzAPH
— 🌈Chase_LOVE💚💙 (@ChaseHackett5) September 23, 2020
Camille S., Northwest Rankin High School Brandon, MS
@sandyhook Camille S., 11th Grade, Northwest Rankin High School, Brandon, MS, @sandyhook #StartWithHelloStudentVoices pic.twitter.com/h45juoAGcI
— Shimika Scott (@ShimikaScott) October 19, 2020
Linoshka Jeithsell Velez, Miami Southridge Senior High School, Miami, FL
Sara K., North Broward Preparatory School, Coconut Creek, FL
“Coloring Outside the Lines” 🖍
— Leah Wolf (@englishwithwolf) October 7, 2020
Sara K.
10th Grade
North Broward Preparatory School
Coconut Creek, Florida@sandyhook @Sara_Kaufman_ #StartWithHelloStudentVoices pic.twitter.com/ZaZ5pQmrw4
Marianela Ortiz-Vasquez, the Texas school for the Blind and Visually Impaired, Austin, Texas


Yasmin Selman, Kestrel Heights Charter School in Durham, North Carolina


Experience More Student Voices
Follow us on social media to see even more Student Voices showcased! We’re keeping the “Start With Hello” spirit alive by sharing out other awardees and honorable mentions. Find us on Twitter at @sandyhook and on Facebook and Instagram at @sandyhookpromise.
You can also get involved by entering your own creations. Find out more about the awards and how you can enter.