With 75% of teens worrying about school violence, national call-to-action week equips students and families with the connections needed to create safe learning environments.
NEWTOWN, Conn. – Students are the best line of defense when it comes to preventing violence in schools, according to the U.S. Secret Service National Threat Assessment Center (NTAC). They are often the first to recognize when a peer is struggling or showing warning signs. Parents strongly agree: a new August 2026 Marist Poll* reveals that more than 9 out of 10 parents believe training students to spot and report these warning signs is effective. However, NTAC research shows young people only speak up when they trust school staff and feel genuinely connected to their school communities – making a sense of belonging a critical component of school safety.
To foster those lifesaving connections, millions of students nationwide will be participating in Sandy Hook Promise’s annual call-to-action, Start with Hello Week (September 21–25, 2026). Throughout the week, students and educators in K–12 schools nationwide are invited to take part in activities designed to end social isolation, address bullying, and build safer school spaces. SAVE Promise Clubs will be among the youth leaders bringing these activities to life in their school communities.
This year’s call-to-action comes at a pivotal moment for student well-being. A recent survey from Gallup found that students are generally excited and optimistic about their future, but 33% of them don’t feel like they belong at school. Additionally, almost 75% of teens worry about worry about school gun violence, according to the National Institutes of Health. All of this has a major impact on students’ sense of safety and connection in the classroom – which directly impacts academic outcomes.
To help bridge these gaps, Sandy Hook Promise is encouraging communities to focus on the back-to-school essentials students truly need: connection, belonging, and safety. CDC data confirms that when youth feel connected at school, they are significantly less likely to experience poor mental health, substance use, or violence, and are more likely to thrive academically.
Start with Hello is part of Sandy Hook Promise’s evidence-informed Know the Signs programming. The curriculum teaches students three simple, actionable steps to address social isolation: 1) See someone alone, 2) Reach out and help, and 3) Start with hello.
“Creating safer schools begins with connection. When students feel seen, included, and supported, we build a protective shield around our school communities,” said Nicole Hockley, co-founder and CEO of Sandy Hook Promise and mother of Dylan, who was killed in the Sandy Hook Elementary School tragedy. “By empowering students to look out for one another and giving them trusted adults to turn to, a crisis can be averted and young people can get the help they need.”
Participating in Start with Hello Week is free and open to all K-12 schools, offering flexible training options, developmentally-appropriate lesson plans, and family activity guides. Students, educators, and families can register online and access numerous resources including:
- Lesson plans and activities,
- Guides for schools and students,
- Access to training videos and slide decks via the online Sandy Hook Promise Learning Center,
- Multilingual resources,
- And more.
Also, as part of this year’s back-to-school efforts, Sandy Hook Promise has released a “Parent Checklist for Back-to-School Essentials.” The resource equips families with actionable tools to foster safety from home, including:
- Identifying a “Trusted Adult:” Helping students name at least one adult at school they feel safe confiding in.
- Creating Daily Moments of Connection: Asking open-ended questions like “What are you looking forward to tomorrow?” to maintain open communication.
- Encouraging Inclusion: Inspiring students to reach out to peers who may feel left out with a simple “hello.”
- Spotting Warning Signs: Recognizing subtle shifts in behavior or mood that signal a student needs extra support.
To access Start with Hello resources, as well as lots of other information about gun violence prevention and school safety, please visit sandyhookpromise.org.
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Sandy Hook Promise (SHP) envisions a future where all children are free from school shootings and other acts of violence. As a national nonprofit organization, SHP’s mission is to educate and empower youth and adults to prevent violence in schools, homes, and communities. Creators of the life-saving, evidence-informed “Know the Signs” prevention programs, SHP teaches the warning signs of someone who may be in crisis, socially isolated, or at-risk of hurting themselves or others and how to get help. SHP also advances school safety, youth mental health, and responsible gun ownership at the state and federal levels through nonpartisan policy and partnerships. SHP is led by several family members whose loved ones were killed in the tragic mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School on December 14, 2012.
*Sandy Hook Promise National Survey of Parents of School-Age Children, Conducted by The Marist Poll, August 2026.
Media Contact:
Nick Dmitrovich | [email protected] | 203-304-9780 Ext. 279