Parents of Sandy Hook victims honor Madison School District

REXBURG -- The parents of two children killed during a shooting massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary honored the Madison School District Monday for its efforts to create an inclusive community.

The district participated in the Sandy Hook Promise "Start with Hello" campaign and competed against over 600 schools across the nation and finished second place in the competition.

"We rolled up our sleeves and went to town and worked hard," Madison Cares project director Rick Croft told EastIdahoNews.com. "Coming in second place makes it a little more special."

Sandy Hook Promise is a national non-profit organization led by several family members who were killed at Sandy Hook Elementary on Dec. 14, 2012. The group focuses on preventing violence before it happens and helping at-risk individuals.

Sandy Hook Promise offers four free prevention programs - including "Start with Hello."

For a week in February, Madison School District students, teachers, parents, community members and others focused on reaching out to others by starting with saying, "Hello."

"We just wanted everybody to have a friend that week," Madison High School senior Matthew Sommer said. "We went and sat with them at lunch, we went to elementary schools, did a bunch of stuff. It was a blast."

Nicole Hockley and Mark Barden, co-founders of Sandy Hook Promise, honored the district during a luncheon Monday. Hockley's six-year-old son, Dylan, and Barden's seven-year-old son, Daniel, were both killed at Sandy Hook.

"We're trying to make something transformative happen from a tragedy," Hockley told the group. "You guys haven't had that tragedy but you are transforming things every day of your own choice because it's the right thing to do."

Hockley and Barden said they were impressed with the Madison community and hope their example is replicated in other schools across the country.

"I want to honor my little Daniel and his beautiful sense of awareness and compassion toward others," Barden said. "Then I want to work toward a culture where we don’t have to worry about these things."