PromiseClubSuccessStories
CreatingaPromiseClub
APromiseClubismadeupofadesignatedadultchampion(s)andyouthleaders.APromiseClub
canbeaunique,stand-alonecluborembeddedintoanexistingstudentclub,suchasSADD,
StudentCouncil,oranotherstudentleadership,civicorkindnessclub.PromiseClubsagreetohelp
leadandsustainSandyHookPromise’sno-cost,easytoimplementviolencepreventionprograms-
SaySomethingand/orStartwithHello.Bothprogramscanbecustomizedtofitwithintheunique
cultureofyourschooloryouthorganizationandsustainedinjustacouplehourspermonth.
PromiseClubsplayakeyleadershiproleinreinforcingandsustainingtheselifesavingprograms
throughavarietyofsimple,yetpowerfulactivities.
PromiseClubinAction:MooreHighSchool,MooreOklahoma
InspiredbySandyHookPromise’sSaySomethingprogram,studentsatMooreHighSchoolcreated
avideotohelpthemcontinueastudent-centereddialoguearoundtheimportantroleyouthplay
inpreventingviolencewhentheySaySomething.Energizedbythispowerfulmessage,MooreHigh
School’sFUSEStudentLeadershipClublaunchedayear-roundcampaign:“Becausewe‘Say
Something’wecandoMOORE!”MooreHighSchoolisrequiredbylawtopracticelockdowndrills
withtheirstudentsthroughouttheyear.Withthehelpoftheiradvisor,thestudentclubusesthe
lockdowndrillsasanopportunitytoreinforcethekeystepstoSaySomethingandremindtheir
peersthattheycanpreventatragedybeforeittakesplacewhentheySaySomething.
InadditiontotheSaySomethingprogram,theFUSEStudentLeadershipClubalsoimplemented
StartWithHello,withthegoalofbuildingamoreinclusiveschool.Youthleadersdeliveredthe
initialStartWithHellopresentationtotheirpeersandorganizedcommunityandinclusivity
buildingactivitiesduringtheentiremonthofFebruary.TheFUSEClubcreatedvideosthat
promotedconnectednessandprofiledstudentsreachingouttoeachother.Thesevideoswere
shownintheirschoolandthroughouttheschooldistrictandbroadercommunitythroughoutthe
year.TheFUSEClubcapturedtheattentionoftheirlocaltelevisionstationwhointerviewedthe
ClubmembersandgavethemaplatformtofurtherspreadSaySomethingandStartWithHello
withintheircommunity.Thismediacoveragegaveyouthleadersachancetopracticepublic
speakingskillsandhavetheireffortsrecognizedandcelebratedpublicly.Todate,MooreHigh
School’sSaySomethingandStartWithHelloactivitieshavebeen100%self-ledandimplemented
throughtheFUSEStudentClubwiththehelpoftheiradultchampion.
“SaySomethingbroughtaprofoundandtangibleshiftinstudent’sawarenessandsensitivityto
schoolsafetyissues.”-VictorRook,Teacher,MooreHighSchool,Moore,OK
PromiseClubinAction:BroadviewMiddleSchool,DanburyConnecticut
BroadviewMiddleSchoolinitiallytrainedtheirstudentsinSaySomethingwiththehelpofa
certifiedPromisePresenter,providedatno-costbySandyHookPromise.Followingthe
presentation,BroadviewMiddleSchooldevelopedaYouthClubtohelpsustaintheprogram.
Broadview’sYouthClubcontinuestotraintheirpeersinSaySomethingandhostsSaySomething
activitiesforparentssotheycanreinforcetheSaySomethingmessageathome.TheGuidance
CounselorsupportsthestudentsandreinforcestheefficacyoftheprogrambysharingSay
Somethingsuccessstoriesinschoolannouncementsandsocialmedia.Together,theYouthClub
andGuidanceCounselorintegratesmall,yetpowerfulwaystocarryonandreinforceSay
Something.ThisincludesencouragingSpanishclassestopracticewritingthenamesoftheir
trustedadultsinSpanishandartclassestocreateSaySomethingbannersandposters.Broadview
MiddleSchoolstaff-includingteachers,supportstaffandadministrators-alsocreatedSay
Somethingpostersthattheydisplayyear-roundintheirclassroomsandofficesthatsay,"Iama
trustedadult.YoucanSaySomethingtome."
TheGuidanceCounseloralsotrainedmembersoftheYouthClubinStartWithHelloandcoached
thestudentleadershowtodelivertheStartWithHellopresentationtoareaelementaryschools.
Inadditiontotrainingyoungerstudents,Broadview’sYouthCluborganizesactivitiestoreinforce
StartWithHello’smessageofinclusivity.OneactivityisanannualValentinecard-makingevent
wherestudentsmakeanddeliverValentinecardsforthestaffandpatientsatanearbyhospital.
TheYouthClubalsoleadsStartWithHelloicebreakeractivitiesbeforeschoolandduringlunch
periodstoensurethatstudentsandstaffalikeknowhowtorecognizechronicsocialisolationand
areequippedtoreachoutandconnect.TheYouthClubvolunteersatschooleventsandservesas
ambassadorsandrolemodelsforbothprograms.
“Ourschoolhasseenamarkedincreaseinthenumberofstudentscomingforwardwithconcerns.
Mostoftheseareaboutfriendswithtroubles,suchasfeelingsadordepressed,self-harmor
concernsaboutpeerconflictsandbullying.We'vealsohadcaseswherestudentswerebroughtto
ourconcernforthingslikemakingthreateninggesturesduringschoolorpostingthreatsandhave
beenabletoworkwiththosestudentstoaddressthereasonsbehindtheirbehavior.Wetruly
believethatbecauseofSaySomethingandStartWithHellowehavebeenabletoaddressissues
wewouldnothaveotherwise.”-ChristineMiller,Counselor,BroadviewMiddleSchool,Danbury,CT
SamplePromiseClubCalendar
ThissamplePromiseClubCalendarisdesignedtoassistyouinyourPromiseClubplanning.Please
notethatthissamplecalendarisonlyaguide–weencourageyoutoimplementyourSay
Somethingand/orStartWithHellopresentationandfollow-upactivitiesatanytimethroughout
theyearandtapintothecreativityofyourPromiseClubtocomeupwithyourownsustainability
plan.WhenorganizingyourPromiseClubactivities,pleaseplantoimplementatleastthreefollow
upactivitiesinadditiontoyourSaySomethingand/orStartWithHellopresentationformaximum
effectiveness.
TheSaySomethingandStartWithHelloChecklists,aswellastheEducatorandStudentGuides
includeadditionalideas,activitiesandplanningrecommendationsforgettingstarted.For
questions,toshareyourideasandsuccesseswithus,ortorequestacertifiedPromisePresenterto
delivertheinitialSaySomethingorStartWithHellopresentationtoyourschooloryouth
organization,pleaseemail:[email protected].
August/September:BacktoSchool
WorkwithyourPromiseClubtoincorporateSaySomethingorStartWithHellomessaginginyour
backtoschoolactivities.Thiscouldincludeaposterorvideomakingcontest,activitiesatopen
houses,orientationorsporting/musicalevents,orbuildingapledgewallor“selfiestation”where
studentscommittolookingoutforeachotherduringtheschoolyear.
Approximatetimecommitment:2to3hours
October:NationalSaySomethingWeek,October24-28,2016
JoinhundredsofschoolsandyouthorganizationsacrossthecountrybyparticipatinginSandy
HookPromise’sNationalSaySomethingWeek.HostyourSaySomethingpresentationthisweek
andworkwithyourPromiseClubtoplancontests,activitiesandevents.TosignupforSay
SomethingWeekandaccesstheSaySomethingWeekplanningguide,pleasevisit:
www.sandyhookpromise.org/saysomethingweek.
Approximatetimecommitment:3to5hours
November:ThanksandGiving
LeveragetheThanksgivingholidayandencouragestudents,staffandparents/caregiverstoshare
messagesofgratitudetooneanother,highlightingwhattheydotocreatesafeandconnected
classrooms,schoolsandcommunities.
Approximatetimecommitment:1to2hours
January:ResolutionstoSaySomethingandStartWithHello
AskstudentstowriteordrawaresolutiontoSaySomethingorStartWithHellointheNewYear.
Considermakingtheresolutioneitheragrouporhomeworkassignmentsothatstudentscanwork
ontheirresolutionwiththeirparents/caregiversorwithothersintheirclassroom.Display
resolutionsaroundtheschoolorshareinschoolcommunicationsandsocialmedia.
Approximatetimecommitment:1to2hours
February:NationalStartWithHelloWeek,February6-10,2017
HostyourStartWithHellopresentationthisweekandworkwithyourPromiseClubtoplan
contests,activitiesandeventsinconcertwithhundredsofotherschoolsacrossthecountry.To
signupforStartWithHelloWeek,pleasevisit:www.sandyhookpromise.org/startwithhelloweek.
Approximatetimecommitment:3to5hours
March/April:SpringintoAction!
AskyourPromiseClubtocomeupwithonetothreeideasthatbringSaySomethingorStartWith
Hellointoaction.ThiscouldincludeincorporatingStartWithHelloicebreakersintolunchroom
conversationsoradvisoryactivities,askingyourPromiseClubtopresenttoaneighboringschoolor
havingstudentsshareSaySomethingandStartWithHelloexamplesandsuccessstoriesoverthe
morningannouncementsorsocialmedia.
Approximatetimecommitment:1to5hours
May/June:LookingOutforOneAnotherOvertheSummer
ChallengestudentstofindonetothreewayswheretheywillcontinuetopracticeSaySomething
orStartWithHellooverthesummeraspartofanadvisoryactivityorcreativewritingassignment.
Asavailable,shareresourcesthatyouthcanaccessoverthesummermonths,suchasthelibrary,
communitycenter,youthorganizationsorcrisislineswherestudentscancontinuetobuild
connectionsorreachoutforhelp.
Approximatetimecommitment:1to3hours
AdditionalResources
FormoreideasonhowschoolsandyouthorganizationsacrossthecountryareincorporatingSay
SomethingandStartWithHellointotheiruniqueculture,pleasevisit:
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SaySomethingtumblr:http://saysomethingweek.tumblr.com
StartWithHellotumblr:http://startwithhelloweek.tumblr.com
PromiseInActioninOurCommunities:https://youtu.be/DhiXa9zgng4
PromiseLeadersinAction:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z8DrpLB78J4
PromiseYouthinAction:https://youtu.be/G0WZZu1O_YQ
Forquestionsorsupport,[email protected]