WASHINGTON COURT HOUSE — Miami Trace Elementary and Middle schools worked diligently to empower their students with the “Start With Hello Week,” a program created by the Sandy Hook Promise.

According to the Sandy Hook Promise website, the “Start With Hello” program empowers students in grades K-12 to recognize loneliness and social isolation in their peers, offering effective strategies to reach out and help, and ways they can grow an empathetic and inclusive community. Start With Hello Week was held Sept. 18-22.

“Our schools prioritize the promotion of positive interactions and inclusion,” said Miami Trace Elementary Principal Justin Lanman, “and Start With Hello Week is just one of the many programs we implement to achieve this goal. We are incredibly fortunate to have such caring and respectful students, and we attribute that to the support they receive from their families at home.”

The Miami Trace Elementary staff included activities during the week to help their young students connect with one another, such as offering name tags for students to get to know each other, finding fun ways for the kids to compliment other kids in the classroom, and encouraging them to make five new friends by the end of each school day. They were also given a bingo chart based on connecting with the other students.

“We believe that our intentional planning and implementation of programs here at Miami Trace play a significant role in fostering a culture of kindness and empathy,” said Lanman. “While Start With Hello Week may only last for one week, we are proud to witness our Panthers carrying the initiative throughout the entire school year.”

Lanman continued, “It is a testament to the strong foundation of kindness and positive relationships that our district has built. Together, we are shaping a future where every student feels valued and connected, and we couldn’t be more proud of the progress we continue to make.”

The Miami Trace Middle School also participated in the “Start With Hello Week” to connect its students as a whole before they enter high school.

“It is important for young people to feel a sense of connection within their school to avoid loneliness and isolation,” said Miami Trace Middle School guidance counselor, Jennifer Enochs.

The middle school also participated in fun activities to get to know each other like playing games where they had to find their partner and then interview that person, being given one half of a pair and then having to find the other half of the pair with salt and pepper, sock and shoe, spaghetti and meatballs, and more. After completing their interview, students shared an interesting fact or two about their person.

Additionally, at lunch, students were encouraged to mix things up by sitting with classmates who share the same birthday month, and on the final day of Start with Hello Week, all students enjoyed time outside and hopefully made a new friend or two.

”With students moving in and out of the district, Start With Hello Week provided the perfect opportunity for us to identify students who haven’t made meaningful connections yet,” said Enochs. “We were able to respond and hopefully facilitate the start of lasting, positive relationships.”