You Had Me At Hello: Bloomfield Schools Teach Empathy, Win Award

BLOOMFIELD, NJ — Some of the best ways to erase the pain of gun violence – and prevent future tragedies – happen with a simple hello.

Earlier this week, the Bloomfield Public School District got a thumbs-up from Gov. Phil Murphy for its adaptation of the national “Start With Hello” program. The altruistic effort earned a 2018 grand prize award from Sandy Hook Promise (SHP), a nonprofit organization led by several family members whose loved ones were killed in the 2012 mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut.

The program aims to teach kids to appreciate compassion and empathy for their peers. At Carteret Elementary School in Bloomfield, for example, children in kindergarten through second grade took turns serving as “greeters” who met other students at the start of the day with a hug, high-five or a smile.

“It was kind of cool seeing so many of the kids actually wanted a hug,” said Doreen Bauer, a guidance counselor at Carteret school.

Learn more about the Bloomfield Public School District’s “Start With Hello” program in the videos below.

"Teaching empathy and compassion in early life is absolutely critical for preventing violence and depression,” said Nicole Hockley, co-founder and managing director of SHP, and mother of Dylan, who was killed in the Sandy Hook School shooting. “By integrating these values in school culture, we ensure that our schools can be supportive safe havens for our children. This can have a life-long impact.”

The Bloomfield Public School District, along with Madeira Beach Fundamental in Madeira Beach, Florida, were the only two grand prize winners for 2018.

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