Three years ago, a tragedy took place at Sandy Hook Elementary School that left its community, surrounding communities, and the world devastated.

It happened only two towns away, and many people in the Danbury community have a personal connection to the tragedy.

People were demanding for change so this atrocity would never happen again.

This year, two new initiatives will be implemented in Connecticut schools.

The “Say Something” and “Start with Hello” initiatives were created to prevent violence and isolation within schools.

Gov. Dannel Malloy visited Danbury High School during the “Say Something” call to action week and declared the campaigns as a statewide effort.

“This is about making ourselves safer, and to protect others we must have a voice,” he told an assembly of sophomores, faculty and local dignitaries. His presence put a statewide media focus on the campaigns, with newspapers and television news outlets running stories.

The initiatives were founded by the Sandy Hook Promise organization whose mission is to “prevent gun-related deaths due to crime, suicide and accidental discharge so that no other parent experiences the senseless, horrific loss of their child.”

Although these are statewide initiatives, they will be headed by seniors Lizzy Newbold,  Natalia Szurawski, Yago Zoccarato, and Isabel Gustems/

A video created by the students was released Oct. 9,, and some of the highlights include lesson plans for teachers to use that discusses how to deal with tough situations.

“I believe chronic isolation, gun violence, and suicide awareness should be brought to every school in Connecticut,” says Szurawski, who produced the video.

Szurawski states that she has personally dealt with tragic situations, and says, “Changing somebody’s day can change somebody’s life.”

The video will be streamed from the Danbury Public Schools homepage in hopes to reach out to students, teachers, school administrators and superintendents across the state.

Newbold is heading the “Start with Hello”  initiative and became an ambassador for the program when she was asked over the summer for help.

She says, “The founder of Sandy Hook Promise lost a son to the shooting and I felt a personal connection having babysat one of the victims.”

Newbold saw this program as an opportunity to make something good out of a tragic situation and to shed some light on it as well.

Yago Zoccarato states that he wanted to join the group because he thought it was a good cause.

Zoccarato was in charge of putting up the “Say Something” bulletin board and getting a booth in the cafeteria for the call to action week.

He says, “This is something I could do to help someone.”

Peer Leadership teacher Susan Schullery said she’s proud of the students’ efforts.

“The intent is to have it raise awareness, not only here at Danbury High School, but the entire state of Connecticut,” Schullery said.

The lessons plans, Schullery said, will be developed to include role playing among students in grades K-12.

Schullery said she would like to see everyone introduce the initiatives through Advisory and clubs for the initiative weeks.

The “Say Something” call to action week was from the Oct. 19-23, and the “Start with Hello” call to action week is Jan. 25-29.

Schullery says, “If you can help one student because you asked, that’s where the difference will be made.”