d’Vinci and Sandy Hook Promise Create Interactive Learning to Help Reduce School Violence

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To help expand the reach and impact of Sandy Hook Promise's proven Know the Signs school violence prevention programs, d'Vinci Interactive conceived and built the organization's first-ever digital training and learning management system designed specifically for schools. The project was made possible by the generous support of The Walt Disney Company.

Sandy Hook Promise and d’Vinci created Start With Hello Elementary for students in grades K-5 to build more socially-inclusive cultures. Through short videos, interactive experiences and a learning game, friendly, custom-designed characters make learning fun as kids understand the important role that they play in making school a positive experience for everyone.

Students in grades 5-12 learn how to identify peers who may be at-risk of hurting themselves or others and what they can do to help in the Say Something educational experience. Through educational videos, students learn to look for warning signs, especially in social media, and to “say something” to a trusted adult or emergency responder.

Each Start With Hello and Say Something digital learning experience provides blended learning opportunities to help develop critical social and emotional skills. Educators register to use the materials as a class or students can be given individual access so they can continue the learning at home. Extensive educator guides and support materials also are available. For more information, please visit Sandy Hook Promise.

More than 7.5 million people nationwide have been trained in their proven Know the Signs programs that focus on prevention to help end the epidemic of gun violence by training youth and adults how to identify at-risk behavior and intervene to get help before a tragedy can occur, according to Sandy Hook Promise.

“Thanks to the partnership with d'Vinci Interactive, we now have a platform to bring our Start With Hello program to millions of the youngest students across the country. The interactive tools, games, and activities are helping kids better understand how to look out for each other. We believe that the earlier we can tackle social isolation and create connectivity among students, the more we will empower students to be upstanders, not bystanders,” said Nicole Hockley, co-founder and managing director of Sandy Hook Promise and mother of Dylan, who was killed in the Sandy Hook Elementary shooting.

About d’Vinci Interactive: d’Vinci Interactive is learning technology company that partners with leading organizations to create interactive learning experiences, educational games, and websites that integrate into school curricula. d’Vinci holds longstanding partner relationships with National Geographic, PBS LearningMedia, Discovery Education and the National Institutes of Health. The d’Vinci team consists of talented educational strategists, instructional designers, digital artists and web developers, with offices in Hagerstown, Maryland and Harrisburg, PA. For more information about d’Vinci Interactive, please visit www.dvinci.com.

About Sandy Hook Promise: Sandy Hook Promise (SHP) is a national nonprofit organization based in Newtown, Connecticut. SHP is led by several family members whose loved ones were killed in the tragic mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School on December 14, 2012.  SHP’s mission is to prevent gun violence and other forms of violence and victimization BEFORE they can happen by creating a culture of engaged youth and adults committed to identifying, intervening, and getting help for individuals who might be at risk of hurting themselves or others.  SHP is a moderate, above-the-politics organization that supports sensible program and policy solutions that address the “human side” of gun violence by preventing individuals from ever getting to the point of picking up a firearm to hurt themselves or others. Our words, actions, and impact nationwide are intended to honor all victims of gun violence by turning our tragedy into a moment of transformation. Make the Promise at www.sandyhookpromise.org.