Say Something: Saving Lives Through Student Reporting

0:00On April 29, after the Sandy Hook shooting in 2012, where 21st graders and 6 educators lost their lives, Nicole Hockley, launched to say something program through her non-profit Sandy Hook Promise. This initiative trains students to spot warning signs like social media threats or sudden behavior changes and report them anonymously. Since starting just under two years later, the tip line has received nearly 400,000 reports on issues from potential school shootings and suicides to bullying and drug use. Trainers from the group have now reached schools in all 50 states, emphasizing how peers often see red flags first that adults miss, especially. Online. The program pushes kids to speak up to trusted adults or the hotline, turning bystanders into lifesavers before trouble escalates. Students today, growing up with constant lockdown drills and news of mass shootings, say it brings real comfort. A high school junior shared that these reporting outlets make her feel much safer amid

1:02the fear that runs through young minds. One standout tip last year came from Indiana, where a friend reported an 18-year-old student obsessed with a past shooter and planning an attack. On Valentine's Day, with access to an AR-15 rifle, authorities arrested her two days early. She later got 12 years in prison for conspiracy to commit murder. Hawkely calls it a huge success for stopping violence and self-harm in communities nationwide, though she notes it's bittersweet, wishing this tool had. Been around to save her own son, Dylan, and prevent that tragedy from ever-havening. You've been listening to Global News today, AI-powered Global Coverage.