LODI, Calif. — It's a one-woman show with a powerful message: You can prevent a school shooting or suicide if you know the warning signs and signals.
and to "say something" to a trusted adult.
Friday morning, the non-profit organization Sandy Hook Promise held a pair of school assemblies at Lodi Millswood Middle School. The organization is led by several family members of loved ones killed in the December 14, 2012 shootings at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut.
Twenty children were killed along with six staff members in the Sandy Hook massacre.
Inside the Millswood school auditorium, hundreds of seventh and eighth graders watched and listened to a short video explaining how the shooting massacre took place.
"And if I can show you how you can take your concerns to a trusted adult. Then you will reduce violence at your school," said Jill Graham, a Bay Area-based licensed therapist who spoke after the video to the students from the auditorium stage.
Using slides on a big screen, she outlined what students should look for to know if another student is a threat to others or themselves. Graham's message in the program called SAY SOMETHING is three-fold:
Look for warning signs, signals and threats, act immediately and take it seriously and say something to a trusted adult.
The warning signs may be "withdrawal from others," "thoughts or plans of hurting self or others," "bullying or hitting," "fascination with death, violence or school shootings" and more.
Graham made it clear how a number of the warning signs are found from postings on social media. She made the point that students don't need to keep what they discover a secret or do nothing, but instead speak up and tell a trusted adult.
Eighth-grader Julianna Hammer says she heard about a threat from a student last year.
"I was actually in my P.E. class and there was this kid who said 'Don't come to school because bang, bang, bang,' and I was just like 'Wow.' Like I was just shocked," said Hammer. "So, I did tell my mom and she did report it because it's possible and it was just so crazy."
Just Friday, Hammer said she also saw another girl post on Instagram how she wanted to fight another girl. She plans to tell her mom about it.
"I have two main goals, really all the adults on campus do; prepare students for high school and keep them safe," said Principal Erin Lenzi. "So, unless we're safe, we're not learning. This assembly is right up that alley."
The Sandy Hook Promise organization is holding its fourth annual "Say Something Week" across the country. Nearly 3,000 schools are taking part.
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Sam Leam was just 7-years-old and in second grade, waiting on the playground to play tether ball, when shots rang out at Cleveland Elementary School 30 years ago. At the time he didn't realize he had been shot three times.