Start With Hello

Start With Hello promotes kindness and belonging among elementary, middle, and high school students. Built around a three-step strategy, See Someone Alone, Reach Out and Help, and Start With Hello, the program teaches students to notice when a peer is isolated, offer companionship, and form new friendships.

These simple actions build a positive school culture and help reduce violence by ensuring students feel seen and connected. Reinforced throughout the school year, the program culminates in Start With Hello Week, a national awareness week recognized annually during the second week of September, celebrating compassion and belonging in schools nationwide.

Together, these strategies create safer, more inclusive school communities, one hello at a time.