By Gabi Carter, Justin Edwards, Genna Waldron, Nohea Jensen and Hannah Brewer

After the Sandy Hook shooting took place in 2012, loved ones of victims took initiative by starting the “Hello” campaign. This is a Nationwide movement that aims to prevent deaths due to crime and suicide. Here in the Madison school district, we play a part by doing our own Hello week. The main week will be in February, but this month on the 14th we had a “Hey Day” as a lead-in. On this day, everyone was challenged to say hello to as many new people as you can.

Many MHS students participated in ‘Hey Day’. We asked a few students at MHS if they knew about the campaign, and listened to what they had to say about it.

“Hopefully it will impact my life, and hopefully I can make someone’s day or someone can make my day. I think it’s an important campaign because sometimes you can lose friends so it’s always great to gain new ones,” Brayden Johnston said.

We agree with Johnston, and think it’s important to make new friends and widen your group.

If everyone participates in saying hello, even if you missed the “Hey Day” this last Wednesday, we believe that it will make a difference. You don’t have to do anything big.

“Since we’re all getting older and trying to fit in, it could never hurt to just invite everyone who wants to come,” Sariah Owens said.
As mentioned by Owens, the older we get the harder it is for us to get out of our comfort zone and it’s vital that we branch out and make everyone our friend. So if you missed it Wednesday, or even if you did participate, make it your goal to say hello to as many people as possible; But don’t stop there, keep it on your minds until February’s “Hello Week” and get involved in the campaign.