Nine Years Later – Honoring Her Memory

The Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting was nine years ago today

Ariana Pensy, Reporter|December 14, 2021

Picture of Charlotte Bacon shortly before the shooting. (Courtesy of the Bacon Family)

Nine years ago today, tragedy struck the community of Newtown, Connecticut. The shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School killed 6 staff members and 20 children. The people of Newtown came together to combat an act of violence with kindness and hope.

Shortly after the shooting, Aaron Carlson, the parent of a student at Sandy Hook Elementary School, along with the parents of Charlotte Bacon, a child killed in the shooting, founded Newtown Kindness in Charlotte’s memory.

“Charlotte’s energy and enthusiasm for almost everything was infectious. We hear loving stories from friends and family and the words they use are smart, funny, curious, messy, unintimidated, and adventurous to describe her,” Charlotte’s mother says on their website. “Her Dad and I like to use the word bold, and it is this trait that we emulate as we honor Charlotte.” To see a short video about Charlotte and Newtown Kindness, click here.

They started the Charlotte Bacon Act of Kindness Awards to honor children around the country for their kindness. People from around the world started to submit entries about their acts of kindness.

Submission from a finalist for the first Charlotte Bacon Act of Kindness Awards in 2013

On February 22nd of 2013, what would have been Charlotte’s 7th birthday, Newtown Kindness hosted the first Charlotte Bacon Act of Kindness Awards Ceremony. They continued to host these ceremonies for a number of years, honoring people for their kindness. These awards have since been suspended, but now the organization has been renamed the Charlotte Helen Bacon (CHB) Foundation and has a therapy dog program, to honor Charlotte’s love of dogs. Additionally, they have set up scholarship programs to help parents struggling with the loss of a child, as well as to help students striving to be a veterinarian like Charlotte.

To learn more about their organization and what they do, click here.

Players Petition to Remove Girls Soccer Coach

Carissa Maseberg gives AP Statistic help to several students during Lab. Though AP Statistics is a difficult subject and a college-level class, her teaching has helped many students to understand and internalize the processes and strategies needed to be successful in her class. “She’s helped me figure out how to do math,” Roberson said.

Missing Maseberg

Every year in February Conifer students excluding outgoing seniors, must complete their class registration. Students register for classes both on paper and on Infinite Campus, and the course names displayed are the official course names. “Social Media sounds like something that involves Social Media, like Instagram, not a second year Newspaper course,” Fritz said.

New Courses or New Names?

Throughout the season the marching band plays at Conifer football games and competes at several regional and state level competitions. This year at regionals the team placed 7th overall.
Photo by Mary Evers

Marching Band Students Are Getting P.E Credits

Orchestra teacher Laura Sarché held a booth at the Future Lobos Night, on January 10, to meet new incoming students and introduce herself as the new head of the orchestra program at Conifer. The orchestra and band programs held separate booths at the event, each manned by their new respective teachers. “I know that the middle school band kids are going to love Mr. Cartner and I’m super beyond thrilled to be working with high school string kids,” Sarché said.
Photo by Isabella Hess

New Vertically Aligned 6-12 Instrumental Music Programs

Showcase

During the 2023 season players were in constant contact with coaches and administrators about changes they were hoping to see in the program, specifically with the coaching staff. “It was never about the losing…the community just went so downhill because of the leadership that it just wasn’t worth it for us anymore, junior Ellie Chase said.

Photo provided by Savanna Smith

Players Petition to Remove Girls Soccer Coach

Adam Wilton, a track participant at Conifer works on hurdles inside due to weather conditions.
Conifers track team has been forced to practice indoors due to snowy and icy conditions. Players affected with the restricted space and limited practices. “The coaches push me forward and in track they want me to do my best,” Adam Wilton.

Photo Provided By Savanna Smith

Limited Practices, Limited Improvement

The boys lacrosse team warms up for their practice on 4/4/24 preparing for their game against Air Academy High School on 4/6/24. “My favorite part of Lacrosse is that Adrenaline feeling when you score a goal”, junior Landon Hancock said.

Boys Lacrosse; Tearing Up The Turf

SUVs are a Killer not a Savior

SUVs, as of recently, have become the most common car in America, car manufacturers are shutting down production of cars that are not SUVs because it'...

The rugby players practice rucking to prepare for in-game situations. Rucking is when players from both teams try to retrieve the ball after someone is tackled with the ball. ”I think its going really well. We have a lot of new players, but theyre learning really fast. And were getting new people every week that seem to enjoy it, rugby coach Fred Lehman said.

Playing Hard, Hitting Harder

Comments (0)

Comments that are deemed to contain slurs, inappropriate language (including but not limited to profanity), or to be harmful or hurtful in nature will be deleted. Comments that are unrelated to the content they address will also be removed from the site.

Share your thoughts...

All CHS Today Picks Reader Picks Sort: Newest