Sandy Hook Elementary School

December 2012 was a horrible time for Newton Connecticut.  It was a horrible time for us all after the school shootings that, once again, brought the spotlight onto violence in our schools.  After one teenager killed 26 people (20 of whom were children), there was an epic wave of anger and grief and, we hoped, change.

With a new school year underway, it's a good time to remember the massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut that rattled the country last December.

In the wake of the horrific killings at Sandy Hook Elementary School last week, Americans across the country are wondering how they can aid the families of the victims. There are numerous methods to donate money, but you also can help in other ways, such as volunteering your time, writing a card or letter, or sending a teddy bear to a child in Newtown.

Authorities have released the names of the victims of Friday's mass shooting in Newtown, Connecticut, in which Adam Lanza, 20, reportedly killed 27 people, as well as himself. Lanza's rampage began when he shot and killed his mother, Nancy, at her home before he drove to Sandy Hook Elementary School and killed six adults and 20 children before taking his own life.