High School Students Write Song to Support Sandy Hook Promise

Press release:

Amber Schaper was in math class when text messages from anxious parents began suddenly interrupting the classroom. There was a shooting at a Newtown school, and Amber’s middle school was now in lockdown. Panic struck; she knew close family friend Daniel Barden attended Sandy Hook Elementary, and she worried for his safety.

Tragically, Daniel was one of 26 innocents murdered that day.

Two years later, Amber’s shock and overwhelming grief has evolved into resolution to help prevent further similar tragedies. In addition to fundraising for the What Would Daniel Do (WWDD) Foundation, Amber and band mate Jason Bangser have written and produced “Counting on You.” All proceeds from sales of the song will be donated directly to Sandy Hook Promise.

“You never think that it’s going to happen to you, not in a million years,” Amber said, ”but then it does. I wanted to get my feelings out on paper and transform them into something I can do best: music.”

As musicians, the two high school freshmen wanted to use their talents to create awareness about mental illness and social isolationism. Although the duo are in the band Jam Theory together, they live in separate towns, and neither is old enough to drive, so they collaborated via email and text. Once they finally got together to play, the song became a reality. Amber and Jason recorded the song this summer with Lisa Ratner of Traxfast Music.

Reinforcing the Sandy Hook Promise messages, the song encourages everyone of all ages to reach out to others, make connections, and most importantly, Say Something.

“Amber and Jason’s song reinforces the message that we can make our communities and nation a safer place by being good bystanders,” said Mark Barden, advocacy director of Sandy Hook Promise, and Daniel’s father. “We are grateful to them for donating their time and talent to What Would Daniel Do and Sandy Hook Promise, and doing their best to make a difference in honor of our sweet little Daniel.”

Counting on You is available for download at Bandcamp for only $1.39. Funds from the sale of the song will be donated directly to Sandy Hook Promise, and additional donations can be made on the link to their website as well.

Promise Day, an initiative of Sandy Hook Promise, states that in 4 out of 5 school shootings, the attacker told someone about their plans ahead of time. “No one should ever have to feel the pain of losing someone to senseless violence that could have been prevented,” said Jason. “Writing Counting on You was not just something we wanted to do; it was something we had to do.”

Amber concurs. “I hope our song has a positive effect,” she said. “I want people to realize that kindness matters.”

To download Counting on You, visit http://jamber.bandcamp.com/releases

To learn more about Sandy Hook Promise, visit http://www2.sandyhookpromise.org.

To learn more about Promise Day, visit https://promiseday.org

Read more on Newtown Patch:

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• Sandy Hook Wow House: Housatonic Hideaway

• Houses for Sale in Newtown

• Star Wars Fan Petitions CEO of Disney to Make Slain Sandy Hook Teacher a Jedi Knight

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