Edison Elementary School kicked off its annual “Start with Hello Week” Sept. 14 with a special “Military Hello,” welcoming students to school with high fives, fist bumps, cheers and waves from Minot Air Force Base Airmen.
Ms. Andrea Lang, counselor at Edison Elementary, has organized the school’s “Start with Hello Week” for the past eight years. The annual event is designed to foster a sense of community and remind students that they belong to their school family as well as the larger Minot community.

Lang was thankful for the assistance of Alyssa Kelly, Minot AFB School Liaison Program manager; Master Sgt. Elizabeth Thompson; and Carrie Driver, a military spouse and financial adviser with First Command Financial Services, who helped coordinate the participation of Minot AFB Airmen.

The Airmen greeted students as they arrived at the school, helping create an energetic and welcoming start to the week.

“Start with Hello Week” began at Edison Elementary in 2021 as part of Sandy Hook Promise’s effort to stop isolation and build empathy and inclusion within school communities. To promote those values, the Edison Elementary team decided to bring in community partners to help students experience a broader sense of belonging.

Over the years, Edison Elementary has worked to collaborate with Minot AFB, including one year when the spouse of an Edison teacher helped arrange for his entire squadron to participate.

However, finding the appropriate contacts at the base became more challenging in recent years. This year, Kelly helped reconnect the school with Minot AFB personnel and coordinate Airmen’s participation, with assistance from Thompson.

The military was one of several community groups helping Edison students feel welcomed throughout the week. Students were also greeted by Minot High School and Minot State University student-athletes, as well as local police officers and firefighters.

The week will conclude with the Minot High School football team and cheerleaders greeting students as part of Minot High School’s homecoming celebrations.

For Lang, the annual event serves as a reminder that creating a welcoming environment can extend well beyond the school building.

“Start with Hello Week” reinforces the message that every student has a place within the Edison Elementary community — and within the larger Minot community.