Obama honors fallen Newtown educators with medals

NEWTOWN, Conn. (AP) — President Barack Obama is bestowing the Presidential Citizens Medal on the six adults killed in the Newtown, Conn., school shooting in December.

Obama presented the medal to family members of the six educators from Sandy Hook Elementary School in a White House ceremony. He read their names one by one, saying they gave their lives to protect the children in their care.

The six honored include Rachel Davino, Dawn Hochsprung, Anne Marie Murphy, Lauren Rousseau, Mary Sherlach and Victoria Soto.

Four Newtown school representatives will be on hand for the event.

They include Tom Kuroski, president of the Newtown Federation of Teachers; Joanne Didonato, secretary to Hochsprung, Sandy Hook's principal; Kris Feda, a teacher credited with moving students and staff to the firehouse; and Rick Thorne, a Sandy Hook custodian credited with clearing hallways during the Dec. 14 shooting.

Dr. T. Berry Brazelton, a renowned pediatrician who developed a leading behavioral test for newborns, was also honored, as was former Pennsylvania Sen. Harris Wofford and a handful of others who were recognized for contributions to public service.

Obama says citizenship binds the nation together and captures Americans' belief in something bigger than themselves.