APRIL 17 - VICTORIA LEIGH SOTO

A posthumous recipient of the Presidential Citizens Medal, first grade teacher Victoria Leigh Soto died in Newtown, CT on December 14, 2012 protecting her students from the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooter.

After already killing fifteen students and two teachers, the shooter entered Soto’s classroom. She had hid the children in a closet to remove them from his sight, stating that they were all in the auditorium. However, a few students attempted to flee from their hiding place out of fear, and when shots were fired, Soto put her life before the children and used her body to shield them from his bullets.

Soto was largely considered a hero for her actions, with scholarships and awards set up in her honor after her death. The mayor of Stratford, CT proposed naming a local school under construction the Victoria Soto Elementary School, and his motion was unanimously approved by the Stratford Town Council.

At a signing ceremony for the school - which is scheduled to open in fall 2015 - Soto’s sister Jillian stated, “In our house, we call her Queen Victoria. Now she has a street named after her, a school named after her … It’s just complete queen status to us. We will never be able to `up’ her. She was the leader. Even though she is gone, Vicki will always be No 1.“