'Sadness ... Mixed With Pride'

The six women killed in the Dec. 14 shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School have been called angels for their actions in giving their lives to protect their students. Now they're also recipients of one of the highest awards a civilian can earn.

After the Congressional Medal of Honor Society bestowed the Citizens Service Before Self Award on the fallen teachers in a ceremony Monday, First Selectman Pat Llodra said the ceremony reminded Newtown and the world of "the incredible courage demonstrated by Rachel D'Avino, Dawn Hochsprung, Anne Marie Murphy, Lauren Rousseau, Mary Sherlach and Victoria Soto as they disregarded their own safety to protect the children in their care."

The award is given based on nominations for "hometown heroes" who go above and beyond in service, according to the organization.

"Many teachers and staff members disregarded their own safety that day to hide and protect the children in their care," said Congressional Medal of Honor Society president Harold Fritz in a statement. "Those acts of courage, sacrifice, and selflessness are the very same traits identified with the Medal of Honor; only they were demonstrated at a critical moment in hometown USA, not on a battlefield far from home.  Recognizing these ordinary Americans who performed extraordinary acts at home is the very reason for our Citizen Honors program."

The other members of the Sandy Hook Elementary School staff were also awarded with certificates of commendation at the Newtown High School ceremony, according to the Danbury News-Times.

"Many teachers and staff members disregarded their own safety that day to hide and protect the children in their care," said Fritz, according to the News-Times.

"I found myself overwhelmed again by a wave of sadness, but mixed with pride that these educators stood so tall in the face of danger," said Llodra. "Each time the story is told, I find myself incredulous and heart-struck that this really happened here in our community and that we lost precious lives, 20 little children and six heroic adults."

Dawn Hochsprung and Mary Sherlach died in the first few minutes of the shooting when they heard gunshots and rushed to the scene to encounter the shooter who took their lives. Rachel D'Avino and Anne Marie Murphy died with their arms around students, trying to shield them from gunfire in their classroom.

Teacher Victoria Soto died after hiding her first graders in closets and cabinets and telling the shooter they were in the gym. Lauren Rousseau had recently been hired as a substitute teacher and also attempted to hide students in her classroom to keep them safe.

This is not the first posthumous award the educators have received for their sacrifice. In February, President Barack Obama awarded the six educators with the Presidential Citizens Medal Award at the White House, saying they "gave all they had to the most innocent and helpless among us."