There is a lot of building going on in Newtown. Some of it has raised eyebrows as trees are razed and beams are raised, and some has been applauded.

But there is another kind of building going on in town that is certainly laudable by most, if not all, residents. It is the building of a kind community.

Within the walls of our schools, educators are instilling in young people the positive power of kindness. Most recently, Newtown High School has implemented the Sit With Us program, a social networking app that promotes inclusion among school-age youth through coordinating lunch times and places to meet. It utilizes a tool familiar to most young people, thus improving its chances of success.

Eating alone increases a sense of isolation, and social isolation has been shown to increase the chance of violence against self or others. Putting a simple tool into place with the support of teenage volunteers is one step toward heading off tragedy on a large or small scale.

The week of September 24-28 also saw the return of Sandy Hook Promise’s Start With Hello program. Like the Sit With Us app, this school program, in thousands of schools nationwide, emphasizes connectedness and inclusion to combat social isolation. It is one of several Know the Signs programs initiated by our local anti-violence/community education organization and intended to educate people of the at-risk signals to recognize. Fighting at-risk behavior through simply acknowledging another’s existence seems like a finger in the dike, but it keeps the flood waters at bay.

Our elementary students put what they learn through ongoing school programs to work, sharing courteous acts of kindness. They see that one act of kindness can grow exponentially as it is passed on; kindness is contagious.

This is the kind of building that makes our community a livable community. It is the kind of construction that trumps destructive behavior and makes work life, school life, and everyday interactions pleasurable. It is the kind of development that promotes progress in a healthy environment.

Students in our schools willingly step out of their comfort zones to be kind in words and deeds. They set an example for the adults in town as we grapple with differing views. Respectful presentation of ideas and considerate responses promote situations in which we can grow the visions of what we want Newtown to be, together.

Improving kindness skills increases communication, cohesion, and understanding. Attitude and tone of voice can set the stage for negotiations; our words and actions can move a process forward — or cause it to stall. Misunderstandings and misinterpretations build walls that prevent progress.

With every brick of kindness laid, we are building a better world. Let the walls we build be only those of steel and concrete and not walls of exclusion. Sit With Us. Share. Start With Hello. Listen.

You catch more flies with honey than vinegar, it is said. Let all of Newtown be the sweet example for the world.