Obama presents medals for slain Sandy Hook educators

President Obama presented the Presidential Citizens Medal to the families of Principal Dawn Hochsprung, school psychologist Mary Sherlach, and teachers Lauren Rousseau, Victoria Soto, Rachel Davino and Anne Marie Murphy. Photo: Contributed Photo

President Obama presented the Presidential Citizens Medal to the families of Principal Dawn Hochsprung, school psychologist Mary Sherlach, and teachers Lauren Rousseau, Victoria Soto, Rachel Davino and Anne Marie Murphy. Photo: Contributed Photo

President Obama presented the Presidential Citizens Medal to the families of Principal Dawn Hochsprung, school psychologist Mary Sherlach, and teachers Lauren Rousseau, Victoria Soto, Rachel Davino and Anne Marie Murphy. Photo: Contributed Photo

President Obama presented the Presidential Citizens Medal to the families of Principal Dawn Hochsprung, school psychologist Mary Sherlach, and teachers Lauren Rousseau, Victoria Soto, Rachel Davino and Anne Marie Murphy. Photo: Contributed Photo

President Barack Obama presents Terri Rousseau and Gilles Rousseau; with the 2012 Presidential Citizens Medal, the nation's second-highest civilian honor, on behalf of their daughter Lauren Rousseau in the East Room of the White House February 15, 2013 in Washington, DC. First grade teacher Lauren Rousseau was killed during a mass shooting that left 26 people dead at Sandy Hook Elementary School in December 2012. "Their selflessness and courage inspire us all to look for opportunities to better serve our communities and our country," Obama said about this year's recepients. Photo: Chip Somodevilla, Photo By Chip Somodevilla/Getty

U.S. President Barack Obama presents Donna and Carlos Soto Sr. with the 2012 Presidential Citizens Medal, the nation's second-highest civilian honor, on behalf of their daughter Victoria Soto in the East Room of the White House February 15, 2013 in Washington, DC. First grad teacher, Victoria Soto was killed during a mass shooting that left 26 people dead at Sandy Hook Elementary School in December 2012. "Their selflessness and courage inspire us all to look for opportunities to better serve our communities and our country," Obama said about this year's recepients. Photo: Chip Somodevilla, Photo By Chip Somodevilla/Getty

Bill Sherlach blows a kiss skyward as U.S. President Barack Obama presents him and daughters Katy Sherlach and Maura Lynn Schwartz with the 2012 Presidential Citizens Medal, the nation's second-highest civilian honor, on behalf of their wife and mother Mary Sherlach in the East Room of the White House February 15, 2013 in Washington, DC. School psychologist Mary Sherlach was killed during a mass shooting that left 26 people dead at Sandy Hook Elementary School in December 2012. "Their selflessness and courage inspire us all to look for opportunities to better serve our communities and our country," Obama said about this year's recepients. Photo: Chip Somodevilla, Photo By Chip Somodevilla/Getty

President Barack Obama greets Gillis Rousseau and Terri Rousseau, the parents of Sandy Hook Elementary School teacher Lauren Rousseau, Friday, Feb. 15, 2013, in the East Room of the White House in Washington, before presenting them with a 2012 Citizens Medal. Photo: Jacquelyn Martin, Associated Press/Jacquelyn Marti

President Barack Obama presents a 2012 Citizens Medal to the parents of slain Sandy Hook Elementary School teacher Victoria Soto, Donna and Carlos Soto, Friday, Feb. 15, 2013, during a ceremony in the East Room of the White House, in Washington. Photo: Jacquelyn Martin, Associated Press/Jacquelyn Marti

President Barack Obama presents a 2012 Citizens Medal to the family of slain Sandy Hook Elementary School teacher's aide Rachel Davino, Friday, Feb. 15, 2013, in the East Room of the White House in Washington. Photo: Jacquelyn Martin, Associated Press/Jacquelyn Marti

President Barack Obama presents a 2012 Citizens Medal to the family of Sandy Hook Elementary School school psychologist Mary Sherlach, Friday, Feb. 15, 2013, in the East Room of the White House in Washington. Photo: Jacquelyn Martin, Associated Press/Jacquelyn Marti

President Barack Obama presents a 2012 Citizens Medal to the family of slain Sandy Hook Elementary Schoolteacher Anne Marie Murphy, Friday, Feb. 15, 2013, in the East Room of the White House in Washington. Photo: Jacquelyn Martin, Associated Press/Jacquelyn Marti

President Barack Obama presents a 2012 Citizens Medal to the family of Sandy Hook Elementary School Principal Dawn Hochsprung, Friday, Feb. 15, 2013, in the East Room of the White House in Washington. Photo: Jacquelyn Martin, Associated Press/Jacquelyn Marti

President Barack Obama wipes his eye he talks about the Sandy Hook teachers who were killed during the Newtown, Conn., school shooting, before presenting them posthumously with the 2012 Presidential Citizens Medal, the nationís second-highest civilian honor, Friday, Feb. 15, 2013, during a ceremony in the East Room of the White House in Washington. Photo: Susan Walsh, Associated Press/Susan Walsh

Donna Soto, mother of slain Sandy Hook Elementary School teacher Victoria Soto, holds a cell phone with her daughter's picture on it while attending a ceremony in the East Room of the White House in Washington, Friday, Feb. 15, 2013, where President Barack Obama presented the 2012 Citizens Medal Soto and others. Photo: Jacquelyn Martin, Associated Press/Jacquelyn Marti

President Barack Obama embraces Mary and Sarah D'Avino before presenting them with the 2012 Presidential Citizens Medal, the nation's second-highest civilian honor, on behalf of their sister and daughter, Rachel D'Avino in the East Room of the White House February 15, 2013 in Washington, DC. Rachel D'Avino, a behavioral therapist, was killed during a mass shooting that left 26 people dead at Sandy Hook Elementary School in December 2012. "Their selflessness and courage inspire us all to look for opportunities to better serve our communities and our country," Obama said about this year's recepients. Photo: Chip Somodevilla, Photo By Chip Somodevilla/Getty

President Barack Obama presents Erica and Cheryl Lafferty with the 2012 Presidential Citizens Medal, the nation's second-highest civilian honor, on behalf of their mother and daughter Dawn Lafferty Hochsprung in the East Room of the White House February 15, 2013 in Washington, DC. Principal Dawn Lafferty Hochsprung was killed during a mass shooting that left 26 people dead at Sandy Hook Elementary School in December 2012. "Their selflessness and courage inspire us all to look for opportunities to better serve our communities and our country," Obama said about this year's recepients. Photo: Chip Somodevilla, Photo By Chip Somodevilla/Getty

President Barack Obama hugs the family of Sandy Hook Elementary School principal Dawn Hochsprung, before awarding her posthumously with the 2012 Presidential Citizens Medal, the nationís second-highest civilian honor, Friday, Feb. 15, 2013, during a ceremony in the East Room of the White House in Washington. Accepting the award on behalf of Hochsprung is her daughter, Erica Lafferty, left, and mother, Cheryl Lafferty, center. Photo: Susan Walsh, AP Photo/Susan Walsh

President Barack Obama hugs the family of Rachel Davino, 29, who was a behavioral therapist at Sandy Hook Elementary, before presenting her posthumously with the 2012 Presidential Citizens Medal, the nationís second-highest civilian honor, during a ceremony in the East Room of the White House in Washington, Friday, Feb. 15, 2013. Mary Davino, mother, is at left, and sister Sarah Davino, is at right. Photo: Susan Walsh, AP Photo/Susan Walsh

The family of slain Sandy Hook Elementary School teacher Anne Marie Murphy, daughters Paige and Colleen Murphy, and her husband Michael Murphy, accepts the 2012 Presidential Citizens Medal, the nationís second-highest civilian honor, on her behalf posthumously from President Barack Obama, Friday, Feb. 15, 2013, during a ceremony in the East Room of the White House in Washington. Photo: Susan Walsh, AP Photo/Susan Walsh

President Barack Obama hugs Gilles Rousseau, father of slain Sandy Hook Elementary School teacher Lauren Rousseau, as her mother Terry Rousseau, watches at left during a ceremony to posthumously present their daughter with the 2012 Presidential Citizens Medal, the nationís second-highest civilian honor, during a ceremony in the East Room of the White House in Washington, Friday, Feb. 15, 2013. Photo: Susan Walsh, AP Photo/Susan Walsh

Carlos Soto, father of slain Sandy Hook Elementary School teacher Victoria Soto, walks back to his seat after accepting posthumously for his daughter the 2012 Presidential Citizens Medal, the nationís second-highest civilian honor from President Barack Obama, Friday, Feb. 15, 2013, during a ceremony in the East Room of the White House in Washington. Photo: Susan Walsh, AP Photo/Susan Walsh

The Soto family poses beneath the White House portrait of Martha Washington after accepting the 2012 Presidential Citizens Medal on behalf Victoria Soto, a teacher at Sandy Hook Elementary School and one of the victims of the Dec. 24 shooting massacre in Conn.. Photo: Contributed Photo\Charles J. Lew, Contributed Photo

Michael Murphy, with daughters Paige and Colleen, holds the 2012 Presidential Citizens Medal after President Obama presented the award at the White House, to the late Anne Marie Murphy, killed at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn. on Dec. 14, 2012. Photo: Contributed Photo\Charles J. Lew, Contributed Photo

Michael Murphy with the 2012 Presidential Citizens Medal that President Obama presented to the late Anne Marie Murphy, killed at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn. on Dec. 14, 2012. Photo: Contributed Photo\Charles J. Lew, Contributed Photo