NEWTOWN, Conn. (AP) The six educators killed in the December massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary School have been honored by an organization composed of Medal of Honor recipients.

The Congressional Medal of Honor Society presented awards Monday in Newtown to the families of the women killed in the Dec. 14 shooting.

The society said it chose Rachel D'Avino, Dawn Hochsprung, Anne Marie Murphy, Lauren Rousseau, Mary Sherlach and Victoria Soto to receive its Citizen Honors Medal, the highest award it gives to a civilian, after receiving dozens of nominations for their actions during the shooting.

Janet Robinson, the former superintendent of schools in Newtown, said the educators acted to protect the children and there is nobody more worthy of the award.