BY BRANTLEY, EMMA, JACK, NICHOLE, AND RUBY
On November 30, the Hollywood Police Department (HPD) was invited to Hollywood Hills Elementary School (HHE) so students and staff could thank them for all that they do. Mrs. Kraus, Mrs. Vidal, and the HHE Student Council organized this event.
First up in the event, Mrs. Demetriou’s first-grade class performed the song “I am Grateful.” Elijah and Elena from Mrs. Pacheco’s homeroom class read the poem “A Tribute to Our Police Officers.”
“I am thankful for the police officers because there are a lot of places in the world that don’t have police officers and usually those places can be more dangerous,” fifth-grade student Elena said. “Police officers patrol the neighborhood my grandmother is in so I don’t have to worry about her being in danger. We read a poem, ‘A Tribute to Our Police Officers,’ to the Hollywood Police Department as a tribute to them.”
“I wanted to be a police officer ever since I was in elementary school and the police came to my school and put on a demonstration with K9 dogs and helicopters. I fell in love with being a police officer from that day forward, and I love being a police officer because I like to help people.”
Derik Alexander, HPD Major
Many other events happened on this day. For example, books were dedicated in memory of Officer Yandy Chirino and Lieutenant John Graham. They were placed in the Media Center and are available for HHE students to learn more about police officers. Students also wrote thank you cards for the HPD and presented it to them.
One way HPD officers help HHE is by providing a School Resource Officer (SRO) on campus. The SRO ensures that HHE is a safe place to learn and grow.
“We help students at HHE by teaching them the rules that we in society live by,” HPD Major Derik Alexander said. “I wanted to be a police officer ever since I was in elementary school and the police came to my school and put on a demonstration with K9 dogs and helicopters. I fell in love with being a police officer from that day forward, and I love being a police officer because I like to help people.”
“I am thankful for our police officers because they keep us safe. They help me by making me feel safe whenever I am around them.”
Elijah, fifth-grade
John Marino, a major at HPD, also attended the event at HHE.
“My father was a police officer and my grandfather was a fireman, so I was always drawn to public service,” Marino said.
This event showed the students’ and staff’s appreciation for the HPD.
“I am thankful for our police officers because they keep us safe,” fifth-grade student Elijah said. “They help me by making me feel safe whenever I am around them.”
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