SRO Salviejo given sweet award at Dist. One board meeting
After a heartwarming presentation from those at Yuma Elementary School District One and Woodard Junior High School, Officer Tomas Salviejo, Woodard’s school resource officer, was presented with the Arizona Foundation for Legal Services and Education’s LawRelated Education Officer of the Year Award during the district’s monthly board meeting Monday evening.
“Tonight we have an opportunity to celebrate excellence,” said Superintendent Jamie Sheldahl. “The Law-Related Education Officer of the Year Award recognizes exceptional contributions of Arizona police and probation officers in furthering education and understanding the role of the law in our democratic society.”
Among his accomplishments are implementing an “emergency response plan” that was “adopted in all District One schools” and starting a food drive for the Yuma Community Food Bank, according to the Arizona Foundation for Legal Services and Education’s website.
Those in attendance Monday watched a video with glowing testimonials from students, teachers and others from Woodard.
“I’m grateful for Officer Salviejo because he’s always spending time with our kids,” said Woodard art teacher Shellie Springborn in the video. “That guy never sits down. He says goodbye to everybody as they leave after school.
“He’s always in the lunchroom, he knows our kids. He’s the hardest working guy on our staff.”
One student thanked Salviejo for “impacting the school,” and said that he is a “fantastic SRO.”
Woodard’s principal, Danny Acosta, was also featured in the video, and said that his effect on the community “goes beyond our campus gates.”
“It’s just nice to know that there’s a safe place where our kids can come,” he said. “And I cannot say congratulations, I cannot say we appreciate you and I cannot say we love you enough.”
When the video ended, Salviejo came up to the front of the board room and accepted a plaque, some gifts and a doughnutshaped cake from those at District One.
“I love working with kids,” Salviejo said after accepting the gifts and award. “And I have a strange way of just being me and telling them stories. Because I want to teach them that life is not fair, but you can make a difference.”