Sacramento NLPOA
"Keeping Our Students Safe"
Olga Arellano, Principal and Executive Board Member
of the National Latino Peace Officers Association, Sacramento CA.
Ethel I. Baker Elementary School
Sacramento City Unified School District
On January 19, 2012, Ms. Olga Arellano, Ethel I Baker Elementary School Principal sponsored a "Keeping Our Students Safe" night, for the community and her students, who live in the Fruitridge Area of Sacramento CA. Ms. Arellano had Sheriff's Deputies from the National Latino Peace Officers Association - Sacramento Chapter, along with the Sacramento County Sheriff's Toy Project and Youth Services Unit make presentations to the students regarding "Gang Awareness." The goal of the event was to inform students and parents how to stay safe in their community. The school auditorium was packed with over two hundred students and parents in attendance. Parents and students were provided pizza while they listened to the law enforcement officers who spoke both English and Spanish while giving their presentations. Later the officers talked individually with the parents and children and gave away "sticker badges" and whistles, which the children loved. Upon completion of the two and a half hour event officers raffled off a new bicycle, that was given to one of the Ethel I Baker Elementary School Students.
Ms. Arellano said, "Our mission is to make Ethel I Baker Elementary School one of the finest urban elementary schools in the Sacramento City Unified School District where every student is a valued individual and we meet the intellectual, social, moral, physical and creative needs of all, so that our students grow into lifelong learners and productive, empowered citizens.
Ms. Arellano was born in Mexico and has served the Sacramento Community, as Ethel I Baker Principal, for eight years. Mr. Arellano has always been active in her community and is now on the Executive Board of the National Latino Peace Officers Association – Sacramento Chapter, working with Officers from the Sheriff’s Department and the Sacramento Police Department, to make Sacramento a better place to live.
Ms. Arellano said "this is just another twelve hour day for me but it's a labor of love for me to provide my students with a meaningful education.
By Andrew J. Cruz, Photojournalist
Sacramento NLPOA
Email sacnlpoa@surewest.net
