2021 Education magazine

2021 Education Magazine LINCOLN DAILY NEWS February 18, 2021 Page 25 buildings on a daily basis and is always willing to assist whenever possible.” Aside from her SRO role, Officer Fruge has worked hard to build and establish the D.A.R.E. program throughout the community. Regarding this program, she stated, “It is so important to get officers into the schools to help educate students on good behavior and making good decisions. This program does multiple fundraisers a year and every penny is given back to our youth in Lincoln and Logan County.” SRO Fruge is regularly helping students across the community, whether it is providing clothes, shoes, or coats, or offering to pay athletic fees to ensure all students have an equal opportunity to participate in extra-curricular activities. Over the past two years, the connections she has formed with students have been extraordinary. As she pointed out, “The most rewarding part of my job is the relationships I am building with the students. Many of these students would likely not speak to a police officer out in public, but now it is not uncommon for them to stop by my office to seek assistance or simply to discuss future goals.” Unfortunately, House Bill 29 was recently introduced to eliminate SROs across Illinois. Without question, this would negatively impact districts throughout the State. Hopefully legislators in Springfield will recognize the many positive aspects of the SRO position and continue to allow them to be a vital part of the school community. [District 27 Superintendent Kent Froebe]