As students hurried up steps in the stairwell at School Street Elementary School Friday, several paused to high five School Resource Officer Tony Lama as he passed by.

The affection shown by students to Lama of the Bradford City Police was evident both in the classroom and elsewhere on campus as he walked through the halls.

Lama’s presence at the school, as well as at George G. Blaisdell (GGB) Elementary School, is part of increased security measures implemented by Bradford Area School District this year. He is one of three SROs who man the high school, middle school and the two elementary campuses.

Lama, who splits his time between the elementary campuses, said that in addition to providing security, he also teaches programs on safety and related issues in classrooms at both schools.

“I do a lesson every month in every classroom at (School Street) and GGB,” Lama said. “Every month we pick a topic and I do a 30-minute presentation for every classroom … I’m on the run all the time.”

He justified this statement by explaining there are 34 classrooms at GGB, which comprises younger elementary students, and 28 in School Street.

“We do the same topic, just geared toward the age group of the school,” he noted. “I create my own lessons and make PowerPoints.

“The first month was an introduction to a police officer where I introduced them to myself and talked about what a police officer does and what a School Resource Officer does,” he stated.

His current lesson is on school bus rules and safety in observance of the upcoming National School Bus Safety Month in October.

“It’s also (National Bullying Prevention Month in October), so GGB is probably going to get two lessons this month,” he said, adding the teachers also submitted ideas of lessons they’d like to see.

Lama believes the benefit of his presence is that it familiarizes students with him.

“It’s awesome because I get to know them and they get to know me,” Lama continued. “We kind of feed off each other, it’s a community relations thing.”

During his presentation to a fifth-grade class on bus and pedestrian safety, Lama held the students’ attention on the dos and don’ts of riding a bus and walking to and from school.

Lama stressed the importance of exiting a school bus, and making sure the bus driver and traffic are aware of the students’ presence when crossing streets.

“Just because all the red lights are on the bus (and the law requires vehicles to stop) … that doesn’t mean people follow the law,” Lama remarked while instructing students to wait for the bus driver to motion them to cross a street when it is deemed safe.

Fifth-grade teacher Lisa McGinnis said she appreciates Lama’s programs as they are informative for the students.

“And they all love Officer Lama,” McGinnis added.

Principal Sarah Tingley shared similar thoughts on Lama.

“Officer Lama is an invaluable member of our School Street family,” Tingley said. “He brings to this position the sincere desire and interest in helping all students and families. Like all of our staff members, he focuses on the students’ strengths and works with them to develop necessary skills so they can be positive contributors to the community.”  

Tingley said the students also respond to Lama in a positive manner.

“When he walks down the hall or into a room, the students’ faces light up,” she observed. “ He always eats lunch with the students in the cafeteria when he is here and this affords him the opportunity to really get to know the students in a relaxing atmosphere.”

While the students appear to enjoy the classroom lessons, as well, Tingley and the staff understand the primary purpose for his presence is to provide safety to all.

“However, the energy and time he is spending with students is also helping change some paradigms that some of our students have about law enforcement,” she said. “These relationships he is forming will serve all of us well in the future.”

Fifth-grade student Jordan Thompson, who asked numerous questions during Lama’s presentation, summed it all up with this comment.  

“He’s a good person — and I like how he teaches,” Thompson said.