Students at Cortez Middle School delivered homemade treats to the Cortez Police Department last week as part of a Sources of Strength project that also gave them a look at how officers serve the community.
Students in the school’s Sources of Strength club organized the project after a student suggested thanking local law enforcement, coordinator and social studies teacher Joannie Olson said. Rylee Davis‑Yen, whose father is a police officer, proposed the idea and the club supported it.
“The police do so much for our community. They deserve to get something back,” Davis‑Yen, an eighth grader, said.
Students selected simple recipes and spent the morning preparing Rice Krispie treats, cookies, chip and dip, BBQ Little Smokies and chicken drummies in the school kitchen. Groups of three or four completed each dish with help from Olson and MCHS Youth Leadership Club coordinator Angela Adams.
“It was a great experience. We got to learn to cook stuff and then got to give it to the cops,” seventh grader Alexander Heiney said.
In the afternoon, the students delivered the food to the police department, where about 16 participants toured the building and learned how officers and dispatchers support the community.
“I really enjoyed visiting the police station because it helped me understand its role in our community,” eighth grader Patience Harvey said. “Seeing how the officers work to keep us safe made me appreciate their dedication and service even more.”
“I have wanted to be on SWAT since I was 10 and saw my first cold case show. I have always loved the work our amazing and loyal team of police officers has done,” eighth grader Cadence Lawrence said. “I am very pleased to say I loved the field trip, it could not have been a better experience.”
Officers guided students through several areas, including the dispatch room, where they demonstrated the difference between emergency and nonemergency calls. A dispatcher answered a staged 911 call placed from inside the room.
“I never knew how much our police force does for our town. The experience was very enlightening, and I was so grateful to be able to go,” eighth grader Brecken Arter said.
“It really helped me learn about a job that many people in our world have, and how important it is to have people in our world that keep us safe,” eighth grader Kinsley Decker said.
The tour offered students a close look at the work handled by dispatchers, officers and support staff. Olson noted that one dispatcher is a parent of a classmate, giving students a more personal connection to the visit.
“Cops do a lot for us,” sixth grader Jazmin Campos said. “It was fun to hang out with friends while doing something important. It was really fun to see behind the scenes at the police station, too.”
“I think it was good that they got to see the faces behind the scenes and they see the seriousness,” Olson said. “What would we do if we couldn’t call? I think that’s what they learned.”
The club, which draws 25 to 30 participants despite meeting at 7 a.m., takes on service projects throughout the year. Its next project includes a visit to Madison House to play bingo with residents and spend time with older community members.
Sources of Strength is a national peer‑led program focused on suicide prevention for young people by building support through community. The group partners locally with the MCHS Youth Leadership Club and is funded by SCYC.
