Eager Poinciana Elementary School fifth graders took to the starting line on bikes, roller skates and trusty sneakers the morning of Oct. 28 as Key West police officers clocked their speed with legit radar guns for the quarterly Pelicans and Police school event.
Fifth grade math teacher Sarah Garr created the event six years ago to build lasting and friendly relationships between kids and police officers while also teaching math, career — and early driving — lessons. .
“Chief Sean Brandenburg and I wanted to create an opportunity for our fifth graders — our young leaders — to form a connection with Key West police officers,” said Garr. “Especially nowadays with everything that’s on social media, it’s important to have positive relationships with police officers. Chief Brandenburg has been instrumental in securing funding for the event through the Rotary and Masonic Lodge.”
Every quarter, Garr and Brandenburg host activities for students and police officers, including scavenger hunts and field days, to help kids feel more comfortable and familiar with local law enforcement.
“The day I was sworn in as police chief, my opening statement read, ‘Get to know us before you need us,’” Brandenburg told the Keys Weekly. “I feel like if you know the person you’re helping, it’s a safer encounter for both of us.”
As the fifth graders dashed past the uniformed officers for their morning race, their classmates recorded speed times on math worksheets Garr had created, tracking their results to find the mean, mode, median and range — turning the races into a hands-on math lesson.
There was no shortage of energy as students ran friendly races with their peers and even a few teachers. Even Principal Tara Whitehead stepped up to the starting line as kids and parents cheered her on.
After the races, students gathered around the officers, asking all kinds of questions they’d come up with themselves, from “Why did you become a police officer?” to “What’s your favorite piece of gear?” and even “What’s the scariest thing you’ve seen?” The officers were as quick with their answers as the kids were on their feet.
The exchange gave students valuable insight into the world of policing while teaching them how to interact confidently and respectfully with people in positions of authority. The day wrapped up with donuts, “power rings,” as the chief calls them, before everyone headed back to their “stations” for the day.
