Students and staff have expressed condolences and ramped up support of the Virginia Beach Police Department after two officers tragically lost their lives.
Officers Cameron Girvin, 25, and Christopher Reese, 30, worked for the Fourth Precinct, which is near Kempsville High School and its feeder schools. When they died in the line of duty on the weekend of Feb. 21, the community rallied behind the grieving families and members of the police department, some of whom serve as school resource officers.
Kempsville High provided overflow parking and a virtual viewing location during the March 1 memorial service for the officers. Kempsville and its feeder schools collected condolences cards and more than $1,700 for the officers’ families, food and drinks for the police precinct and wore blue in support of law enforcement, including “Thin Blue Line” awareness ribbons.
School Resource Officer Eric Beaver was given the “I Make a Difference Award.” His nomination read, in part: “With a friendly and approachable attitude, he builds strong relationships with students and staff while ensuring a secure learning environment.”
School Office Associate Karen MacLeod helped coordinate the effort.
“Officer Beaver does so much for our school and community that I especially wanted to show him and VBPD that we are grateful, that we mourn and that we are here to support him and his colleagues,” MacLeod said. “This was the easiest way I knew how to and offered to be the contact person to collect donations.”
She added that every Monday her principal, Melissa George, gives students a morning message assuring them that they are heard, supported and loved.
“If this is a message to our student body, then it was only fitting to me, to let the community know her words extend to our community as well — in this case, our fourth precinct,” MacLeod said
Kempsville High’s feeder schools are Kempsville and Larkspur middle, and Providence, Point O’View, Fairfield, Arrowhead, Kempsville Meadows, Kempsville and Woodstock elementary. Several high schools, including Kempsville, Tallwood, Salem, Green Run and Green Collegiate, are taking turns delivering donations to the precinct.
At First Colonial High School’s Legal Studies Academy, more than a dozen students stayed after school to assist the Virginia Beach Police Foundation.
They helped prepare more than 400 thank-you letters to those who made financial contributions to the foundation in response to the tragedy. The nonprofit organization supports families of fallen officers.
Each letter was individualized and the envelopes addressed by hand.
Legal Studies Academy teacher Kathleen Campbell organized the effort. Donations came from the local community, out of state and even London, England.
Junior Jasmine Ranck-Ramos said volunteering was a way to say thank you to the police. “They protect us,” she said.
At Kempsville Middle, students showed their support for School Resource Officer Paul Lawson by signing a poster that read: “Serving with Honor, Remembered with Pride – Fourth Precinct.”
Officer Lawson said tears flowed when he was escorted to the cafeteria and presented with the poster filled with signatures from students and staff.
He told them about his fallen comrades and how they were an important part of the community.
The police officer, who has an open-door policy, said he appreciated those who stopped by to ask, “Are you doing OK officer?”
The compassion and support received at school has been appreciated, he said.
“These kids are showing a level of compassion and maturity about everything and that is beautiful to see.”
At Bayside Sixth Grade Campus, students created cards, drawings and letters for their SRO, members of the Fourth Precinct and for the friend and brother of one of teachers who worked with the fallen officers.
At Arrowhead Elementary, students also created cards and collected supplies for police. Staff wore blue in support.
Staff at Point O’View Elementary also wore blue Feb. 28.
Landstown Elementary students also made cards to support police.
