Officer Gets an ‘A+’ on Idea to Aid Students

Sometimes the most ingenious ideas sound so simple you wonder why they haven’t been thought of before.

The Cypress Police Department has been trying to come up with unique ways to help problem students at lower grade levels as a measure to prevent future crime. Officer Brian Walquist suggested this one:

Why not put volunteer senior citizens--people who have retired but still have a lot to offer--into classrooms to assist teachers with students who are struggling? The students get special attention and the seniors gain satisfaction from helping them.

Bravo!

The Police Department called the school system and the Cypress Senior Center, everybody recognized this for the terrific idea it was, and things are rolling.

The first program will begin next month at Swain Elementary School.

Several seniors have already signed up as volunteers, said Shelley Hellen, activities director of the Cypress Senior Center. But don’t think it’s open only to seniors who spend their time there.

My suggestion is, if you live anywhere close to the Cypress area, and you’ve got time to volunteer--whether it’s a full day or just an hour--this is an opportunity to help someone who needs it. You can work one-on-one with students or in small groups. The first meeting--and Hellen stressed it’s important to attend if you want to get involved--is Jan. 28 at the Cypress Senior Center. Call (714) 229-6776 for more details.

“We see everybody winning in this--the students, the teachers and the seniors,” Hellen said.

Cypress Step II: The Cypress police have another idea they will soon implement, this one at King Elementary School. They plan to have police officers work with students after school, helping them with homework or perhaps some athletic exercises.

Sgt. George Re, who heads the department’s community action team, says this is part of its La Salle Street project. A department survey showed concern by residents in the La Salle Street area about a possible increase in neighborhood gang activity. Many of the young people in the area go to King Elementary.

Stephen Teschke, principal at King Elementary (which was named after the late Clara King, the city’s first librarian), says he and his staff gladly embraced the police suggestion.

“Our school and Swain are in Cypress’ lowest economic area,” he said. “We have some students who could benefit, some perhaps from single-parent homes. We’re quite excited that this is going to be great for us.”

Sgt. Re says the Swain and King programs are an experiment. “We don’t have a lot of manpower. But if we can get others in the community together, we can all help each other.”

A Special Day for Another King: Martin Luther King Jr. Elementary School in Santa Ana, the first county school named for the great civil rights leader slain in 1968, will hold its dedication and grand opening ceremonies today--along with a tribute to Dr. King. The school has 797 students. The banner that will wave above the outdoor patio ceremonies reads: “The Dream Continues.”

The Rev. John McReynolds will read King’s “I Have a Dream” speech from the 1963 March on Washington. And the school will have a couple of special guests: Jermaine Jackson and Jackie Jackson of the Jackson Five pop group. One of the teachers happens to be a family friend of the Jacksons. The Jacksons won’t sing but want to speak to the students.

Frances Byfield, the school’s principal, had been the principal at Adams Elementary. She had a special reason for seeking the new assignment when the Martin Luther King school opened in July: As a youngster growing up in Alabama, she once met King.

She lived across the street from a church where he spoke several times. “His voice was so powerful,” she said. “He had a way of moving you.”

She told me that the experience of meeting him, though it was brief, meant a great deal to her, especially as she got older and learned more about what he meant to a changing America of the ‘60s.

“I share many of his ideals,” she said, “and I hope to pass much of that along to other students here.”

Little Xena: We enjoyed our family outing to the Xena festival in Burbank last weekend, despite a mishap or two. I was waiting to interview Lucy Lawless, who plays TV’s “Xena: Warrior Princess,” while she was doing a TV sound bite. Suddenly we all heard a crash from the back of the room. My 4-year-old daughter had accidentally sent a heavy piece of lighting equipment falling to the ground, turning my wife red-faced. My daughter also swiped a publicist’s orange soda, assuming it was there for her.

Thousands of enthusiastic Xena fans of all ages showed up. But who could have had more fun than 8-year-old Mahdice Fazeli of Irvine? Her mother, Wendy Fazeli, had taken along the Xena costume she’d made her daughter for Halloween, in case there was a chance for a picture of the girl with Lucy Lawless. When they got there, they discovered there was a Xena look-alike contest.

So how does this little fairy tale end? You betcha! Mahdice not only won the contest (she was terrific), she got that picture with Lawless too.

Wendy Fazeli laughed when she told me later: “Meeting Lucy Lawless meant more to my daughter than winning the contest. When she went to bed that night, she said, ‘This day has been a dream come true.’ ”

Wrap-Up: Tuesday may have been the most gratifying day I have ever spent in a newsroom. The many dozen phone calls, faxes and e-mails regarding Tuesday’s column on Martin Luther King Jr. caught me by surprise. I have not had time to respond to everyone yet, but I promise I will.

It was heartwarming to hear or read about so many of your own experiences and feelings regarding Dr. King’s life, and his death. The day made me feel pretty good that my wife and I not only work in Orange County, but are raising our children here.

Jerry Hicks’ column appears Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. Readers may reach Hicks by call-ing the Times Orange County Edition at (714) 966-7823 or by fax to (714) 966-7711, or e-mail [email protected]