Destin Elementary SRO Named OCSO 2017 School Resource Officer of the Year
Shalimar, FL – Deputy Sonya Shepard has served with the sheriff’s office since 2004 and as an SRO since 2013. She has proven to be the ultimate School Resource Officer, founding several community service and civic clubs within Destin Elementary School:
The Junior Deputy Leadership Posse is for students who have earned membership through a selection process that involves parents and key staff members. These students meet with Deputy Shepard quarterly to consider conditions at school and they assist with organizing events like Science Night, Reading Under the Stars, Fall Festival, Field Day, and the Color Run. Deputy Shepard has successfully mentored 100 future leaders through this program.
The AAA National Certified School Safety Patrol Program is comprised of 26 students per year who have various responsibilities throughout the day. These students assist Deputy Shepard in the walkways and bus ramps by reminding other students to be safe. These Safety patrol students are role models and peer mentors for others.
The Character Counts Program. A student showing good character at school is rewarded with a Character Coin by staff members. 3 coins gets the student into Deputy Shepard’s treasure box. 5 coins gets them a day wearing “Junior Deputy for the Day” vest with a Jr. Deputy Badge. They meet with Deputy Shepard in the morning for foot patrol, take pictures with her and the Principal and in the patrol car. They are interviewed by the media club and highlighted in the school morning show. 175 students have been recognized in this way.
Books 2 Badges is a parent community service role modeling program. By volunteering in the school library, parents or other adults close to a student demonstrate community service and the importance of giving back. When a parent logs 20 hour on their Dolphin Stamp card, their student can be Jr Deputy for the Day. As a result, the School has logged almost 1,400 volunteer hours in the library to date.
She also takes time to teach on various topics and reads to the children daily.
Recently, Deputy Shepard became aware of a school family which had escaped a domestic violence situation in another state and had moved into a Destin apartment. She reached out to the family and found they were in desperate need, forced to flee with only the clothes on their backs. Deputy Shepard immediately began working with her many community partners. In three days, she was able to provide them with all necessary household goods, clothes, gas cards, gift cards and much more.
Deputy Shepard is the lead every year in the scheduling, recruiting & organizing vendors for the annual Youth Week. Also, she collected over 300 Coats for Kids this year for the United Way. This inspired one of her Character Counts students to donate all of her birthday money to purchase 20 new coats.
Through her program implementation, teaching and mentoring, Deputy Shepard has maintained a high level of respect from the students, parents and staff of her school. She continues to tirelessly and selflessly commit herself to the safety and development of her kids.
Deputy Shepard has achieved Career Deputy 1 and proudly serves as a Crisis Negotiation Unit Negotiator. Deputy Sonya Shepard is our 2017 School Resource Officer of the Year.