American Academy Backs the Blue
Executive Director of Schools Erin Kane and excited AA students presented Douglas County Deputy Sheriff Steve Johnson (left) and Parker Police Chief David King (right) with a donation in honor of the Douglas County Fallen Officer Fund.
Information and photos provided by American Academy
American Academy (AA) students and staff celebrated National Law Enforcement Appreciation Day by showing local law enforcement officers and agents a little extra love. The school designed special “American Academy Backs the Blue” T-shirts and sold them to families and staff to raise money.
On Wednesday, January 19, students and staff wore those T-shirts (or navy uniform shirts) all day to show their support for law enforcement and to make officers feel welcome. Retired and current deputies of the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office were invited to visit the school for a free Red Robin burger lunch and their own Backs the Blue T-shirt, courtesy of the American Academy Castle Pines PTO. In honor of the Douglas County Fallen Officer Fund, Executive Director of Schools Erin Kane presented Douglas County Deputy Sheriff Steve Johnson and Parker Police Chief David King with a check for $4,260 – money raised by the Backs the Blue T-shirt sales.
Kane and her staff believe that it is really important to connect personally with law enforcement officers. She encouraged them to “appreciate and take care of those men and women who put their lives on the line every single day to keep everyday citizens, and particularly school children and staff, safe.” Kane said she looks forward to continuing the school’s involvement in this celebration each year.
Douglas County Sheriff Office deputies and AA staff greeted and welcomed students with enthusiastic high fives for National Law Enforcement Appreciation Day.
Castle Pines campus front office manager Brooke Ekstrom, added, “We really value the relationship we have with local law enforcement, and we welcome them into our campus building every day. Their presence is important for our students to see and we love having them here.” The front office always keeps a special basket of snacks set aside just for visiting law enforcement and school marshals.
AA is a Douglas County public charter school with an emphasis on STEAM which serves approximately 2,700 students in preschool through eighth grade. For more information about AA, visit www.aak8.org.
