MEDIA ADVISORY: San Diego Unified School Police Take Hancock Elementary School Students on Back to School Shopping Spree

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MEDIA ADVISORY
August 19, 2019

San Diego Unified School Police Take Hancock Elementary School Students on Back to School Shopping Spree

WHAT: The fourth annual San Diego Unified School District Police Department "True Blue Buddies" event will pair 30 deserving students from Hancock Elementary School with San Diego Unified School Police Officers for a $150 back-to-school shopping spree at Target.

WHEN: Wednesday, August 21, 2019, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

WHERE: Hancock Elementary School, 3303 Taussig St, San Diego, CA 92124
Target, 1288 Camino Del Rio N., San Diego 92108

DETAILS: Third-through fifth-grade students from Hancock Elementary will receive a $150 gift card to spend on school supplies, new clothes and shoes courtesy of Target, as well as a brand new backpack courtesy of San Diego Unified to ensure that they will start the new school year ready to learn on school Monday, Aug. 26, 2019.

Each student will be partnered with a member of the San Diego Unified School Police Department. Participants were selected based on need, and include students from low-income families, military families and homeless families. The event is being supported by the district's Children and Youth in Transition program, San Diego Unified School Police, and the Mission Valley Target store team.

The Back-to-School shopping spree serves as the kick-off event to a year-long mentorship program that includes various events over the school year, including educational workshops and holiday gatherings. The primary goal of the mentorship program is to provide support through small group mentoring, as well as to help facilitate and build positive relationships with Police Officers at an early age.

San Diego Unified is committed to giving students the tools they need to get involved and make a positive change in the world – in their classroom, on the playground, in the cafeteria, school-wide, in the community and beyond. Programs like this encourage students to make good choices every day and have positive relationships with their teachers, parents, school police and the community as a whole. San Diego Unified is proud to support the "True Blue Buddies" program for the fourth year in a row.

SPEAKERS: San Diego School Police Chief Michael Marquez, Hancock Elementary School Principal, Target Community Outreach Representative, San Diego Unified Military School Liaison, San Diego School Police Officers, and Hancock Elementary Students will be available for interview.

VISUALS/SCHEDULE OF EVENTS:
9:00 a.m. Students at Hancock Elementary meet and pair up with school police officer.
9:45 a.m. Students, police and teachers board bus and head to Target.
10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. Shopping at the Mission Valley Target store.
11:30 a.m. Return to Hancock Elementary.
12:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. Free BBQ lunch for the students and their families.

MUST CONFIRM COVERAGE PRIOR TO ATTENDING EVENT

Media Inquiries: Isabella McNeil, San Diego Unified School District, 619-341-2343 Imcneil@Sandi.net

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