×

Upshur Commission accepts grant to support PRO position

The Inter-Mountain photo by Amanda Hayes Pictured left to right are commission president Sam Nolte, superintendent Dr. Sara Stankus, director of student services Jodie Akers, B-UMS PRO Officer Cpl. C.J. Day, B-UMS principal Renee Warner, commissioner Kristie Tenney and commissioner Terry Cutright.

BUCKHANNON — Through building relationships with students and even starting a running club, the prevention resource officer position has been able to meaningfully impact students at Buckhannon-Upshur Middle School.

That position has been held for all nine years by Cpl. C.J. Day with the Upshur County Sheriff’s Department. The PRO is a cooperation between the sheriff’s department, Upshur County Commission and Upshur County Schools.

On Thursday, the commission formally accepted a $15,000 Justice Assistance Grant through the Division of Justice and Community Services to help support the position.

Jodie Akers, director of student services with Upshur County Schools, said, “We are completely elated with the news that we received it again for the ninth year.

“The preventative programs that CJ is able to do within our middle school is just remarkable,” she said. “That is what our main focus is on.”

B-UMS principal Renee Warner said, “It’s been such a blessing to have Officer Day with us. He is able to go into health classrooms mostly and talk with students about drug and alcohol prevention. Probably, the most important piece has been the rapport he has developed with students.

They come to him and give him information about social media issues. Sometimes they just go in and talk to him about things that are going on at home.”

Day created a running program that meets Tuesdays and Thursdays after school, according to Warner.

“He meets a different group of kids in that aspect, sharing his love of running and developing that skill and love for that lifelong sport,” she said. “We are grateful to have him as part of our team.”

Superintendent Dr. Sara Stankus said, “We are so appreciative of this grant and for your support. Students not only see an officer in uniform every day in their school but they can engage with that officer. Quite often, the students will tell C.J. the things they won’t tell their teacher. They have that relationship and that’s so critical in the work we are doing in our schools.

“I just want to say thank you again to the commission for your support in the program and also in our passage of the school levy. We are so thankful to this community and really proud our community for putting children first.”

Samantha Atchison with Animal Outreach Project requested $5,000 from the spay and neuter fund for a February program to continue spaying and neutering animals.

“Last year, we assisted with 319 surgeries — 117 of those were cat spays and 80 were dog spays. That prevents on average about 2,500 puppies and kittens from being born. We feel that working together in October worked very well.”

In February 2018, AOP ran a special and booked appointments for 176 animals.

“In surgeries alone, that was over $10,000,” she said. “I feel the success of that special was honestly due to the fact it was income tax time and people had the extra money to help get their pets spay or neutered.

“We had so many people tell us that without that program, they would never have been able to spay or neuter their pets,” she said. “We feel we have really been an asset to the community, but as you know, that is not free.

“We are getting referrals daily from other animal welfare groups and our own animal control of people needing assistance.”

The commission agreed to table the request until they could talk with the Lewis County Commission because the fund includes money from both Upshur and Lewis county commissions.

NEWSLETTER

Today's breaking news and more in your inbox

I'm interested in (please check all that apply)
Are you a paying subscriber to the newspaper? *

Starting at $3.92/week.

Subscribe Today