Emotional video of students saying goodbye to school police officer with a parade goes viral
When Officer Conrado Martin’s last day working at Cooper Academy in Fresno, Calif., was approaching, the principal organized a parade for him, knowing the students would want to say a formal goodbye. Hundreds of students lined the hallway on Dec. 12 to celebrate their beloved officer. The district posted a video of the long goodbye on Facebook, and the internet can’t get enough of it.
Police officers are a very important part of our school communities. Officers not only protect students and staff, they build positive relationships with students and support them in their after school activities. Cooper Academy is sadly saying good bye to Officer Martin who, after three years with them, will be taking on a new role with the Fresno police Department. This video speaks for itself. #buildingfutures #together #community #students
Posted by Fresno Unified School District on Wednesday, December 12, 2018
“Officer Martin was our school neighborhood resource officer, but he has been promoted to sergeant and will no longer be with us,” Sandra Auble, the middle school’s principal, told Yahoo Lifestyle. “We wanted him to be able to say goodbye to the students, so I came up with the ‘parade’ down the hallway. It gave the students an opportunity to celebrate him, and many of them got to hug him and say goodbye!”
In the video, hundreds of students line both sides of the hallways, cheering the officer as he walks down the middle in uniform. “I just wanted to reiterate how thankful we are for officer Martin, he gave us three solid years of commitment to supporting our community, supporting our school community,” Auble says over the loudspeaker. Martin dabs his eyes with a tissue in the beginning of the video. Students hold signs for the staff member and offer hugs and high fives. Some even ask for autographs. Toward the end, they start chanting “Martin, Martin!”
“It was extremely emotional because he has supported so many of our students and families and kept them safe,” Auble said. “We are going to miss him!”
“Police officers are a very important part of our school communities,” the school district wrote on Facebook. “Officers not only protect students and staff, they build positive relationships with students and support them in their after school activities.”
The video has 388,000 views, and hundreds of comments.
Parents from the school are taking this opportunity to thank Martin.
Many are happy to see officers portrayed in such a positive light.
School Superintendent Bob Nelson agrees. “We are very thankful for Officer Martin, who is inspiring our kids to be better people,” Nelson told Yahoo Lifestyle. “In a world where everyone triangulates relationships between peace officers and young people, Conrado Martin has proven a perpetual and powerful force for good.”
Martin knew about the parade, “but I don’t think anyone predicted the emotional impact it would have,” Auble said. “Officer Martin as well as many of the 600 students were very emotional as he walked our main hallway for the last time.”
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