Palm Coast, FL - Members of Flagler Palm Coast High School's "Bulldog Patrol"
That invite came from Pinellas County Sheriff Bob Gualtieri, who heads the Marjory Stoneman Douglas Public Safety Commission, which is scheduled to meet next month in Sunrise, Florida.
FPC's Bulldog Patrol first got noticed back in January when Damien Kelly, head of Florida's Office of Safe Schools, visited Flagler County to see how security improvements were being handled through the district.
After watching a presentation from the Bulldog Patrol, Kelly suggested to Sheriff Gualtieri that the Bulldog Patrol give their presentation in front of the full commission.
According to Flagler County Schools, the group has assembled "classroom survival kits" with the help of FPC's Fire Leadership Academy, organized first-aid training for teachers.
The Bulldog Patrol also worked with students in the school's Air Force JROTC and aeronautics program to formulate a plan for first responders to use drones to monitor the campus in emergency situations. The group also worked with Flagler County Sheriff Rick Staly to have K-9 units randomly patrol their school.
"I think the power of our students is extraordinary," said Flagler Superintendent James Tager. "This is an honor for our district."
Tager, who spoke on the presentation earlier today (March 5th), is scheduled to give a more detailed update at the school board's meeting on March 19th, where he says he will recommend the board approve their travel to south Florida.
He also mentioned that Kelly said no other school out of the 67 districts in the entire state had students lead a safety presentation.
The Marjory Stoneman Douglas Public Safety Commission is set to meet between April 9th and 10th at the BB&T Center in Sunrise, Florida, just northwest of Fort-Lauderdale.
The FPC Bulldog Patrol is made up of Nicholas Blumengarten, Abigail Carver, Sydni Leon, Gabrielle Jackson, Katia Martynuk, William Patin and led by teacher Diane Tomko.
Winnie Oden, the Safety Consultant with Flagler Schools and James Tager will also travel with the team.
Photos courtesy of Flagler County Schools.
