CULLMAN, Ala. – Every afternoon, Eli Calloway, 4, rides with his mom Jennifer Calloway to pick up his big sister Emily from Cullman City Primary School. Throughout the school year, Eli has looked forward to waving and saying hello to the school’s School Resource Officer (SRO) Seth Sullivan, better known as SRO Sully. Recently, SRO Sully asked Eli to give him a little help, and of course, Eli was happy to oblige.
Jennifer Calloway explained, “My daughter is in kindergarten this year, so every afternoon we are in the school pick-up line and he (SRO Sully) just started coming over each day to say hello to Eli.” According to Sully, Eli was a bit shy at first and would offer a wave, but eventually, the two were buddies.
Calloway and her children say their prayers each morning in the school’s drop–off line. Each morning they say a prayer for their teachers, friends and SRO Sully. She said, “Eli prays every morning for Officer Sully to have a good day.”
Said Sullivan, “I walk out in the car line, and this little boy was waving at me from the van, and I asked him why he wasn’t in school. One day he had a tractor on his shirt and I just made conversation, and one thing led to another and then he started bringing me candy.”
Around Halloween, Eli made a point to bring his new friend at least one piece of candy each afternoon.
One day, Sullivan had an idea and asked Eli if he would like to help him. He recalled, “I told him one day that he should help me one day and he said, ‘Uhhhhh, OK!’” For about a week or so, Eli enthusiastically arrived to help open the first-grade car line gates and wave cars through.
However, something was missing! The SRO is required to wear a bright yellow safety vest, and he thought it was only right for Eli to have a vest, too. Sullivan said, “Now, he has his vest, and he comes out and helps and he’s having a blast!”
Eli’s mom smiled, “Eli has told everybody at church. He couldn’t wait to show his dad, and he wears his vest all the time.” Eli wanted to wear his vest around his house, but in order to make sure he has his vest at school, he now leaves his vest in the car. And as much as he loves the vest, it’s seeing and helping SRO Sully that Eli is eager to do every day.
This is Officer Sullivan’s first year serving as SRO for Cullman City Primary School. He is also an instructor for the National Association of School Resource Officers (NASRO). He said, “One of the biggest things we teach them is how to build positive relationships and to be a role model. Seeing Eli out there and seeing his eagerness, that’s what I tried to do– build that relationship even though he’s not a student here yet.”
He continued, “We go by the triad, of course we are law enforcement, but we also try to be a mentor and an educator.”
Eli is the son of Jeremy and Jennifer Calloway and has one more year before entering kindergarten. For now, he is happy going to work every day as a Jr. SRO with his friend and mentor, SRO Sully.
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