HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, Fla. — At Young Middle Magnet School, crafting the next generation of brilliant minds is only half of the work the teachers, faculty, and staff are doing. The school is also focused on creating kindhearted, good people.
ABC Action News first introduced you to School Resource Officer Rodney Riviere and Principal Henrissa Berry back in November.
When our cameras stopped by, Officer Riviere was wrapping up Anti-Bullying Week, his brainchild. The week ended with an intense game of basketball, putting the teachers against the students.
"The kids are taking to it very strongly. They're coming up to me; I have kids coming up and saying thank you. I have kids who normally don't even speak, they just pass by, and they're coming up and just giving me a hug," he told us back in November.
Officer Riviere also introduced us to the Buffalo Store. A school store that deals in Buffalo Bucks instead of dollars.
Instead of the hot ticket items being the toys or games available, many students bought personal hygiene products and blankets. Many times, those purchases were for family and friends.
"A young man student came in here. He had maybe 60 Buffalo Bucks. He spent all his Buffalo Bucks on blankets, hats, deodorants, toiletries. And I was like, 'What are you? Why are you buying all of this?' Because all at once, it's kind of, you know? And he says, 'Well, I have to get a blanket for my mom; I need hats for my brother.' He did not have enough money to get all that. I didn't have the heart to tell him," Officer Riviera said when we first met him.
That's why ABC Action News decided to choose Young Middle Magnet's Buffalo Store as part of our ABC Action News Gives campaign.
ABC Action News and the Scripps Howard Fund are raising money to help people in the Tampa Bay area, and we’re working with area nonprofits to make a difference. Contributions by viewers are given directly to the non-profit organizations specified to help people in our local communities.
Through your generous donations, ABC Action News, the Scripps Howard Fund, and in partnership with Hands Across the Bay, $3,450 worth of donations were delivered to Young Middle Magnet Friday.
"The city has humbled a talker. I'm so humbled. I'm so thankful right now. This store will go on for a very long time, and it is going to impact the lives of these kids is going to impact the lives of the kids in the community. Let's change the world. Let's change the world," said Officer Riviere.
"I never in a million years expected that we would be surprised with just all of the stuff that you know, we can definitely use to stock our stores, you know, being able to, to see the things that students need and provide those things through this process is just, it's a game changer," said Principal Berry.
Even the students were excited to see the supplies. A large group even joined us in bringing them inside.
Other students came into the store during their lunch break to buy things for family and friends.
The Buffalo Bucks are earned when a student displays one of the four P's: punctual, polite, prepared, and productive. Throughout the week, the students receive Buffalo Bucks for displaying any of those principles and once Friday rolls around, the students can use those bucks in the school store.
"It makes me emotional to know what it's teaching them. Because it's so often in schools, you're disciplined, but you're not actually affirmed for the good things that you do. And the school made it possible. So you know that doing good things will get you far in life; doing good things will get you things they can bring home to your family and to yourself. And that just speaks volumes," said Emily Johnson, Vice-President of Hands Across the Bay.
Outside of the money we collected, viewers also donated to the school, including Ms. Joy and Ms. Mae, who chose to donate Bessie's Love Basket's.
"Before we left for our holiday break, we had two women that just showed up. They lost their mom on Christmas a couple of years ago, and they said that they saw the story and they just wanted to be a part of the giving. And so they came in, and they bought baskets of love that were filled with things that middle school students enjoy," said Principal Berry. "It was as a tribute to their mother, who passed away on Christmas. And they wanted to just give back and found that our school was a perfect opportunity for them to continue their giving. And we were just very grateful that they chose us."
This support from the community reaffirms the lessons the school is teaching the students.
"We are trying to teach them that if they do good things, then good things will come back. So putting that positivity into the universe brings back that positivity into their lives. And so we want to be an example," she said.
As for the reason we met Officer Riviere, he says Anti-Bullying Week has become a movement.
"Every month we have something going on with the kids. So we're basically carrying out this is not just a week; this is a movement. This is something we're doing every day. So I have parents coming up and thanking me. The culture is really changing and the atmosphere is great here. I love it," he said.
To learn more about ABC Action News Gives, you can find the information here.
