Fourth Annual Hawks, Cops and Kids a Success

Oct. 8, 2007

<?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = “urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags” />LAWRENCE, Kan. — More than 100 kids and over 70 volunteers from the University of Kansas took part in the fourth annual Hawks, Cops and Kids on October 6 on the KU campus. The camp, hosted by the Student Athlete Advisory Committee, Big Brothers Big Sisters, Kansas Athletics and local law enforcement officials, benefited children of the Big Brothers Big Sisters program from Lawrence and six surrounding counties.<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = “urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office” />

Hawks, Cops and Kids provided a fun, exciting and educational opportunity for youth in grades 3-8 to meet and interact with KU student-athletes and law enforcement professionals. The students were divided into groups and escorted through stations where they learned about personal safety/stranger danger, internet safety and anti-drug awareness.

“For the law enforcement volunteers, Hawks, Cops and Kids provides an opportunity for the kids to interact with us in a non-formal and non-threatening setting, but still allows us to get some very important messages across to them about internet safety, personal safety and drug awareness,” said KU Public Safety Office Captain Schuyler Bailey. “We were very pleased to have more 100 kids in attendance this year, and we hope as word gets out, we’ll have even more kids next year.”

Guest speakers at the event included Miss Kansas, Alyssa George, who shared a message with the kids about bullying and dreaming big as well as Douglas County Sheriff Ken McGovern who spoke about goal setting and working hard in school.

The children also had the chance to participate in basketball, golf, rowing, and swimming stations led by student-athletes from those respective sports. Additionally, Kansas student-athletes from a wide range of teams escorted and cheered on the kids as they participated in the activities.