{"id":22127,"date":"2024-10-19T01:00:00","date_gmt":"2024-10-19T01:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/goodnewsmags.com\/lebanon\/?p=22127"},"modified":"2024-10-17T19:06:22","modified_gmt":"2024-10-17T19:06:22","slug":"matthew-mcpeak-guardian-on-campus","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/goodnewsmags.com\/lebanon\/matthew-mcpeak-guardian-on-campus\/","title":{"rendered":"Matthew McPeak: Guardian on Campus"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Y<\/strong>OU\u2019LL SEE him roaming the halls during class time. You can find him in the cafeteria at lunch, sitting with a group of students, getting the news of the day. He lends a hand whenever an instructor or faculty member needs one. He is also often one of the first on campus and among the last to leave long after the 3 o\u2019clock bell has rung. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

For Cpl. Matthew McPeak, school resource officer (SRO), days can be long. However, the rewards of his profession make every day a good one at Lebanon High School, his alma mater. McPeak said that serving the community at his favorite high school has been a longtime dream of his. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI graduated from Lebanon High School. I still remember my SRO from when I was a student, and I still have a relationship with him today. So, it was a dream of mine to also be an SRO here,\u201d McPeak said. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

With a 20-year career as a police officer, McPeak stepped into the role of SRO in 2012. Working in numerous areas of law enforcement, McPeak said working as an SRO was a longtime career goal of his. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt was something I had an interest in,\u201d he explained. \u201cI knew some guys\u00a0that had gotten into that division, and they really liked and enjoyed it. At the time, I was working patrol, which I liked, but I didn\u2019t feel like I was making a difference there.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Since stepping into his role as SRO in 2012, McPeak has kept busy in making a difference for area youth. He has been involved with and served on the board of DrugFree WilCo (DFW), a coalition dedicated to combating the effects of the opioid crisis on Wilson County. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMy oldest son was in high school at the time, and I was his SRO,\u201d McPeak explained. \u201cI was looking for something he and I could participate in together, and we got involved with the Youth Prevention Coalition. The Youth Prevention Coalition is the juvenile arm of DFW, and they work to educate on any substance abuse that affects juveniles. I believe there were just six students representing all of the county\u2019s high schools at the time. We worked and grew the program and continued to move forward with it. Now, we currently have a Youth Prevention Coalition in every high school in the county.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

He has served as the chapter president of the Southern States Police Benevolent Association Andrew Jackson Chapter. In 2023, McPeak was nominated as the 2023 adult nominee for volunteer service for the Governor\u2019s Volunteer Stars Awards. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

McPeak added that he feels helping this coalition to grow is among his most beneficial accomplishments to date as an SRO. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cJust the things we\u2019ve been able to do for the students has been rewarding. With the programs we\u2019ve held and the information we\u2019ve been able to get out, I feel like it\u2019s had a huge impact,\u201d he said. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another impactful event with the coalition that McPeak is most proud of is his work with a mock DUI crash that would take place around the end\u00a0of the school year. The event even gained recognition and was recognized in 2023 by the Tennessee Highway Safety Office for the school\u2019s work with the mock DUI crash and the impact it had on young drivers with the Silver Safety Award through the Reduce TN Crashes Traffic Safety Award Program. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI would call in just every community partner I could think of,\u201d he explained. \u201cA local towing company would donate a wrecked car. Fire, police, and the Tennessee Highway Patrol would contribute manpower, and there were even students who participated in school\u2019s theater program who wanted to play the victims of the crash. Teachers\u00a0would bring their junior and senior students out and they were able to get the whole experience of an actual crash. I received a lot of positive feedback from students and parents. Currently, we hold the mock crash every other year and it is still having a lifesaving influence on the students. It\u2019s something I\u2019m very proud of.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Now over a decade into the position, McPeak understands just how important his and his fellow SROs\u2019 roles are inside the school system. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt\u2019s incredibly important,\u201d he explained. \u201cMost people look at that position, and the first thing that comes to their minds is safety, and that is the primary function of us. But we also are heavily involved in community outreach. When I first started, I was in the elementary schools, and there were children that [were] somewhat scared of policemen because they didn\u2019t know us. By being there each day and getting to spend time with them, I was able to make them feel more comfortable and see us in a positive light. That positive relationship with me enables them to have an overall positive relationship with law enforcement as they grow into adults.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

McPeak added that it\u2019s important to remember just how significant our youth are and how important a positive influence is for their and the community\u2019s success. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt might sound cliche, but the youth are our future,\u201d he said. \u201cWe are going to get old, and we\u2019re going to not be in charge anymore. We\u2019re going to retire, and these students are going to be taking care of us. They are literally our future. So, the more that you can pour into them now, the greater return we\u2019re going to have and the greater return to society we\u2019ll have. I don\u2019t think there\u2019s anything more important than teaching, molding, and influencing young people.\u201d GN <\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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