With the arrival of August and the commencement of the new school year, we’re excited to launch a special edition of our Guardian Angel Giveaway. This month, we’re recognizing educators who not only teach but also prioritize the safety of their students and colleagues. This month, we’re spotlighting four exceptional educators who have created secure and enriching learning environments. These are the Guardian Angels of our schools!
Join us in congratulating these true Guardian Angels for their dedication and compassion, as we celebrate their inspiring contributions throughout this month.
LAWRENCE MAHER IV | Teacher
We will be discreetly protecting our students in the case of an active shooter. In that case, the few armed teachers that plan to act against the active shooter in order to protect our kids will have access to this body armor. Our school is still recovering financially from hurricane Harvey and our budget is capped out for our protection program. On the same note, I personally don’t have the budget to afford your products. An added level of protection doing something that I hope I never have to do in an effort to keep my students safe would be greatly appreciated. Thank you for your consideration of our school.
STEVE GARRABRANT | Teacher
Our school, Lutheran South Academy, is starting a school guardian program to help ensure the safety of our students (pre-school through 12th grade) by having 6 teachers trained to serve as school guardians. There are 2 guardians for each level—Lower School, Middle School, and High School. Myself and 5 others on staff are completing the school safety certification course to be armed guardians on our school campus. Our school guardians are to defend and protect our students and staff. Our private school receives little aid from the public schools, and we have a limited budget available for school safety. If we could provide this type of protection to our school guardians, it helps to protect them while they engage the threat to our students, staff, and school community. Our school is located in southeast Houston and is at the entrance of a low socioeconomic neighborhood. Just this past year we have had multiple lockdowns and shelters-in-place due to gun related incidents in the neighborhood. Our high school chemistry teacher came to us after being a teacher at Santa Fe ISD during their school shooting tragedy. We continue to walk alongside her as she continues to battle PTSD from that tragedy. Our school was devastated by Hurricane Harvey’s flooding. It’s been a long recovery. Thank you for your consideration!
JENNIFER HARTMANN | Teacher
As a school guardian, I will be able to help protect and defend the students and other teachers from my school from potential threats. My school is a private school and does not receive funding from the government for items such as these. Our school is situated between a busy freeway/road and a lower income neighborhood, which has had some gun incidents and crime recently. With these factors surrounding us everyday, I am in need of more tools, such as body armor, to protect my school. Owning body armor would mean a great deal to me as it would better equip me to stay safe while protecting my school. As a school, we have been through so much in the past 10 years I have taught here. We were flooded during Hurricane Harvey and overcame that through the love and support from our families. This body armor would help me protect the students and colleagues that have become like family to me. Thank you for your time and consideration!
BRET SCHROEDER | Teacher
I’m a teacher and coach who is also becoming certified as an armed “School Guardian” (program for armed teachers in TX). Should an active shooter situation occur in my building, it’s my responsibility to get kids to safety and clear the building. I’m a teacher, coach, and school Guardian. I’m willing to step in front of gun fire to protect my students. I’d sure love to have body armor if, God forbid, that situation ever arises. It might mean I can fulfill my duties at school and go home alive to see my family.My school lies adjacent to a neighborhood in Houston where we have locked down multiple occasions in the last 2 years because of gun violence and fugitive activity within a 2-mile radius. It’s the reason we have begun the Guardian program. I’m an employee of a small private school. Funding is available for my Guardian training, but not for all the equipment that would be ideal to do the job. That’s where I am hoping your Guardian Angel program will help me gather the tools I desire to do my job safely and effectively!
