The Active Defender team took great care and consideration while judging the 2024 essay contest submissions, and we have determined our three winners! A big thank you to all the students who took the time to write and send in their perspectives, ideas, and insights about shaping a safer and more secure educational environment. 

Essays were judged on the following criteria;

• The student highlighted the critical importance of school safety, demonstrating a deep understanding of its significance and implications.
• The student presented ideas with clear and coherent language and logical structure.
• The student presented practical ideas that were feasible to implement in real-world scenarios.
• The student demonstrated creativity and originality when proposing innovative solutions/approaches.

3rd-5th Category Winner: Andrew Gomez 

Andrew Gomez, a 4th grader, is the winner of the 3rd-5th grade category. We were impressed with Andrew’s creative and practical ideas to make schools safer. Andrew suggested that to make schools safer, the following needed to be implemented;

• Ensure all doors are locked; the principal, teachers, and staff are the only ones with keys.
• Encourage everyone to wear name tags so strangers can be easily identified. 
• Hire a full-time security officer.
• Build a fence that surrounds the entire school.

Thank you, Andrew, for the awesome essay!

6th-8th Category Winner: Jake Patino

Jake Patino, a 7th grader, is the winner of the 6th-8th grade category. What a fantastic essay! Jake showcased an incredible understanding of the importance of making schools safer and had great suggestions like;

• Providing teachers and school staff with walkie-talkies, self-defense training, and a personal defense kit in classrooms.
• Installing cameras, alarm systems, and bullet-proof windows/doors. 
• Adding a quick-drop rope ladder to classrooms above the first floor and much more!

To continue reading Jake’s spectacular essay, click the button below.

9th-12th Category Winner: Aden Ford

Aden Ford, a 9th grader, is the winner of the 9th-12th grade category. Aden’s essay blew us away with his deep understanding of how a “few minutes are in all truth the difference between life and death.” Some practical and original ideas Aden suggested were;

• Increasing police presence on school grounds.
• Security checks with a handheld metal detector.
• Adding a security check-in at the front door and more!

Click the button below to read the rest of Aden’s outstanding essay.

Let’s give a round of applause to our three winners, Andrew, Jake, and Aden! Again, a huge thank you to all the students who participated! We can’t wait to see some more awesome essays next time! 

Who is Active Defender?

Active Defender’s School Safety Platform revolutionizes emergency alerting and communication and provides the most comprehensive situational awareness available during a crisis. With Active Defender, ALL staff can immediately know WHAT the threat is, WHERE it is, understand WHAT TO DO, and REPORT their STATUS on a custom, dynamic campus map on their mobile device.

To learn more, visit Active Defender or take the first step in enhancing your school’s safety today by booking an interactive demo!