Officer Michael Gambrell joined Dominque Ernewein, her father and school principal Shannon Butler at a school board meeting that recognized all of this year's award winners.
The Hillsborough County School Board honored Dominque Ernewein, an 8th grade student at Orange Grove Middle Magnet School and Tampa Police Officer Michael Gambrell during an award presentation for this year’s LEAD (Lead Empower Advocate and Dream) contest. The county-wide contest encourages students to use creativity to express how a local African-American leader inspired them.
Dominique
was one of nine LEAD contest winners who created an artistic interpretation of
how he or she was inspired by a local African-American leader. She submitted a video of a dance number she
choreographed as a tribute to Officer Gambrell, her mentor and former school
resource officer at Orange Grove. While
assigned to the school, Officer Gambrell worked to ensure Dominique and her
schoolmates excelled inside and outside the classroom. He encouraged the students to use their
artistic abilities as a healthy way to cope with transitioning from elementary
school to middle school and adolescence.
Officer
Gambrell mentored Dominque for three years.
After the presentation ceremony he shared, “it feels great to know that
young students recognize police officers as positive role models and influential
people in the community.”
Officer
Gambrell was recently assigned to the department’s Police Athletic League. In this new role, he continues to serve as a
role model helping young kids and teenagers to excel in academics and sports,
while teaching them how to make good decisions that will keep them out of
trouble.
In celebration of Black History Month, nearly 1,000 Hillsborough County students in grades 3-12 entered this year’s LEAD contest. The students had the option to submit entries into three categories: Literature, Performance, and Visual Arts.
By--Janelle McGregor, TPD PIO
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