FBI - Community Outreach Programs - Field Office Highlights

The San Diego Division completed its Partnership in Education with Vista Grande Elementary School for the 2000-2001 school year, ending in June 2001. Vista Grande has a student population of 500 from grades K-5. Fifteen employees volunteered in 10 different classrooms in the Mentor/Tutor Program on a weekly or alternate basis using the "buddy" system. However, due to the September 11, 2001, terrorists attacks, the Division was unable to renew its partnership for the Fall 2001-Spring 2002 school year. It is anticipated that the partnership will resume in the Fall of 2002.

The Junior Special Agent Program was not renewed at Vista Grande for 2000-2001. The San Diego Division canvassed other school districts and Bayview Terrace Elementary agreed to accommodate this program for 2000-2001 school year. Madonna Baucum, Training Technician, volunteered to coordinate the Junior Special Agent Program. She and COP Coordinator Kelly Luna obtained the appropriate materials, met with the school principal and teacher(s), and designed a course curriculum that met FBI requirements for the program, the needs of the students and the resources of the Division/school. Approximately seventy 5th grade students completed the program by June 2001. This program will not be resumed due to the initiatives placed on the school district this year.

Also as part of the Adopt-A-School Program, Vista Grande students provide artwork to the San Diego Division where it is proudly displayed in the office and admired by Division employees. This is an ongoing program that will continue even though the Division is not participating in the program for 2001-2002.

The San Diego Division, along with the Carlsbad and El Centro California Resident Agencies, continue to be active in promoting and participating in Youth Programs, such as school presentations, career days, student interviews, conferences, and other individual events. The San Diego educational community contacts the Division to request Special Agent and/or Support employee speakers for their classrooms or for FBI representatives to attend informational career fairs at elementary, junior or high schools, and to host tours of the office for various youth groups.

The San Diego Division continues to encourage all employees to participate in large-scale community events. The 2001 year has been especially successful in employee participation due to the continuing support of the Special Agent in Charge (SAC), William D. Gore.

On January 13, 2001, the San Diego Division participated in the 21st Annual Martin Luther King Jr. Parade. Seventeen different San Diego law enforcement agencies and more than 500 chiefs, agents, officers, deputies and civilian personnel participated. The parade has the largest law enforcement contingent in the United States to participate in this type of event. In 2001, 45 agent and support staffers participated in a "Men in Black" theme by dressing in dark, professional clothing and wearing fedoras and dark glasses. Staffers walked and distributed pencils with a "Drug Free" message to the enthusiastic parade-goers. At the end of the parade, the Division was presented with the Black Police Officers Community Award by the San Diego Police Department for out participation in this years event.

On October 21, 2001, 25 employees and their families raised donations and participated in the San Diego Breast Cancer Walk. They wore FBI clothing and talked with other participants about the FBI's mission.

Workplace

On April 26, 2001, the SAC expanded "Bring Your Daughter to Work Day" to "Bring Your Kids to Work Day." The Division hosted 34 students with a half-day curriculum which included an office tour, and a hands-on presentation with the Electronic Technicians and the Regional Computer Forensics Laboratory.

In Spring 2002, the San Diego Division will embark on its first Citizens Academy. The initial Academy date was postponed to due the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

For the fourth year in a row, the SAC encouraged employee participation and attendance in the "World's Fair" celebrating Cultural Diversity on Friday, June 22, 2001. This year the FBI partnered with the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) and had the largest turnout to date. The event took place in the parking area of the FBI buildings and involved FBI/DEA employees creating and manning ethnic booths with various international themes and delightful cuisine. The food was prepared by the employees, to educate their peers on a different cultures. Entertainment was also provided, representing performing arts from around the world, some of which were performed by San Diego's own cast of talented employees, including Supervisory Language Specialist Arlene Arzola-Kloch and Special Agent Celina Navarro. Also present were representatives of the Anti-Defamation League and perhaps best of all, family and friends of San Diego employees.

For more information about San Diego's Community Outreach Program, please contact

Kelly Luna
Community Outreach Coordinator
Human Resources Specialist
9797 Aero Drive
San Diego, CA 92123
(858) 565-1255
(858) 499-7991 (FAX)
cop.sandiego@fbi.gov