Wednesday morning, students and staff at Indian Lake Elementary recently became the very first group in Ohio to meet the state’s brand-new school safety mascot, “Cheese.”
Representatives from the Ohio School Safety Center introduced the emotional support dog mascot during the conclusion of the school’s Summer Reading Kick Off assembly.
According to James Burke with the Ohio School Safety Center, the idea for Cheese began several years ago when kindergarten students in Mrs. Sarah Elliott’s class helped provide feedback for a school safety comic book project.
The comic was designed to teach students about important topics, including bullying prevention, bus safety, tip lines, and other school safety concepts.
Burke said the students enjoyed the comic’s main hero character, LJ Mac, but believed he needed an animal companion.
“So I got the idea, since LJ is on School Safety Patrol, one of his duties is to take care of Cheese — the school’s emotional support dog,” Burke explained. “That led to let’s get a mascot costume, and today we thought it only appropriate for the first people to be able to see Cheese were the ones who came up with the idea here at Indian Lake Elementary.”
Following the mascot’s debut, students had the opportunity to give Cheese hugs and high-fives.
Each student will also receive a copy of the new comic book, “The Adventures of LJ Mac and Cheese — Summertime Blues.”
The school also announced that students who complete the Summer Reading Program’s 30-book challenge will be entered into a drawing for the chance to have their name used as a character in a future edition of the “Mac and Cheese” comic series.
Schools interested in scheduling a visit from Cheese can learn more through the Ohio School Safety Center.
