ASIS International Sponsors School Security Funding Competition
ASIS International is offering all 20 public high schools in the Atlanta Public Schools (APS) system the chance to compete for $20,000 in security program funding as part of ASIS’ School Security Funding Competition.
ASIS is sponsoring the competition for the fifth consecutive year as a way of giving back to the community, and simultaneously encouraging local schools to assess the security issues that confront their buildings, staff and students every day.
The competition coincides with the ASIS International 54th Annual Seminar and Exhibits, the largest event in the world dedicated to security, Sept. 15-18 at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta.
“Our hope is that this competition will offer the schools’ principals and safety officers an opportunity to become more aware of what can be done to resolve security concerns as a way to improve their overall educational environments,” said ASIS Executive Director Michael J. Stack. “We have seen the success of the competition and are excited to offer APS this opportunity to provoke ideas that will have a lasting impact.”
To participate in the competition, the schools are asked to consider -- through a series of short essays -- their particular security concerns and how those concerns might impact their students, teachers and administrators. They are asked to describe security risks they would attempt to reduce and/or eliminate, and list specific security enhancements they would purchase with the funding. A committee comprised of security management professionals from the ASIS Atlanta Chapter and the APS director of security will judge all submissions.
“The collaboration between the APS Security Department and ASIS International is a welcomed opportunity for high-school administrators to enhance security around the school grounds,” said Marquenta Sands, the APS director of security. “We are honored to have such a wonderful opportunity.”
The winning school will receive $20,000 in funding to develop measures to enhance its security, either through the purchase of equipment or ongoing training/education for school personnel and/or students. All submissions must be postmarked by March 28. The winning school will be announced on May 1.
The winning school and its principal and school safety officer will also be recognized at a special awards luncheon during the ASIS Annual Seminar and Exhibits in September.
Last year’s winner was Sierra Vista High School in Las Vegas. Security purchases included a utility vehicle and bicycles for patrolling the sprawling desert campus. Previous winners’ purchases included perimeter fencing and security cameras.