FBI Director Christopher Wray presented the Monarch School with an agency community award for its service to children and families in San Diego.
Afira Arrastia-DeVries, CEO of the Monarch School Project, which runs the Barrio Logan school, accepted the FBI Director’s Community Leadership Award Friday in Washington D.C.
The FBI established the award in 1990 to acknowledge the achievements of those working to make a difference in their communities through the promotion of education and the prevention of crime and violence. Each year, one person or organization from each of the FBI’s 56 field offices is chosen to receive the honor.
“Our 10-year partnership with (the) Monarch School Project has been an invaluable community connection,” said FBI San Diego Special Agent in Charge Stacey Moy. “Monarch School Project’s efforts will have a long-lasting impact on San Diego as their students continue on to echo their values of resiliency, leadership and compassion in our community.”
The Monarch School Project is the nation’s only K-12 public school for students who lack shelter. Because of the unique needs of the youth it serves, the project focuses on helping students gain skills, develop healthy coping mechanisms, explore their passions and plan for a self-sufficient life.
“Monarch School is proud of our partnership with the FBI for the time that they’ve been supporting our fifth-grade class,” Arrastia-DeVries said. “It’s an honor to be recognized nationally among our peers for what we do to support the needs of our region and what we do in partnership with our incredible law enforcement agents to prevent the worst, and to do the best for the people we serve.”
Wray hosted the award winners in a ceremony at FBI Headquarters, emphasizing the importance of community partnerships. The partnerships have led to a host of crime prevention programs that protect the most vulnerable in local communities, educate families and businesses about cyber threats and work to reduce violent crime.
“People like this year’s Leadership Award recipients not only identify what others need, but they are willing to roll up their sleeves and provide services. They are building bridges and relationships while putting in the work to have hard conversations and find common purpose,” Wray said.
