VIENNA- On Friday morning, the Vienna Police Department presented Dooly County High School sophomore, Langston Owens, with an award for being picked as the first candidate for the Adopt a Friend program. Langston’s goals are to graduate high school and go to college to become an engineer.

“The purpose of the program is just to be a mentor to the students. We want to guide them the right way and just be positive,” said Sergeant Mathis of the Vienna Police Department. “It’s pretty much just keeping a great understanding with the children and making sure that they are out of the drug and the gang field. And if we are talking to them about positive things, then the positive things will always outweigh the negative things. And that is what we are going to try to do here.”

“We would certainly like to thank the Vienna Police Department for extending such a program to this school that lets the community know that the schools are developing a good working relationship and partnership,” said Dooly County High School Principle Arney Bryant. “All of us have worked together to help him (Langston) get to where he is, and we are certainly proud of him and all the accomplishments he has made.”

In the coming months, Vienna Police Department plans to eventually select other high school students from Dooly County for the award each month, and even hopefully extend it to the middle and elementary schools.

“It’s basically just about being here for the students. Be at the school, coming to some of their functions, doing a little of everything,” Sergeant Mathis concluded.