Staying connected: A school police officer helping students find lessons and free meals

HARFORD COUNTY (WBFF) -- With the remainder of the school year still up in the air in Maryland, students remain home as parents try to do their best to continue educating them.

But a school resource officer in Harford County is stepping up to give those parents a little help.

Officer Jason Neidig is a School Resource Officer at Aberdeen Middle School and has held the position for 4 years.

"When I became a School Resource Officer I wanted to take it a step further," Neidig said. "Interact more with the students more than just being in the school."

With schools closed due to COVID-19, he's taken that mentality even further by using social media to connect with socially distant students.

"The need is definitely there to stay connected," Neidig said. "Just building that bond is just really important, especially in today's society."

He posts daily videos on Instagram and YouTube, giving students updates on lesson plans and free meal. Neidig also holds contests to keep the kids engaged, including his weekly "TikTok Tuesday."

"The students were iffy at first, they weren't sure if they should follow me on Instagram," Neidig said. "But as the students got to know me, they got to know that I'm a human being and I'm a person."

A person just trying to give children some consistency in these uncertain times.

"Just to let the students know that hey I haven't forgotten about you I'm still there," Neidig said."