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With the newest addition to our staff, one-and-a-half-year-old k-9 Queso has swept the student body with awe with his adorable features and quirky habits. From roaming the halls, sitting in the cafeteria, or sweeping the parking lots (aka sniffing for weapons), Queso can often be found with the school resource officer, Officer Tritto, for a quick pet and chat. Within the campus, Queso spends his days working on his dual purpose handling and bringing the student body into a safer and more happy environment. From his sweet smile to his spunky attitude, Queso is sure to brighten anyone's day with just as much of a passing by.
When asked how Queso came into Aurora, Officer Tritto, Queso’s handler and dad, said that he was picked through a training company called XL K-9. Queso was flown in from Columbia and picked by Officer Tritto himself at just three months old, and the pair have been working together since. After months of exposure training, and many football and baseball games, Queso was cleared to start working with the school.
When asking the students of Aurora what they think of our newest and most adorable staff member, an overwhelming majority have said something positive regarding him. Senior Shane Siddall suggested that having Queso in the halls has brought the overall mood of the school up, and went as far as to say, “A lot of people, myself included, would want to change our mascot from The Greenman to The Queso.”Shane’s appreciation of Queso is paralleled with many other AHS students. Senior Willa Sabelko had to say this: “[Queso] is a very well-behaved little dog, and I think the morale of the student body has been really lifted since he’s been added to the staff.” Queso has already made his mark on the student body and continues to do so, one paw print at a time.
Our fluffy friend lives on a routine and enjoys his schedule. In the mornings Queso and Officer Tritto wake up, have some breakfast, go out, then load up in the car for another exciting day. Once at the school, they do a sweep of the parking lots and then greet students at the doors. The pair go about the rest of their day training and lifting the overall mood of the school. In the afternoons, Queso gets to take a walk around the school and stretch his legs where he often hears the band practicing on the field. When questioned if Queso enjoys the band, Officer Tritto explained, “When we take our walks, and he hears the band play, his ears perk up and he looks over. Visibly excited.”
When asked if there was anything officer Tritto wanted the students of Aurora to know about our new friend, all he asked was that students look around and take notice of the trash on the floors. Officer Tritto stated, “Queso sees the wrappers and gets distracted while we are training: Trash isn't in his diet.” Queso is a curious puppy who likes snacks and often mistakes trash for food, so when they make their rounds in the halls Queso has trouble paying attention due to the food wrappers, paper, and general trash left on the floor. So for Queso, let's remember to use the trash cans and pick up anything we may see on the floor. So when you see Queso roaming the halls and carrying around his little duck, feel free to walk over to give our friend an encouraging pat on the head.
Written by Maddie Lancon
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