By Tori La Rue | [email protected]

One Taylorsville High School student was named “Student of the Year” and presented two scholarships at the annual Footprinters Banquet, which was held at the Old Dome Meeting Hall in Riverton on April 26.

“This is honestly humbling,” 18-year-old Saul Ramos-Ortega said. “I haven’t had a whole lot in my life, so I’ve had to work for everything I have, and to see how hard work and effort can pay off in life, and to receive awards when I wasn’t expecting them, is incredible.”

Each year the Footprinters, an association that promotes fellowship among braches of law enforcement, invites School Resource Officers from the Unified Police Department to select one student per high school as “Student of the Year” based on their participation in a law enforcement class, academic performance and service to the community. Officer Richard Bullock, SRO for Taylorsville, chose to honor Saul Ramos-Ortega, 18. 

The Fraternal Order of Police and another police labor organization interviewed Saul and the other “Students of the Year” from each school and selected Saul as the recipient of their annual $500 “Law Enforcement Student of the Year Scholarship.” The Footprinters brought Saul to the podium of the award ceremony once more before the end of the banquet, giving him a $300 scholarship. Saul was the only student at the banquet to receive a scholarship. 

Bullock said he was intimidated by Saul’s tall and broad stature when he walked into the first class period of ____ Law Enforcement course, but he said he quickly came to see Saul’s true character. Saul got 100 percent on each law enforcement test, while getting good grades in his AP classes and leading the football team as captain. Saul loves to help people and serve, Bullock said. 

At the award ceremony Bullock recounted seeing Saul go helped an opposing team carry mats off of the football field after Taylorsville “got their butts kicked” in a football game. 

“It shows what kind of a kid he is,” Bullock said. “Saul has gone through some trials in his life, but he’s been made a better man for it.” 

Saul said he’s leaving to New York on an LDS mission on June 28, but he said when he gets home he plans to become a police officer and a law enforcement teacher. 

“These scholarships will help,” he said. “Any bit of help is so wonderful and will help me succeed.” 

Bullock said he can’t wait to see where Saul ends up in his life. 

“I just wanted to thank him,” Bullock said.  “If he does go into law enforcement then he is going to make us all very proud.”