Exploration of Frank del Olmo Elementary during Career Exposure Event

Revisiting Frank del Olmo Elementary School

Last February, I paid a visit to Frank del Olmo Elementary School, situated on the outskirts of Historic Filipinotown northeast of downtown Los Angeles. The occasion marked the 20th anniversary of the death of the school's namesake, Frank del Olmo, a celebrated Times columnist and masthead editor. Tragically taken by a heart attack at the age of 55, the city and this newspaper vowed to remember him, yet we largely failed to do so.

My previous article concluded with an invitation from Frank del Olmo Elementary's assistant principal for a return visit on their career day later that spring. I accepted the invitation with enthusiasm, as I enjoy speaking to crowds, particularly elementary school students, who like me, often come from working-class immigrant families with aspirations as vast as Clifford the Big Red Dog.

My talks to two classes the following year seemed to go well, so I returned to the school for its career day last Wednesday. The office staff warmly remembered me upon my arrival, and Principal Rania Nahle greeted me in a rec room as other guest speakers trickled in. Some grabbed breakfast burritos and cookies that the school had provided as a gesture of gratitude for spending their morning with the young scholars.

Nahle shared with me how the students had celebrated Frank's birthday the previous week. They had learned about who he was, and some classes even took on projects to honor him. At the beginning of my chat with the first-grade class of Ms. Slayton, I asked if any students knew who Frank del Olmo was. Not surprisingly, there were nods of acknowledgment, and they correctly described him as a writer, a father, and a hero. In the classroom, there were paper cutouts of Del Olmo featuring his signature thick-framed glasses, full mustache, and proud smile.

As I spoke about who Frank was and attempted to follow in his footsteps by writing about more than just Latinos, I noted that while covering the city's largest ethnic group, which almost every student belonged to, was essential, a writer was more than just the group they identified with.

It became apparent to me that the questions this group had were not going to be the norm. Their hands were raised from start to finish, and they probed with unsparing curiosity. What did I dream of becoming when I was their age? How much money did I make? Wasn't I afraid when I did my job? It seemed to me that the Times should consider hiring these first-graders for its politics team.

The students in Ms. Blanc's fifth-grade class were initially more reserved, owing to the awkward age when children are taking their first steps toward adulthood. However, they listened intently to every word I said, and the question-and-answer session demonstrated remarkable intelligence, focusing on my work routine (on call 24/7, like a firefighter) and my hopes for my career (to comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable).

The defining difference between the two classes was the excitement they expressed regarding their favorite topics. The first-graders were thrilled by the prospect of discussing the new "Lilo and Stitch" movie, while the fifth-graders were ecstatic about my having written about Dodger superstar Shohei Ohtani.

While I had hoped to speak to more classes, I had my own obligations to attend to. Before I left, I informed Principal Nahle and the staff member who escorted me out that I would gladly return for career day every year they would have me. I believe Frank would have been proud of us all.

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