Jose Cruz, a 2017 graduate of Ellenville High School, said that because of the support he received from his teachers there, he made it his lifelong goal to help others in need—first by becoming a police officer, and then by becoming an educator himself.
“Growing up in Ellenville was very unique,” said Cruz, who attended Ellenville Elementary School from Kindergarten through Grade 3 before moving to Puerto Rico. “The summers were fun and filled with basketball, soccer, and rollerblading all across town with my cousin Wesley and my best friend Josue,” he remembered.
Luckily for Cruz, his family moved back to Ellenville, and he was able to start Grade 7 at the Middle School (now the Junior High School). “It was great because I was able to reunite with my cousin and all of my old friends,” he said fondly. During his remaining time at Ellenville, he enjoyed participating in many sports—including soccer, cross country, basketball, outdoor track, and tennis.
Cruz recalled the positive impact that so many individuals had on him. He names many favorites, including Bryan Bonitz, Kristy Wilson, Philip Althouse, Patricia Segal, and Janine Roosa. “They are all are memorable and will always be very special to me,” he said. “They were all there for me, and helped shape the young man that I am today.”
After graduating from the High School, Cruz attended SUNY Cortland, earning a Bachelor of Arts in Criminology in 2021. He then entered the Broome County Law Enforcement Academy, where he was a platoon leader who helped guide his class during the seven-month training. This accomplishment brings him great pride. “Being able to help others in their time of need was great,” he said. In November 2021, Cruz officially began his career as a police officer with the City of Binghamton Police Department.
“Being a police officer was a great experience and was something I always wanted to do since I was little,” said Cruz. As one of only two Latino officers serving a very diverse community, Cruz often used his Spanish-speaking skills to help translate for those who didn’t speak English fluently. During this time he also saw another opportunity to be a positive influence on the community members. “As a police officer, I was able to be my authentic self,” he said. “I tried to show the people we served, who may have been thinking negatively about the police department, that not all police officers are bad.”
Despite a burgeoning career, Cruz began thinking about changing direction and going into the field of education when he had a family of his own. “As I got older, I quickly learned that nothing is more important than time,” he said. “We will never be able to get our time back, and that had an influence on my decision to go into teaching.” After two years with the City of Binghamton Police Department, Cruz moved to Miami, Florida, and began working as a middle school Science teacher at the KIPP (Knowledge Is Power Program) Courage Academy.
At the Academy, he said, he is again able to help others in need. “The students I teach are at an age where they are easily influenced by outside factors,” he said. “But I am able to influence them to want to better themselves, both academically and personally. Hopefully, I can help guide them to do the right thing.”
In the future, Cruz would like to teach Physical Education. “This will allow me to give back and hopefully become a role model to the younger generation,” he said. “Just like the way my teachers in Ellenville did for me.”
