Principal Jim Butler said the idea behind the Diamond Crew came from an article he read about a group of Louisiana dads.

Principal Jim Butler said the idea behind the Diamond Crew came from an article he read about a group of Louisiana dads.

ROCKINGHAM — A group of parents and community volunteers known as the “Diamond Crew” have come together to donate their time to walking the halls of Richmond Senior High School in the hopes that it will do the students some good.

The Diamond Crew is hard to miss: they’ve adopted golden yellow shirts with the Raider diamond emblazoned on them as their uniforms. RSHS began this initiative last week to provide more accountability for students in the halls and bring some positive energy.

Principal Jim Butler said he got the idea from a recent viral news article about a similar concept that was used in a Louisiana school, where a group of dads volunteered to be a visible presence throughout the school.

“It just looked like a great idea,” Butler told the Board of Education at their monthly meeting Tuesday morning. “The goal is to have them in all of our hallways, making sure that students have hall passes and help monitor restrooms.”

So far, about 10 volunteers have signed up. Butler said they’re getting more applicants each day.

All volunteers must pass a background check. They do not have any power for disciplinary action.

A typical shift lasts about an hour and fifteen minutes, but Butler clarified that they can be flexible with a volunteer’s schedule.

Richmond County Board of Education Chairman Wiley Mabe called the Diamond Crew “novel.” Butler said the reception to the idea has been excellent, adding that it’s a transparent, open-door policy.

“It helps hold our students accountable and lets the community see a little bit of what’s going on in Richmond Senior High School,” Butler said. “If you know someone who would like to donate some time, all they have to do is contact me at Richmond Senior High School and we’ll get them on the list.”

For those interested in signing up, call RSHS’s main office at 910-997-9812.

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Reach Matthew Sasser at 910-817-2671 or [email protected].