Lynn neighbors, students came to schools’ rescue

LYNN – Callahan Principal Edward Turmenne said almost as soon as the news broke that the school had been hit by vandals, his phone started ringing.People from all around the city were calling, some were walking up and knocking on the school’s front door with their sleeves rolled up ready to grab a sponge or a mop.”The amount of support we had from the Callahan community and the whole city was overwhelming,” said Turmenne.A few days later, after vandals left a trail of splattered paint and smashed computers at Ingalls Elementary School, Principal Kimberlee Powers was also fielding calls.”A lot of people from the community wanted to do something and offered to help clean,” said Powers who, like Turmenne, was grateful for support. And Powers was particularly proud of some her young students who offered to share information with the police investigating the case.”The children who came forward have deeply instilled core values,” she said. “These are kids who really care about their school.”There was also an instance of kids vandalizing school buses, with one taken out for a joyride before the youths were caught.