Good morning, Hopkinton! Welcome to the daily update we call Hopkinton Today — a quick recap of yesterday’s news, highlights of what’s on tap, and a photo of the day.

Sweet Scoops intended to foster positive interactions between officers, youth

HPD Officer Augusto Diaz issues “Sweet Scoop Citations” to two Hopkinton High School students last year. PHOTO/HOPKINTON POLICE

The Hopkinton Police Department’s Sweet Scoop Citations program is back again this year, ready to hand out rewards to deserving Hopkinton youth.

“It’s a great way [for the department] to interact with kids,” said school resource officer Augusto “Goose” Diaz.

Sweet Scoops began in Hopkinton last year as a way of recognizing kids who are making a positive impact in the community. Kids recognized for their good deeds, which can include everything from helping a friend to “being a responsible citizen,” are rewarded with a certificate for ice cream redeemable at The Spoonery or Hop-Yo in Hopkinton.

Diaz, who runs the program, borrowed the idea from a friend and colleague at the West Boylston Police Department. He noted that other departments now are implementing the program and are using it to connect officers with local youth.

“We have a lot of young guys in our department,” Diaz explained. He went on to say the program is aimed at developing “as many positive interactions as we can with these kids.”

Added Diaz: “It’s important that the kids in the community know the patrolmen and women that work here.” He pointed to the ways in which positive interactions with police officers can create a lasting, positive impression.

Diaz runs the program with Hopkinton police dispatcher Rob Savolt, who helps with tracking the program’s metrics and social media outreach. Diaz says Savolt has volunteered “countless hours” to help make Sweet Scoops a success.

“Rob is the brains of the operation,” said Diaz. “We’re a great team.”

Connecting with kids is something Diaz cares a lot about. A former teacher with a history of coaching youth football and volunteering with kids in the Worcester area, he saw firsthand the impact positive policing can have on kids.

“The only reason I became a police officer was to become an SRO,” Diaz said, noting his aim is to help kids as much as he can.

As part of his work with Hopkinton’s youth, Diaz is going the extra mile by hosting a celebration at the end of the school year (June 23) on the Town Common. He has partnered with sponsors such as BoMain, Price Chopper, AllTown Fresh and more to bring an afternoon of games, pizza and fun to Hopkinton students.

Latest News

Our latest Sports Roundup covers Hopkinton High School softball’s advancement to the next round of the Division 2 state tournament after a win against Marblehead, and baseball’s loss to Reading on Wednesday.

The Select Board on Tuesday voted to approve $90.4 million in short-term and long-term financing for the town’s capital projects after receiving bids from loan vendors.

Ahead of a vote on June 17 regarding water and sewer rates, the Select Board on Tuesday night heard from the town’s consultant, Department of Public Works Director Kerry Reed and Water-Sewer Manager Eric Carty on proposed rate options.

Hopkinton resident and retired cardiologist Dr. Joshua Greenberg is exploring new avenues of healing in his short documentary “Postures for Life,” which profiles how yoga has transformed his life and the lives of others.

This week’s Police Log features two arrests, along with reports of rowdy teenagers, an individual falling in the woods and a car doing doughnuts on Saddle Hill Road.

Town meetings tonight include the Open Space Preservation Commission (7).

Photo of the Day

An individual and a dog walk along the sidewalks of the Legacy Farms housing development late in the day.

PHOTO/AMIT JAGDALE