Thornton Academy Postscripts Alumni Magazine Fall 2012 | Page 9

St u d en t L if e Back row (l to r): Chris Cassette ‘13, Domonic DiPietro ‘15, Russell Heinold (OOB), Caleb Beaulieu ‘14, Officer Jeff Cook, Sabryna Collins Hall ‘15, Stephanie Fuller ‘15, Kyle Monroe ‘15, Seth Pollock ‘15. Front row (l to r): Tyler Chasse ‘13, Jake Moulton ‘15, Kyle Porter ‘15, Timothy Morris ‘14, Kyle Williams ‘14, Mickella Howland ‘13; shown below: Officer Cook and Derek Boissonnault ’15; bottom photo: Tim Morris ’14 at a traffic stop.owland, Tyler Hansen, Josh Moulton Keeping the Streets Safe More than a dozen TA students gather on Monday nights to meet with Officer Jeffrey Cook. They’re not in trouble; on the contrary, they’re participating in the Explorer Program that is organized and run by the Saco Police Department. This summer, Officer Cook received the 2012 Biddeford-Saco Rotary Club Vocational Education Award due to his success at reinvigorating a program that inspires young men and women to consider law enforcement as a career. The program also includes team-building exercises and leadership skill building. To be eligible to participate, TA students must be between 14 and 20 years old, maintain good academic standing, have no criminal history, and undergo background checks. Since they participate in the Ride Along with an Officer Program, they must abide by strict confidentiality rules. Students receive training in traffic stops, firearms, domestic violence, and they learn how burglaries and thefts are investigated and how crime scenes are processed. Sabryna Collins Hall ’15 explains, “My mom worked as a cop for five years. Keeping the streets of Saco safe has always interested me. I plan to become a police officer and go to the police academy. This is good preparation for me.” In addition to the weekly meetings, some students attend a week-long Explorer Academy at Maine Criminal Justice Academy, Vassalboro, Maine; for this, they receive a certificate of participation. -P.E. Postscripts • 9