Lynn students are enjoying six weeks of education and training in law enforcement at the Lynn Police Student Academy held at Lynn English High School. Front row, from left, Leo Jimenez, Robert Sterling, Nathan Willett, Taysha Murphy, Alexandria Harley, Quinn Brinkler, and Jeleasa Vasquez. Back row, from left, are Lynn Police officer Ryan McDermott, Brendan McCarthy, Eric Jimenez, Terrence McGaughey, Nicole Nunez, Odalis Macario, Carolina Amaya, Dalitssa Frias, Luis Naranjo, Joseph Espinoza, Kyle Bernardini, and Officer Bob Hogan.
There are many very good summer programs to help our Lynn students stay active and to proceed on a path to achieving their dreams.
Our Little League and Babe Ruth softball and baseball programs are top-notch. Lisa Nerich runs one of the best parks and recreational summer programs around, making sure there are plenty of activities for the sports-minded or the arts-minded. Girls Inc., the Boys and Girls Club of Lynn, the new Le Chic Mentoring Plus Program and other organizations are also reaching out to our students during their summer vacations.
The junior golf program at Gannon Municipal Golf Course, under the direction of club professional Mike Foster, is another summertime gem.
The Lynn Police Student Academy, funded by Mayor Judith Flanagan Kennedy and Police Chief Kevin Coppinger, certainly deserves a place among the very best offerings in this city.
Forty Lynn students are getting the opportunity of a lifetime to learn about what police work and a career in law enforcement are all about through this well-structured and professionally run six-week program.
Lynn Police officers Ryan McDermott, Bob Hogan, Mark Lee, and Oren Wright are bringing all of their years of experience and knowledge in law enforcement to these teenaged boys and girls – in an educational and vibrant setting. While the students are learning about the many aspects of the work that that police officers do on a daily basis to keep our community safe, they are receiving some eye-opening experiences such as a recent visit to the jail in Middleton where they spoke with inmates.
The fact that 80 students applied for positions in the Academy accentuates how well respected the Academy is and that there is significant interest in careers in law enforcement among the students in Lynn.
Mayor Kennedy, Police Chief Coppinger, and the Academy instructors deserve credit for making this worthwhile program available free of charge and devising such a productive and educational experience for our students.
Here’s hoping that the program will continue to grow and offer more positions in the Academy next summer.