Edwardsville Police Youth Academy develops leadership, citizenship, patriotism

EDWARDSVILLE - The Edwardsville Police Youth Academy has had positive results over the years in areas of leadership, citizenship and patriotism and this year is again moving in that direction.

The Edwardsville Police Youth Academy is hosted by St. Mary’s in Edwardsville.

John Arendell of the Edwardsville Police Department is a coordinator of the academy and he said there is a lot of “team building” taught through the week.

“The kids get a lot of knowledge about citizenship and patriotism,” he said. “The National Guard came in and taught the kids a great deal about raising and lowering the colors. They realize how the body can work with all the different exercises they do.”

There is a Presidential Fitness test done at the start and end of the academy. Each year, the youth show considerable improvement during the two-week period and at the conclusion there is an awards dinner with parents at St. Mary’s. Those who improve the most receive awards.

Arendell said many of the youth end up being close friends after the two-week camp.

Twenty-five youth participated in the Youth Police Academy, Arendell said.

Five different officers worked at times with the youth during the week and Madison County Sheriff’s Department observed because the county is considering starting one of these camps in a couple other county cities for the future.

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