PUNXSUTAWNEY – Cpt. Kimberly A. Leemhuis, commanding officer, Pennsylvania State Police, Troop C, Punxsutawney, wishes to inform parents that the enrollment period for the 2009 PSP, Troop C, Camp Cadet Program is now open.
Camp Cadet is a week-long summer camp for boys and girls from Clarion, Clearfield, Elk, Forest, Indiana, Jefferson and McKean Counties between the ages of 12 and 14. The camp is held on the campus of Clarion University and is staffed by troopers, military personnel and many other volunteers. The goal of Camp Cadet is to introduce participants to the diverse criminal justice system and to establish a positive relationship with law enforcement personnel.
Camp Cadet is open to all youth and is structured similar to the training at the PSP academy. All participants who attend Camp Cadet are addressed as “Cadet” during the week, and each camper will be provided with a Camp Cadet uniform which they can keep at the conclusion of the program. The camp focuses on discipline, self-esteem, teamwork, drug and alcohol education, violence prevention and many other issues facing today’s youth.
Events scheduled for the week include radar demonstrations, a forensic program, a collision reconstruction demonstration, polygraph examinations, a first-hand look at PSP and MedState helicopters. Additional programs will be presented by the PSP Special Emergency Response Team, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the United States Secret Service, the PA Fish & Boat Commission, the PA Game Commission, the PA National Guard, the Clarion Fire Dept. and the US Air Force.
Campers will also enjoy swimming, canoeing and other recreational activities that will make this an exciting week that will not soon be forgotten. Check-in for Camp Cadet is the afternoon of July 26 and the week concludes the following Friday evening in a graduation ceremony with family and friends invited.
Applications for Camp Cadet can be obtained at all local middle schools or by contacting one of the troop’s community services officers. A non-refundable registration fee of $20 is required from each boy or girl attending the week-long camp. Additional funding for the program is obtained from local service clubs, businesses and private donors. All applications must be received by May 31.
Please encourage your children to take advantage of this wonderful opportunity and we will see you this summer at Camp Cadet.