Police Department, the program brought dozens of youths between the ages of 14 and 15 to Fort Ja... VIEW ORIGINAL
On a familiarly hot and muggy Friday morning, cadets stormed off their white vans greeted by the cadence of a drill sergeant's voice.
This is obviously not out of the ordinary at Fort Jackson, except that these particular cadets
are between the ages of 14 and 15.
These young adults are a part of the Sumter Youth Corps, which is run by the Sumter Police
Department. The organization's goal is to provide "at-risk" teenage boys and girls with
a solid foundation related to job and life skills.
Pete Schmid has been with the program since 1999, and works as a resource officer at
Bates Middle School in Sumter. The program has significantly improved community relations
and has helped build character in these young men and women.
"It's to show these kids that life isn't just a joke," said Schmid. "Every opportunity I get I
tell them that life's about your choices and the consequences of those choices."
"You can see a lot of difference in the kids," said Ben Stiles, a second year veteran of the program. "It builds character."
But this isn't your average summer camp.
These young adults go through a selection process. They have to submit a resume and go
through an interview with one of their school resource officers that work with the program.
Applicants must also live within the Sumter city limits and fall into a certain financial demographic
to qualify. Once the city approves them, they have themselves a real job.
The teens work from Monday through Thursday maintaining the city grounds,whether than means cutting grass, trimming hedges or picking up trash. Fridays are reserved for educational field trips. They learn what it means to earn a paycheck, and the pride that comes from honest work. They also
learn how to act accordingly in a workplace environment.
On a familiarly hot and muggy Friday morning, cadets stormed off their white vans greeted by the cadence of a drill sergeant's voice.
This is obviously not out of the ordinary at Fort Jackson, except that these particular cadets
are between the ages of 14 and 15.
These young adults are a part of the Sumter Youth Corps, which is run by the Sumter Police
Department. The organization's goal is to provide "at-risk" teenage boys and girls with
a solid foundation related to job and life skills.
Pete Schmid has been with the program since 1999, and works as a resource officer at Bates Middle School in Sumter. The program has significantly improved community relations and has helped build character in these young men and women.
"It's to show these kids that life isn't just a joke," said Schmid. "Every opportunity I get I tell them that life's about your choices and the consequences of those choices."
"You can see a lot of difference in the kids," said Ben Stiles, a second year veteran of the program. "It builds character."
But this isn't your average summer camp.
These young adults go through a selection process. They have to submit a resume and go
through an interview with one of their school resource officers that work with the program.
Applicants must also live within the Sumter city limits and fall into a certain financial demographic
to qualify. Once the city approves them, they have themselves a real job.
The teens work from Monday through Thursday maintaining the city grounds, whether than means cutting grass, trimming hedges or picking up trash. Fridays are reserved for educational field trips. They learn what it means to earn a paycheck, and the pride that comes from honest work. They also
learn how to act accordingly in a workplace environment.
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