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Teens’ up-close, personal look at public safety

BY KRISTINE CANNON

Progress Staff Writer

Twenty-four teens are among latest batch of graduates of the Scottsdale Public Safety Teen Academy.

Celebrating its 14th year, the Scottsdale Public Safety Teen Academy invited the two dozen teens from across the Valley to the Tom Hontz Training Facility earlier this month to complete various police and fire training activities and lessons.

And on June 11, the class of teens ranging in age from 14 to 18 — most of whom are interested in pursuing a future career in law enforcement and the fire service — graduated from the academy.

“Attending something like this is very important,” said Chaparral High School incoming senior Vivian Conte, 17. “Regardless of what career choice or avenue you decide to pick in your life, it’s very educational and gives you a better understanding of the men in law enforcement in our communities and just how our communities function, in general.”

To take part in the academy, the teens submitted an application and went through a basic background check.

Recruits were then assigned a squad and a training officer who works with the group throughout the week.

“This is my third year doing this,” said Scottsdale Police Department School Resource Officer Rhonda Aquipel. “When we bring them in, we have them introduce themselves. ‘Do you want to go Police? Fire? And a majority want to go into some type of public safety.”

This year marked the return of the academy after taking 2020 off due to the pandemic.

In order to accommodate social distancing, especially during activities, this year’s recruit class was about half the size of 2019’s class.

But that doesn’t mean the itinerary lacked a slew of exciting, adrenalinepumping activities.

This year, recruits viewed tactical demonstrations by the Police K-9 Unit, Horse Patrol and SWAT; and they watched live

Seth Read, 18, crawls out of the smoke room at the Public Safety Teen Academy on

June 8. (Pablo Robles/Progress Staff Photographer)

seeACADEMY page 21

4 Cadette Scouts bring joy to needy families

BY KRISTINE CANNON

Progress Staff Writer

ust in time for summer, Family

Promise’s indoor day center is now a brighter and livelier area for families and kids.

And the southern Scottsdale nonprofit has local Girl Scouts Troop #2018 to thank for the reinvigorated space, which now boasts fresh layers of sky-blue paint, newly installed flower boxes, decorated picnic tables, and more. “Kids love it from first sight,” said Ted Taylor, Family Promise executive director. “It feels like home – not the one they lost, but a new one just for them.”

The project was so well-received, it even earned the troop – comprising eighth-graders Evie Peebler, London Kai, Shaylin Ligon, and Kyla Quinn – their Silver Award, the highest award earned by Cadette Scouts.

“I feel proud for working very hard and being able to receive this award,” said Sonoran Trails Middle School student Evie Peebler, 14.

Each year, the Scouts complete a sustainable project that helps their community.

The four girls set their sights on Family Promise, a nonprofit that provides emer-

gency shelter and social services to help families move toward independent housing and self-sufficiency.

Since its inception in 2000, Family Promise has helped more than 1,300 families experiencing or at risk of homelessness.

During a tour of the facility, the girls were inspired by Family Promise’s day center area, which is constructed to look like the front of a house with a play area in the yard.

“The girls felt more color and a playful garden feel would benefit the children and adults alike that use the area,” said Kathy Peyton, who is Evie’s grandmother and co-leads the troop with Shanon Quinn.

To earn the Silver Award, the girls had to put in a minimum of 50 hours of supervised work.

Not only did the troop paint the walls blue and add flower boxes, but they also designed the project themselves, worked with Family Promise to coordinate schedules and spearheaded fundraising efforts to cover the costs of materials.

“They did a great job getting discounts from stores, but the biggest obstacle they encountered was the high cost of construction materials,” Peyton said. “They did fundraising to cover costs but had to scale back their project ideas to keep within budget – all part of the learning experience.” The girls made four wood flower boxes, painted them and filled them with flowers. They even took a woodworking class to learn how to make them.

The girls also painted two walls and installed a framed chalkboard and painted two picnic tables and created the designs. “Our play area is the first thing new families see when they enter our program. These children are hurting, with the uncertainty of why they no longer have a home. We want them to see our play area as a fun place, just for them,” Taylor said.

“The Girl Scout project substantially improved our play feeling via new flower boxes, themed picnic tables, and a special chalkboard wall, kid-level. When you enter now, it feels more like home – a really neat home at that!”

Evie said her favorite part of the process was “working together and learning how to build flower boxes using wood working tools.”

And while the girls were hard at work improving the space, Family Promise kids watched on.

“Some of the kids would write signs saying, ‘great job’ and hold them up to the window in between them,” Peyton said.

“I think it is hard for the girls that live in a fairly affluent area to really see and understand the need in their community, but once they understand a need they are quick to want to find a solution,” Peyton continued.

The troop started in March and completed the project on May 24.

“The blessing was not just for our kids and families. I saw the blessing to the Girl Scouts and their parents as well. Their smiles and joy indicated that the ability to help others brings true joy,” Taylor said.

“I believe that is representative of our dual mission: to help families, of course, but also to help volunteers to feel the joy of giving, expecting nothing in return. Joy comes by helping others, since we are all family, after all.”

This project was by far Troop #2018’s biggest project to date – and one that Peyton said was more than deserving of the Silver Award.

“The project at Family Promise is the biggest so far for them as it required coordination with each other and their busy schedules with other activities, planning, designing, fundraising, and meeting deadlines,” Peyton said. “These changes they made to the day center are permanent so will be enjoyed by the residents there for many years.”

For Evie, the biggest lesson she learned was patience — “because nothing comes easy.”

“There’s a lot more that we wish we could have done for the project because Family Promise has tons of opportunities to help them,” said the Girl Scout of nine years.

Those interested in seeing the Girl Scout Troop’s work can do so by attending Family Promise’s All-Day Drop-In Tour Day on June 22.

Not only does the drop-in event celebrate Girl Scout Troop #2018, Scottsdale Charros, Scottsdale Leadership, and AZ Sports & Tourism Authority, but Family Promise will also host a short program highlighting the new mural on the entrance staircase, courtesy of Scottsdale Leadership’s Class 35 Project Lead it Forward, Raising Hope and local artist Laura Thurbon.

Girl Scout Troop #2018’s sustainable project this year involved painting the walls at Family Promise’s day center, decorating picnic tables, adding fl ower boxes, and

more. (Family Promise)

DAR honoree

The Grand Canyon Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution in Scottsdale honored Carla Rock, second from left, as the state Outstanding Student Volunteer. With her are, from left, Valerie Carli, Service for Veterans Committee chair; Regent Karen Andrews, and Honorary Regent Stephanie Troth. Carla is in the Veterans Heritage Project at the University of Arizona where she is majoring in chemistry and food safety. Carla has recorded the histories of over 50 vets so that their stories will never be forgotten. Information: grandcanyon.

If you go

Family Promise All-Day Drop-In Tour Day

When: June 22, 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Where: 7447 E. Earll Drive Call: 480-659-5227 Website: familypromiseaz.org

fire and crash rescue scenarios up-close. Students also participated in firefighting skill stations, basic first aid and triage, decision shooting scenarios and criminal investigations; and they learned handsonly CPR awareness and police riot control techniques from expert fire and police instructors.

“They’re leaving with an understanding of the career and, I’m hoping, a respect for what it is that public safety does — so that ultimately also makes them better citizens,” said Lori Schmidt, public information officer at Scottsdale Fire Department.

Vivian, who plans to pursue a career in law and international affairs, is also participating in the FBI Teen Academy in Phoenix this summer.

She credited the Public Safety Teen Academy for not only teaching her leadership skills but also giving her a deeper appreciation for law enforcement.

“It allows for a lot of good life lessons, whether it’s leadership or working in teams. It gives you a lot of good skills that you need in order to operate more efficiently in college,” she said.

Lily Harris, 15, slides down a ladder at the Public Safety Teen Academy on June 8.

(Pablo Robles/Progress Staff Photographer)

“Also, I feel like it really gives you an appreciation for law enforcement in such a deep regard, which I feel gets overlooked by so many people, unfortunately.”

Coronado High School graduate Dylan Pendleton, 18, applied to the academy because he wants to be a police officer — and has been since he was 5.

“I always just wanted to help people,” Pendleton said.

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The biggest lesson Pendleton said he’s learned from the academy is perseverance.

“Just to keep going and keep yourself at a high standard,” he said, “and do the best that you can.”

According to Pendleton, other teens should consider applying for the program because it’s rich with activities and is a great way to learn new skills.

“It’s the team building aspect of things and having that drive every morning to get up before 6:30 [a.m.],” he said. “You’re going into it to get better ... meet new people, [and] learn so much stuff that you probably wouldn’t even learn if you didn’t try it.”

The recruits aren’t the only participants benefiting from the program, either.

For Aquipel and the rest of the training officers, “it’s handing the knowledge that I’ve had over to them and just seeing them grow from the first day and what they think a police officer or what a firefighter does to having a better and bigger understanding and academies and a greater appreciation for public safety officers.”

Information: scottsdaleaz.gov/�ire/ public-safety-teen-academy

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