LYNN — Police handed certificates to 27 middle and high school students in the Breed Middle School lecture hall Thursday morning at the 12th Lynn Police Student Academy graduation ceremony, marking the end of the first Academy session since 2017.
The program came to a halt due to staffing issues and was not revived until 2022 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Academy teaches teenagers, ages 13 to 18, law-related curriculum through hands-on training in police fields, CPR certification, visits to law enforcement and court facilities, and physical training.
At the start of the graduation ceremony, Program Cadet Esly Brisa Morales de Paz, 15, from Lynn Tech High School, performed a violin rendition of the national anthem before her peers, a crowd of parents, and seven members of the department: Police Chief Christopher Reddy, Lt. Tim Donovan, Officers Mark Lee and Manny Gasca, Detectives Anne Magner and Jenn Cash, and School Security Liaison Oren Wright.
Following Donovan’s welcoming remarks, Reddy took the mic and reminded the crowd that they should be proud of their loved ones for taking part in the program.
“Parents, family members, friends, I just want to tell you you should be incredibly proud of your loved ones who are part of this renewed student academy program,” Reddy said.
Reddy said that after meeting with the students twice throughout the program and hearing from staff members, he was proud and excited to see their level of engagement with the program.
“I had the opportunity to meet with them on their first day and then I met with them again this week, and I heard updates throughout the session from the staff – they were engaged, they asked really meaningful, thoughtful questions, they were excited, they were disciplined, they were everything we want to be, and they give us great hope for the future,” he said.
Student speaker Savas Trellopoulos said that although the program did not help him figure out what he wants to be when he grows up, it provided him a newfound respect for law enforcement, and the task of protecting and serving the public.
“I contemplated the age-old question, ‘what do you want to be when you grow up?’ To tell the truth, I still have no idea. However, this program sparked my interest in the field of law enforcement. While I may not want to be a police officer, I am sure of one thing: I want to make a difference in people’s lives,” Trellopoulos said. “When it’s all said and done, each of us, and certainly not just the police, have a duty to protect and serve in some way, shape, or form.”
Donovan awarded three students with police memorial badge coins for their outstanding performance in the program. Karim Amri was awarded for his performance in the obstacle course, Giselle Perlera was awarded for her competitive and determined spirit, and Zakaria Faris-Howes was awarded for being the class “punching bag,” and handling light teasing with grace.
Donovan said that this year’s class was one of the best the program has seen yet, and that he’s excited to see where they end up in the future.
“This is one of the best groups of kids that we’ve ever worked with, and I’m not just saying that, you should be proud of them. Without a doubt, there’s a future police officer, FBI agent, nurse, doctor, engineer, et cetera, here in this class. I can’t wait to read about what they do in the future,” Donovan said.
Dassal Lugo Quiñones, 13, a KIPP Academy student, said that he joined the program because he wants to work in law enforcement when he grows up.
“I joined this program because I want to be a policeman when I grow up, I’ve got many things in my mind of what I want to be when I grow up, and the first thing that came to my mind was to be a police officer,” Quiñones said. “I love mystery and solving crime, and I want to get into criminal justice so I can learn how to get revenge in a good way, how to get justice in a good way.”
Morales de Paz said that she enjoyed making new friends in the program, and learning about the various career options one can pursue in law enforcement.
“I wanted to learn more about what police officers, or any criminal justice person that works in this field, do” Morales de Paz said. “One of the things I liked most in this class was that I got to make new friends, and learn about the career options in law enforcement I could go for.”
Anthony Cammalleri can be reached at [email protected]
