Pikes Peak Regional Teen Academy at VRHS

Over the past two weeks, Vista Ridge High School hosted the 10th annual Pikes Peak Regional Teen Academy.  The teen academy is a five-day program that exposes students to law enforcement activities through a variety of speakers and scenarios.

Audriana, a senior at Sand Creek High School who attended the second five-day session, said, “I'm very interested in going into CSPD (Colorado Springs Police Department) or into another unit. I like the aspect of criminal justice and I personally want to be in a patrol car with a K-9 unit working with drug busts.”

Some of the activities included demonstrations from El Paso Search and Rescue, mounted patrols, a CSPD K9 unit, detective work, an active shooter scenario, and more.

“We have kids that will leave this program and they will become part of our cadet explorer program,” said Joe Langlais, VRHS school resource officer. “And I even have kids now that are at the point where they're starting to start their careers in law enforcement based off their interest being piqued, here through the teen academy.”

This is the first year that students who attended a full week of the program are eligible for three credit hours in the Intro to Criminal Justice course at Pikes Peak State College.