High school students get a taste of public safety work

Students from Wyandotte High School got a taste of public safety work at a mock drill today at Kansas City Kansas Community College. Here they used rescue tools on a mock car accident. (Staff photo by Mary Rupert)

by Mary Rupert

At a mock drill today at Kansas City Kansas Community College, students from Wyandotte High School had the opportunity to get some hands-on experience working an accident or responding to police calls.

The students donned protective gear, then went to work at a mock car accident scene, using rescue tools under the supervision of professionals from the Kansas City, Kansas, Fire Department.

Students also participated in a sessions where they met with homicide detectives and with police officers from the Kansas City, Kansas, Police Department who respond to domestic violence situations. In addition, there was a mock meth lab explosion where the students met with public safety professionals to investigate.

Robert Hofmann, Wyandotte High School Career Academy facilitator, said high school freshmen were actually working the mock crime scenes under the guidance of the professionals. The students were in the ninth grade in Wyandotte High’s Human and Public Safety Academy. He added that Kansas City Kansas Community College also was participating in this career program.

“The biggest thing, is as a freshman, they can make that informed decision as to what they would like to do,” Hofmann said.

If enough students decide they want to pursue a career in fire science, for example, then Wyandotte High School could then provide a career program for them, he said. It creates a career path for the students.

“It gives them an opportunity to be exposed to something that they might have never even considered,” said Battalion Chief Morris Letcher, a spokesman for the Fire Department.

It gives the students an idea of what the careers are like in the department and hands-on experience of what firefighters do. It can help with recruitment, he said.

“You can get kids interested in things like this that never even considered it,” Letcher said.

Hofmann believes the hands-on career experiences are very helpful to students. Starting as ninth-graders, the students will have time to consider different careers and plan a career path.

Sgt. M.J. Cross, who was talking with students about law enforcement, said he believes it is a good experience for kids and provides good first-hand knowledge of public safety.

High school students donned protective gear before they went to work at a mock car accident today at Kansas City Kansas Community College. (Staff photo by Mary Rupert)
Law enforcement officers talked with high school students today during a career program at Kansas City Kansas Community College. (Staff photo by Mary Rupert)
Students from Wyandotte High School today participated in a public safety career program at Kansas City Kansas Community College. (Staff photo by Mary Rupert)
Students from Wyandotte High School today discussed domestic violence situations with law enforcement professionals during a career program at Kansas City Kansas Community College. (Staff photo by Mary Rupert)
A mock scenario of a homicide was one of the crime scenes in a career hands-on program for Wyandotte High School students today at Kansas City Kansas Community College. (Staff photo by Mary Rupert)

KCK student named to dean’s list at Minnesota college

Christopher Schneider of Kansas City, Kansas, has been named to the fall semester dean’s list at Gustavus Adolphus College, St. Peter, Minnesota.

Students on the dean’s list have earned at least a 3.7 grade point average or higher for the fall semester.

Gustavus Adolphus College is a private liberal arts college in St. Peter, Minnesota, with 2,200 undergraduates enrolled. The oldest Lutheran college in Minnesota, Gustavus was founded in 1862 by Swedish immigrants and named for Swedish King Gustav II Adolf. Known for strong science, writing, music, athletics and service-learning programs, the college holds an annual Nobel Conference.

KCK student named to President’s List at Georgia Southern

Madison Heydinger, Kansas City, Kansas, has been named to the President’s List for the fall semester at Georgia Southern University, Statesboro, Georgia.

Students on the President’s List have a 4.0 grade point average and carry a minimum of 12 hours for the semester.

Georgia Southern, founded in 1906, offers 142 degree programs serving more than 27,000 students on three campuses, and has an online program.