POCATELLO — Two dozen teenagers spent last week overcoming fears while navigating an elevated ropes course, improving their driving skills and tackling problem-solving challenges — all while building the leadership traits Pocatello Police Chief Roger Schei hopes will shape the community’s future.

The activities were part of the Pocatello Police Department’s second annual Youth Leadership Academy, a program Schei says will return every year. The number of youth who joined Pocatello Police officer mentors increased from 19 to 24 and an extra day was added, bringing the academy from five to six days.

“It’s to build relationships with the youth of our community and teach them some leadership skills where they can apply them at school, at home, on a team, in a church group or any other organization they’re involved in,” Schei said about the purpose of the program. “I believe that leadership is the most important thing in any organization.”

For Schei, he’s wanted to initiate a program like this since before he became the department’s leader about six years ago.

Last year, the dream came to fruition with enough staffing to help put it on.

“I look at this as, who do I want taking care of me 20 years from now?” Schei said. “Who’s going to be leading the police department, the city, the country 20 years from now? It’s these young men and women.”

K-9 demonstrations, firearm training, communication lessons, driving skills, a ropes course, team-building exercises and problem-solving challenges are just a few of the activities incoming high school juniors and seniors, ages 14-18, participated in throughout the academy. The week ended with a rafting trip.

“They get to dip their toe into what law enforcement is about,” Schei said. “This is all aligned with what our mission is of community commitment. I think that’s an important thing to highlight, that’s what we’re doing with this program.”

Schei says academy members walking away with a law enforcement career in their sights would be beneficial but isn’t the main purpose.

“You look at this and go, ‘man, well maybe we can recruit in the future from this,” Schei said. “But whatever they do I want them to leave and be better human beings.”

Monetary and food donations in conjunction with months of prep-work are part of the reason this academy is possible according to Pocatello Police Community Outreach Officer Morgan Hansen. The program is completely free. Some of the teenagers in this year’s academy also participated in the inaugural event last year.

“It’s all thanks to the fundraisers that we do, sponsors, donations, things like that,” Hansen said. “It’s just improved (the youths’) livelihood.”

In addition to the academy for high school students, a middle school program is also hosted throughout the summer. Some participants from the middle school program have gone on to participate in the Youth Leadership Academy for high school students.

“We wanted it to be available to everybody,” Hansen said. “As we do events throughout the year too, we’ll invite the kids to come and join us if it’s something that they might be able to do. So, we keep in touch with them throughout the year.”

Participants also engage outside of the academy in leadership opportunities related to the Drug Abuse Resistance Education, or D.A.R.E. program. According to Hansen, it’s a collaborative effort between school resource officers and officers at the PPD to create the ultimate Youth Leadership Academy experience.

“A huge thanks to all of the school resource officers,” Hansen said. “They’re the ones that put in all of the work as far as teaching and guiding and building the relationships.”

More information about Youth Leadership Academy can be found online, shorturl.at/ocQOO.