School, police department partner for Cloverale mentorship program

CLOVERDALE — The Cloverdale School Board voted unanimously Monday to approve a new mentorship program which aims to bring students from middle school and high school closer their community as well as a potential career in public service.

The Cloverdale Police Department will be providing students with hands-on learning in various areas of public safety including local government, corrections, fire, police work and emergency medical services.

Cloverdale School Resource Officer James Collins presented a tentative outline for this pilot program, wherein students from 7th-12th grade will have the opportunity to learn what it means be a public servant by those who already serve Putnam County.

“Our hope” Collins said, “is to bring this idea to the rest of the county. We want to instill a sense of purpose and strengthen community ties from Cloverdale to North Putnam and everywhere in between.”

The mentorship will mirror JROTC programs in its cadet-style rank structure, providing students with leadership and communication skills, as well as accountability and direction as they move into adulthood.

The education will be entirely free to students, held onsite during school hours and facilitated by the Cloverdale Police Department and various other volunteers and organizations.

In addition to applying for grants, mentors will volunteer their time as a way to keep this program free for anyone who wants to participate. The Cloverdale Police Department will also seek donations from the community to cover the cost of extra activities and field trips, with Supt. Greg Linton agreeing to provide transportation for students.

Organizers believe the payout for this level of outreach is exponential, as it not only serves the students participating in the program, but it helps create better, more personal connections between community leaders and young adults.

“Our goal is proactive interaction with the youth,” Town Marshal Steve Hibler said. “We want to help kids build a connection to their community and potentially lay the groundwork for the next generation of public servants.”

Cloverdale Schools announced the new cadet program to the student body the day after it received approval from the school board, with some students quickly signing up to participate. Classes are set to begin the first week of March and will continue through the end of the school year, transitioning into a summer camp while school is closed.

In other news, the School Board approved a resolution to transfer $300,000 from its Operating Fund to its Rainy Day Fund after coming in under last year’s educational budget.