Do you know a teen who’s watched every episode of CSI (and all its variations), NCIS, or Forensic Files? Are you a high schooler who’s curious about what it takes to keep our community and country safe? If you answered “yes” to either question, read on to find out more about the FBI Teen Academy.

This one-day event on April 3 is part of the FBI’s Community Outreach Program that supports the Bureau’s mission by working to address various societal problems including crime, drugs, terrorism, and violence. The program links community service with law enforcement at a grassroots level around the country with the aim to build public trust and confidence in the FBI.

One of the ways they do this is by engaging with young, budding minds. The FBI Teen Academy “educates and encourages young people to think critically about their choices and how their actions influence others and the world around them,” says Public Affairs Specialist for the FBI Sacramento Field Office, Gina Swankie. They do this by offering high schoolers a look inside the FBI and have so far seen over 400 graduates from their Sacramento program. The twice yearly, full-day event caters to over 40 students per class. Designed for high school juniors, it comes at a time in a teen’s life when they’re deciding who they are and what they’d like to do with their life. “We want to provide them with information that can help them make wise life choices, aid reporting of criminal activity to keep their neighborhoods safer, and mentor their peers,” says Swankie. 

Past classes have included sessions about active shooter situations, cyber investigations, terrorism, and FBI’s hiring process. They’ve also had hands-on sessions with Special Agent Bomb Techs, Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT), and Evidence Response Teams. If that wasn’t cool enough, students also get meet-and-greet opportunities with their instructors who happen to be FBI personnel ranging from special agents to intelligence analysts.

 Asked about the program’s impact on students and Swankie recalls one graduate who became aware of some suspicious texts, and, putting into practice what she’d learned at the program, preserved the communication and contacted the FBI, which resulted in three people being arrested and convicted for crimes against children. Graduates have pursued diverse educational programs and professional careers and some have even applied to the FBI. All students receive a certificate from the special agent in charge of the Sacramento office and are encouraged to reach out when they have questions or concerns. “Each student plays a crucial role in the mission of the FBI [and] graduates of the program become ambassadors for the FBI,” says Swankie. 

The Spring 2020 session will be held at the Sacramento Field Office Headquarters in Roseville. High schoolers in public, private, charter, or home schools can apply. All application packages must be mailed or dropped off at their headquarters by 4 p.m. on March 6. The program is free and interested students must download the application from the FBI Sacramento Field Office’s Community Outreach web page and complete the forms and an essay. Ideal candidates are those interested in learning about the FBI and eager to share what they’ve learned with family, friends, and communities. “The teens are a force multiplier for this organization,” says Swankie, “and we greatly value the role they play in achieving the FBI’s mission of protecting the American people and upholding the Constitution of the United States.”  

fbi.gov/contact-us/field-offices/sacramento/community-outreach