Prather is an officer for the Montgomery County Police Department, and he’ll take part its MCPD’s fifth annual Police Adventure Camp next week. Who will be participating in this camp?
The children we draw from are 30 students who attend Viers Mill Elementary School.
Are there any new events planned for the kids this year?
We start Monday. It’s the basic day, orientation if you will. On Tuesday we are going on an all-day field trip to the Crime & Punishment Museum downtown at no charge. Thursday, we are going to go on a two-hour field trip to the Fillmore Theater down in Silver Spring, and that’s going to be like a career day field trip for the kids.
What is the goal/mission of the Adventure Camp?
We originally started the camp because the neighborhood and the city we live in, we believe, is putting the children at risk. The gang activity and the traffic pattern are really difficult. With all that in mind, we decided we should start up a free camp the kids could participate in.
What are you hoping to instill in the kids?
The biggest thing we’ve seen over time is the kids gaining self-confidence. The kids don’t succumb to peer pressure as they did before the camp started. The kids also leave the camp with a better understanding of what police officers do and who they are as people.
What is the most rewarding aspect of providing this camp?
At the end of the camp on Friday, we have a graduation ceremony for the kids. The biggest thing for us is that we’re giving back to the community. We are giving them something they will hopefully have with them for the rest of their lives.
– Roxanne Turnbull
