Ó£»¨ÊÓƵ

Sea Girt, N.J.–Lieutenant Colonel Thomas Gilbert, Deputy Superintendent of the Ó£»¨ÊÓƵ State Police today hosted commencement exercises for 83 high school seniors from across the state as they completed a weeklong, police-oriented educational program with the 71 st Ó£»¨ÊÓƵ State Police Trooper Youth Week training class. Of the 83 graduates, 13 of the cadets have a parent either active or retired from the State Police.

“Over the many years the State Police have run this rigorous training program for young adults, we have often seen it create a profound impact on their lives,” said Gilbert.  “Furthermore, it may serve as an important stepping-stone to a career in law enforcement, or any other career they may seek.  We commend them for their accomplishment,” he added.

Sponsored by the Department of Law & Public Safety and the Division of State Police, the Trooper Youth Week training program, which began in 1965, provides young people interested in a law enforcement career with “real life” police experience. Over the 40-year period an estimated 4000 students have participated in the program. Many of the graduates have gone on to careers in law enforcement on the federal, county, and local level. To date, 78 Trooper Youths have joined the ranks of the Ó£»¨ÊÓƵ State Police.

The “future” troopers of the 71 st Ó£»¨ÊÓƵ State Police Trooper Youth Week training class participated in a wide range of activities – activities that simulate the actual police recruit training experience. The Trooper Youth cadets were exposed to the regimen of reveille, roll call, academic classes, tough physical fitness training and actual police field exercises.

As part of the training program, State Police instructors placed special emphasis on exposing the Trooper Youth cadets to the unique pressures and problems associated with illegal drug use, teen violence and the aftermath of violent and deadly acts. The students also learned about Ó£»¨ÊÓƵ ’s vast cultural diversity and the constitutional guarantees afforded all citizens.

Additionally, the Trooper Youth cadets explored practical and theoretical areas of police science, including the history and functions of the Ó£»¨ÊÓƵ State Police; crime scene investigation procedures; firearms safety; CPR and lifesaving techniques; motor vehicle law and safety; the rapidly expanding use of computers and technology in police work; teenage drinking and driving and use of the breathalyzer; and overall exposure to police work as a career.

The following are the list of graduates:

71st Class

First Name - Last Name - High School

Ivan Arias................................................................. Eastside High School

Samuel Arnowit................................................................. West Milford High School

Fussel Aronchick................................................................. Salem High School

Jon Book Jackson................................................................. Memorial High School

Nicole Borsuk................................................................. Delran High School

Alexander Bromley................................................................. Scotch Plains-Fanwood High School

David Buhan................................................................. Southern Regional High School

Joseph Carracino................................................................. Watchung Hills Regional High School

Jonathan Casteline................................................................. Lakeland Regional High School

Michael Ceccato................................................................. Watchung Hills Regional High School

Andrew Chytrak................................................................. High Tech High School

Leon Cichon .................................................................Maple Shade High School

Steven Clark................................................................. Mainland Regional High School

Shawn Cooper .................................................................Seneca High School

Wesley Cronin .................................................................Pinelands Regional High School

Dennis Cunard .................................................................Williamstown High School

James Decuollo .................................................................Hunterdon Central High School

Louis Decuollo................................................................. Hunterdon Central High School

Jacob Delvento................................................................. Toms River High - South High School

Robert DiLetto................................................................. Notre Dame High School

Frank Dufek................................................................. Delaware Valley Regional High School

Christopher Fiore................................................................. Shore Regional High School

Ashley Furlong................................................................. Southern Regional High School

Andrew Galbraith................................................................. East Brunswick High School

Brian Garbutt................................................................. Absegami High School

Justin Gauvain................................................................. Toms River High - South High School

James Golding Jr.................................................................. West Deptford High School

Michael Guarino................................................................. Lyndhurst High School

Sean Habeck................................................................. Pompton Lakes High School

Donald Haines................................................................. Pinelands Regional High School

Emily Halter................................................................. Hackensack High School

Brandon Hetzell................................................................. Cumberland Regional High School

Dennis Hill................................................................. Woodstown High School

David Hopper................................................................. Passaic County Tech. Institute

Megan Horensky................................................................. North Hunterdon High School

Thomas Kane................................................................. Colonia High School

Nicholas King .................................................................Woodbridge High School

Jack Kluk................................................................. Eastern High School

Moses Knott .................................................................Ewing High School

Jill Kolodzieski .................................................................North Warren Regional High School

Raymond Lane ................................................................. Pinelands Regional High School

Sean Lennon ................................................................. Vernon Township High School

Matthew Lombardo ................................................................. Lakeland Regional High School

Laure Marini ................................................................. North Hunterdon High School

Justin Martinez ................................................................. Cardinal McCarrick High School

Christopher Massing ................................................................. Paulsboro High School

Ryan McNamara ................................................................. West Essex High School

Ryan McNeill .................................................................Toms River High - North High School

Eric Mena ................................................................. North Arlington High School

John Metro ................................................................. Bayonne High School

David Mikolon ................................................................. Bordentown Regional High School

Joseph Morris ................................................................. Marist High School

Paul Mueller ................................................................. Wall High School

Philip Natale ................................................................. Penns Grove High School

Jeffrey Newman ................................................................. East Brunswick High School

Jack O’Neil ................................................................. Belvidere High School

Hannah Opdyke ................................................................. Delaware Valley Regional High School

Michael Pantaleon ................................................................. Lacey Township High School

James Pellecchia ................................................................. North Hunterdon High School

Nicole Piccolo .................................................................Absegami High School

Jenna Piegaro ................................................................. East Brunswick High School

Andra Pitonak ................................................................. Cardinal McCarrick High School

David Pizzolato ................................................................. Saint Rose High School

Andrew Potopchuk ................................................................. Williamstown High School

Marc Potter ................................................................. Toms River- South High School

Eliezer Ruiz .................................................................Morris Knolls High School

Tiffany Schleckser ................................................................. Toms River - North High School

Daniel Shea ................................................................. Delaware Valley Regional High School

Michelle Slay ................................................................. Fair Lawn High School

Justin Spinelli .................................................................Pennsville Memorial High School

Ali Tartacoff ................................................................. The Hun School of Princeton

Chris Triantafyllos ................................................................. Belvidere High School

Giovanni Valencia .................................................................. NJ Challenge Youth Academy

Nicholas Vallee-Vasquez ................................................................. Immaculata High School

Richard Vega ................................................................. Pemberton Township High School

Christian Ventriello .................................................................Monroe Township High School

Michael Vilardo ................................................................. Saint Peters Prep.

Thomas Waszkiewicz. ................................................................. Saint Joseph Regional

Bernie Wawzyanick ................................................................. High Point High School

Arthur Weimer ................................................................. Henry Hudson Regional High School

Cassie Williamson .................................................................Jackson Memorial High School

Kaleb Wisner ................................................................. Belvidere High School

Derek Witt ................................................................. Monroe Township High School

Matthew Wyatt .................................................................Institute of Technology-Westampton

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