Childers Police have completed their highly successful youth engagement Blue EDGE Program with students from Isis District State High School.
The Queensland Blue EDGE Program wound up with a fitness challenge followed by breakfast and presentation of certificates and much sought-after new running shoes for each participant.
Program co-ordinator Constable Rohin Power from Childers Police said Blue Edge was a mentoring program which had run twice a week for eight weeks.
“The program is targeted at students to develop fitness, healthy lifestyle habits and leadership as well as developing community cohesion,” he said.
“The results of the program, for which 18 students registered, have been excellent with daily attendance not falling below 16 for the program duration.”
Constable Power said he would like to see the program run again in the future.
“There has been strong community support and people are already asking about future programs and the high school is certainly supportive,” he said.
“It will all rest on an ability for the program to be resourced, but it looks positive.”
At a personal level, Constable Power said he enjoyed a positive interaction with the students.
“I saw them develop a team mentality, engage with the programs and the mentoring sessions and derive obvious benefits from the exercise schedule,” he said.
Constable Power said he appreciated the support of fellow officers Senior Constable Heather Wood and Constable Sam Nabaa and Officer in Charge of Childers Police Sergeant Geoff Fay.
Isis District State High School principal Chris Gill strongly endorsed the program and the outcomes.
Community support for Blue EDGE
“A lot of what you learn in school may not stay with you for the rest of your life but the experience you have gained from this program is something I think you will always look back on,” Mr Gill told students.
“It’s been an occasion where people have shown they care for you. We learn that there are many good people in the community.
“People like all the volunteers involved in presenting this program, the Police, the sponsors, a lot of individuals who have really got behind this program.”
Acting Superintendent of Bundaberg Police, Inspector Anne Vogler, said she was delighted at the community response and to see district youth engaged in a positive program.
“I was really impressed with the manner in which these young people came up and shook the hands of police officers and volunteers who assisted in running the program. It was obvious they enjoyed it and had gained a great deal from the experience and that experience is probably something they will carry into later life.”
A reward for students who maintained participation in the program was a gift of a pair of New Balance brand runners.
“The runners are great, but we really came for the food,” said Chisziem Salis, a high school student who participated in the Blue EDGE program.
“There was real team feeling about the program and I sure everyone gained a benefit from the fitness aspect as well as the regular breakfast presentations from guest speakers. That did provide some career options.
“I think every student here who participated cannot speak highly enough of the great breakfast that we enjoyed after each day of the exercise program. The food was so good.”
The Queensland Blue EDGE program is funded by the Australian Alcohol and Drug Foundation.
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