SANFORD — The young people stood at attention, staring straight ahead, as three police officers ”“ their instructors for the Sanford and Massabesic Summer Youth Cadet program ”“ walked between their ranks.

The officers, all of whom are school resource officers during the school year, scrutinized every detail: One fellow hadn’t shaved. A girl’s hair was awry. One officer told a joke, while the cadet tried to remain stone-faced.

The officers sounded stern as they stood close and questioned this cadet, or that one. 

But it was just part of the drill, part of training young people to be the best they can be, officers said.

“It’s teaching the kids attention to detail,” said instructor Jason Solomon.

And that close inspection is teaching them to remain in control of their emotions if the going gets rough and someone tries to pick a fight, said instructor Michael Gordon.

“You apply a bit of stress so they can learn to think on their feet and make good decisions,” he said. “They tell us they want more. They like the challenge.”

That close attention, where the cadets stood stock still as the officers came within inches of their face, was one aspect of a summer full of marching and physical agility training, field trips and camping and making themselves useful in the community. 

About 40 young people from Sanford and Massabesic RSU 57 took part in the summer academy and were awarded certificates at graduation, which took place at St. Thomas School in Sanford on Tuesday.

“It helps (make) better kids,” said Dalton Marriott, 13, who has been in the program for three years. And the young man, who is thinking of a stint in the U.S. Coast Guard followed by a career in law enforcement, figures the early training will help him in those endeavors.

“It keeps ’em in line,” agreed cadet Jon Huston, 14, whose future plans include a stint as a corrections officer followed by a career as a police officer.

Gordon said students who hadn’t been in the program struggled with the physical agility test when they performed it at the beginning of the summer. Some, he said, had to take breaks from the 1.5-mile run, which was followed by push-ups and sit-ups. By the time they took the test again, at the end of the summer session, they’d all improved, he said.

“They all completed it and pushed themselves a lot harder,” said Gordon.

Jocelyn Howard, 13, who joined the cadet program for the first time this year, is a prime example. She said she ran the 1.5-mile trek in 28 minutes, 10 seconds just starting out, but by the time the summer was over, her time was down to 21 minutes, 70 seconds.

Cadet Jesse Warner, 14, who is marking his second year in the program, had a similar experience: “I was extremely out of shape,” he said. “Now I can do more.”

The instructors said they worked to make the summer an interesting and fun learning experience. During a camping trip, the cadets processed a “crime scene,” with instructors laying out evidence. They were required to enter the scene and preserve the evidence without disturbing it, assess what happened, and make a determination of what took place, Gordon said.

“The kids want to be accountable, and have challenges,” he said.

Howard said she’s enjoyed her cadet summer. Before she joined, she said she’d started hanging out with some people who were not making the best choices.

“Now, I hang out with these people,” she said of her fellow cadets.

— Senior Staff Writer Tammy Wells can be contacted at 324-4444 (local call in Sanford) or 282-1535, ext. 327 or [email protected].