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Kids get 'R.E.A.L.' with police

| 30 Jul 2015 | 02:25
    Officers Anthony Parrello, George Richnavsky and Jill Brickman taught the R.E.A.L. program to the PK sixth graders and presented each student with a certificate and a t-shirt.
    Officers Anthony Parrello, George Richnavsky and Jill Brickman taught the R.E.A.L. program to the PK sixth graders and presented each student with a certificate and a t-shirt.
    Kids get 'R.E.A.L.' with police
    The Paradise Knoll sixth graders proudly completed the R.E.A.L. program, which teaches responsibility, educates them, stresses accountability and leadership.
    The Paradise Knoll sixth graders proudly completed the R.E.A.L. program, which teaches responsibility, educates them, stresses accountability and leadership.
    Many of the kids immediately put on their R.E.A.L t-shirts at the ceremony.
    Many of the kids immediately put on their R.E.A.L t-shirts at the ceremony.
    Kids get 'R.E.A.L.' with police

WEST MILFORD — The West Milford Police Department works annually in conjunction with West Milford Township Public Schools to provide the R.E.A.L. (Responsibility, Education, Accountability, and Leadership) Program to sixth grade students throughout the district.

West Milford Police Officers Anthony Parrello, Jill Brickman, and George Richnavsky presented the program to sixth graders at Paradise Knoll Elementary School this past school year. They began with a basic introduction of the program and expectations of the students. They discussed a new topic at each monthly meeting, such as: personal safety, violence; physical, emotional, social and cyber-bullying; facts about alcohol, drugs and tobacco; dangers, avoidance, and accountability; making good, responsible, personal choices.

At the completion of the program, the students each wrote an essay about the qualities of leadership. Kate Vreeland, Rehna Khan, and Griffin Paterson were chosen by the officers to read their essays aloud at the Paradise Knoll R.E.A.L. Graduation Ceremony at the end of the school year.

The officers and classroom teachers then announced the names of the graduates and presented each with a certificate of completion and a “Graduate of West Milford R.E.A.L. Youth Program” t-shirt.

About the REAL programThe youth leadership program is funded through the township’s “Community Against Substance Abuse” Committee (CASA), which receives state grants and support from local residents and businesses to provide programs to reduce substance abuse and violence in the community. A group of West Milford police officers attend special training to present the program to students each year.