Cadets get taste of forest ranger service
By Frank Abderholden fabderholden@stmedianetwork.com February 3, 2012 8:32PM
Youths in the ranger cadet program do a team building exercise as they try to get untangled without letting go of their hands. | Michael Schmidt~Sun-Times Media
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Updated: April 4, 2012 1:50AM
About a dozen young people attended the Lake County Forest Preserve Ranger cadet open house Thursday night in Lindenhurst.
The cadet program is a service learning program that provides hands-on experience and first-hand knowledge for young men and women between the ages of 14 and 21 interested in the fields of law enforcement or conservation.
Ranger cadets train and work alongside Lake County Forest Preserve ranger police and community service officers to help make the preserves safe for the public and the natural resources they protect. Monthly exercises cover topics ranging from orienteering and wildlife rehab to evidence gathering and conservation law.
Elizabeth Donavan of Lake Villa is working on a criminal justice program at the Tech Campus at the College of Lake County, Grayslake, and she went to the open house with her mother, Teri Johanesen, of Grayslake. She posted on her Facebook page that she liked the event.
“My fiancee found the notice on the forest preserve Web site and mentioned it to her and she wanted to go,” said her mom. “She’s a big animal person and she is athletic. She likes being outdoors.”
Kyle Corbin of Beach Park will be starting high school next year, but he is already interested in law enforcement. And he likes the outdoors.
“I like hunting and I like to be outside,” he said. He has hunted deer, turkey, rabbits and squirrels. He does a little bit of fishing.
“They said that sometimes they have hunters who go in where they aren’t supposed to be and sometimes people plant drugs (in the forest preserve). Sometime they have people that extend their fences (into forest preserve property),” he said.
He walked away with a new view of conservation police and it helped increase his interest in law enforcement.
“It was pretty fun. I liked it,” he said. “Think I’ll join.”
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