By Raquel Edmundson - Monsignor Edward Pace HS
MIAMI GARDENS | Mayerli Cayon, a junior at Msgr. Edward Pace High School, peered into the inner workings of law enforcement during the recent FBI Summer Youth Academy at Miami Dade College’s North Campus.
Photographer: Courtesy
Pace Junior Mayerli Cayon, who took the recent the FBI Summer Youth Academy, is photographed with Nelson Rodriguez, a Miami Lakes councilman and a member of the FBI Miami Citizens Academy Alumni Association.
The June 11-16 academy was aimed at helping Mayerli and other local high school upperclassmen consider a career with the FBI. The experience helps students build relationships with law enforcement professionals and serves to strengthen decision-making and goal-setting skills for their college and career planning.
Mayerli's part in the academy started with an inquiry to Councilman Nelson Rodriguez of the Town of Miami Lakes. As a 1987 Pace alumnus and a member of the FBI Miami Citizens Academy Alumni Association, Rodriguez was in the perfect position to recommend that Mayerli apply for the program.
To qualify for the academy, all applicants had to maintain a grade point average of 2.5 or higher. They also had to write a 750-word essay and obtain letters of recommendation from teachers and counselors.
The academy touched on a variety of areas including fingerprinting, hostage situations, how polygraph exams work, and how to deal with sex crimes.
Among Mayerli's favorite parts were visiting a driving range and taking a defensive tactics class. “It was an amazing experience. I was able to meet new people and network with special agents as well as other law enforcement agencies.”
She confirmed that her goal is an FBI career, and that attending the FBI Youth Academy helped her learn more about it.
The Summer Youth Academy is cosponsored by Miami-Dade College, the FBI Miami Citizens Academy Alumni Association and FBI's Miami Division. The alumni association provides scholarships covering tuition, uniforms, classroom supplies, lunch, and field trips.
At the end of the week, a graduation was held with a certificate of completion for all participants.
