LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Two dozen lucky teenagers from across Kentucky are spending the week at the FBI office in Louisville, learning the ins and outs of the agency and the work of their agents.
What You Need To Know
- FBI Louisville is hosting its annual teen academy
- Around 80 teens applied to take part
- They came from all across Kentucky
- Get to see what it is like working for the FBI
“These are folks that have kind of put their name in the hat of wanting to know more about the FBI and we are hoping that we are looking at the next generation of FBI employees,” Tim Beam, Chief Division Council for FBI Louisville said.
On Thursday, students took a deep dive into bomb disposal. Special agent bomb technicians took the kids through the entire process from identifying a threat to making the scene safe.
“They love all the hands on things so whether its from the special agent bomb techs or the SWAT demo or working with the evidence response team, the really like getting involved and being a part of it,” Beam said.
FBI Louisville hosts their teen academy once per summer. Of the 80 kids who applied, 24 were selected.
“We look at their grades, what things that they’ve done, organizations, groups, clubs, sports teams and then their essay combined to see who we want to bring in,” Beam said.
Through the teen academy and citizens academy, Tim Beam says the agency hopes to demystify the work of the FBI and helps to create a positive relationship with law enforcement.
“In a day and time where law enforcement can be pained in a difficult light its important for them to understand we’re a part of the community, we want to do good for a living, and that’s something we want to make sure that they walk away with,” Beam said.
This program has been running in Louisville for the last decade, giving the next generation of potential agents their first glimpse of what their careers could look like.
Teenagers with an interest in taking part in next year’s academy are encouraged to keep eye on the FBI Louisville twitter page for updates on how to apply.
If you’re interested in working with FBI Louisville, they will be hosting a recruiting event July 27. More information can be found here.