St. Petersburg College Allstate Campus hosted its’ 199th graduation for their Police Academy. On the evening of March 3^rd, 2016 at 6pm in the Florida Room, 19 cadets graduated. A huge success for the class: the number of graduates was the same as the number who began the course! It takes a lot of diligence, dedication, and teamwork to graduate 100% of your class – and PRC#199 had it!

The ceremony, led by coordinator Paul Andrews, recognized the esteemed members from local police agencies in attendance, the junior police recruit class (PRC) #200, the corrections recruit class (CRC) #89, and supportive family and friends – without whom, graduation for many cadets would have been unlikely. 

Pledge of Allegiance was led by 3 PRC students. Invocation was given by Ashley Burge. Evan Huston, chosen by his classmates for this honor, delivered a heartwarming class address outlining some of the best times the class had, some of the hardest, and the camaraderie that held them together through it all.

Many students received awards for their physical and intellectual achievements throughout the 21-week academy. Including Jonathan Boozy (pictured right) for high scholarly achievement. 2 students, Vassil Raytchev and Christopher Zak, were recognized for their contribution to Student Government Association, and another 10 recognized for giving their time to assist on campus during a Martin Luther King event. After the conferment of degrees, Coordinator Andrews explained to the audience that each day of the academy, cadets would recite the code of ethics and invited several cadets to the stage to lead their class in the recitation, followed by a benediction by one cadet. After being guided by their Instructor for a final fall-out, the class and crowd erupted in joyful yells, hugs, and tears by some.

The Allstate campus wishes the graduates well as they prepare for their state exams and eventual careers as officers of the law. If you are interested in learning more about the Police Academy, please see our website or contact one of knowledgeable advisors.

For more information on events happening on the Allstate Campus, please see our Student Activities webpage or our Facebook page.

The Allstate Center is unique. You’ll notice a different atmosphere as soon as you walk through our doors. When you pass academy cadets in the hall, they line up for you as a sign of respect. Donation bins are often scattered around the campus for the recruits’ latest service project. And wherever you go, you’ll likely be addressed as “sir” or “ma’am.”

This respectful and service-oriented mindset is something we try to foster here at the Allstate Center. The students in our College of Public Safety are public servants, after all, and that service begins the moment they step through these doors. That’s why we are so proud of our latest recruits. Not only have they launched local service projects, but they are even engaging with communities across the sea.

For Valentine’s Day, recruits and academic students joined forces to create cards for a community in Benin, West Africa. Armed with glitter glue, pink-and-red construction paper, and holiday stickers, they wrote messages of friendship and encouragement—all in French, the official language of Benin. Over 40 cards were filled with warm wishes, such as Je vous souhaite une vie merveilleuse (I wish you a wonderful life). 

Rebecca Sarver, the Allstate Student Life and Leadership Coordinator, mailed the cards to her friends in Benin, who will be distributing them throughout their community. The global aspect of the event appealed to the recruits. “I thought it was interesting that it was to people [overseas],” said Nicole Comiskey, a recruit from CRC 89.

This event will be the first in a series of service projects. On March 3, drop by the Allstate Library from 12-7pm for “Postcards for Peeps.” We’ll be making Easter cards for patients recovering in a local hospital.

Fast Facts About Benin:

• Voodoo originated from Benin.
• Benin is the home to the real Amazons, the only recent-history all-female military regiment (lasting until the end of the 19^th century). As the rumor goes, these women used to cut off a breast as young girls to become more proficient in using a bow and arrow
• The Fon word for foreigner is “Yovo”. Children sing a song to foreigners when they see them: “Yovo yovo bon soir. Ca va bien? Merci.” Which means “White person, white person. Good Evening. Are you doing well? Thank you.” In the time of Europeans coming to colonize Benin, the children would sing them this song to show they were learning French and would receive candy as a reward.
• The colors of the flag are green, red and yellow. Green symbolizes hope for renewal, red denotes the ancestors’ courage, and yellow represents the country’s richest treasures.
• The coast of Benin was a central point of the slave trade for 3 centuries; nearly 1 million individuals were boarded onto ships at the beach of Ouidah and transported across the Atlantic. (Side note: THIS is how Voodoo got to Haiti!).

— Facts courtesy of Rebecca Sarver, Student Life and Leadership Coordinator

Feeling overwhelmed with homework? We’re here to help! Check out our ten study tips below and get ready to ace those next exams.

1. Find a study group. Meeting with (studious) classmates will not only help you prepare for that next test, it’ll boost your morale and make studying way more fun.

2. Choose a quiet place to study. If you need to get out of the house and away from distractions, the Allstate Library has two private study rooms, plenty of comfy chairs, and 12 brand-new Dell computers. Check it out!

3. Don’t cram. It can be tempting to postpone studying until the night before, but it won’t get you good results. If you study more gradually, it will actually help you remember the material better. In an article for The New York Times, journalist Benedict Carey explains, “An hour of study tonight, an hour on the weekend, another session a week from now: such so-called spacing improves later recall, without requiring students to put in more overall study effort or pay more attention, dozens of studies have found.”

4. Sometimes it feels impossible to find time to study. One solution is to break up study time into small increments throughout your day. The Berkeley Student Learning Center suggests you turn wait time into study time: “Five minutes waiting time for the bus, 20 minutes waiting for the dentist, 10 minutes between classes — waiting time adds up fast. Have short study tasks ready to do during these times. For example, carry 3X5 cards with equations, formulas, or definitions and pull them out anywhere.” (For more great tips, check out the entire article.)

5. Try listening to music. Classical music may help you feel less anxious and focus on the materials, studies find.

6. Use online resources. As an SPC student, you have access to many online articles and videos through our library catalogue. Here are some of the most helpful databases that focus on public safety and criminal justice. Click on the links below to check them out. To sign into the library databases, your borrow ID is your student ID number and your PIN is the last four digits of your social security number

• CQ Researcher Plus Archives
• Criminal Justice Periodicals Index (ProQuest)
• Issues and Controversies
• Military & Government Collection (EBSCO)
• NewsBank
• Opposing Viewpoints
• Legal Periodicals & Books (Wilson)

If you get stuck searching the databases, just remember that your local librarian will be happy to help you! Call 727-341-4486 with any questions.

7. Take care of yourself mentally. Check out BayCare’s Student Assistance Program, which offers you free mental and emotional care, including a toll-free confidential helpline and many online resources. To access some of these online resources, log into MySPC, click on Resources, and you’ll find their website under Student Assistance Counseling. Next, navigate to Students, and choose Emotional Health. You can call their toll-free, confidential helpline at (800) 878-5470. They can help with problems such as:

• Adjustment difficulties
• Anxiety
• Building successful relationships
• Conflict resolution
• Identifying and handling stress
• Overcoming procrastination
• Post-traumatic stress
• Sharpening study skills
• Substance abuse
• Time management

8. Take care of yourself physically. SPC offers free chiropractic and acupuncture care through the National University of Health Sciences Clinic/Caruth Health Education Center. You can schedule an appointment by calling 727-341-3760. Their services are free not only to SPC students, but also to immediate family.

9. Get help. When you’re feeling stuck, remember that you’re surrounded by people who are here for you. Stop by an SPC tutoring center: “Students who visit our Learning Centers more than four times in a term have better than an 80% chance at success.” Those are pretty great odds. If you don’t feel like leaving the house (we’ve all been there), you can use our Smarthinking online tutoring website. Click the link below, and scroll down for a tutorial video that shows you how to access it: http://www.spcollege.edu/tutoring/#tab=3

10. Reward yourself. After you’ve finished that exam, do something to celebrate. Remember, you’re one step closer to reaching your goal!

Are you wanting to serve as a “Law Enforcement/Correction Officer”? Are you looking to go through the Police Academy? Are you wanting to know if you qualify?

If want answers to these questions and you are wondering “where do, I start?’ First step would be to read the A.I.P. (Applicant Information Packet). http://www.policestandards.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/PASS-Applicant-Information-Package-AIP-March-2012-2.pdf/

P.A.S.S. will help you get your background finalized so you can be a “Cadet”.

What Is PASS?

1. The Police Applicant Screening Service (PASS) is a regional selection center created to serve the law enforcement agencies of Pinellas County by maintaining a pool of qualified law enforcement officer candidates. The Sheriff, the State Attorney, the

   

   Police Academy Director, and the Police Chiefs operate PASS as a unit of local government.

• Registration hours are Monday-Friday 7:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
• To expedite the registration process, we recommend applicants call ahead to schedule an appointment date/time to reduce possible waiting time.
• Please contact by phone at727-864-3822 Ext. 1 or email chen.jennifer@spcollege.edu  with Jennifer Chen to confirm an appointment. Please read the AIP before scheduling an appointment.

How long does the Academy take?

Law Enforcement Academy takes 22 weeks to fulfill. You would be in attendance Monday-Friday from 7:45 am to 4:45 pm. Please visit the site below for more information. http://www.spcollege.edu/leacademy/

The Corrections Academy takes 12-14 weeks to fulfill. Required hours are 444; please visit the site for more details. http://www.spcollege.edu/CorrectionsAcademy/

St. Petersburg College partners with PASS to provide the background screening service for all open enrollment applicants. If you are wishing to attend the corrections academy; all interested applicants must meet the collegiate requirements. Please visit the site for more details. http://www.spcollege.edu/correctionsacademy/  The corrections PASS Process  is similar to the law enforcement process, with some minor exceptions (listed within the Applicant Information Package).

What if I am already a “Cadet”, and all I need to do is take the C.J.B.A.T. (Criminal Justice Basic Ability Test)?

The P.A.S.S. office can help you with that service too.

Article authored by Jennifer Chen, PASS Secretary.

Heroin is back. According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), between 2013 and 2014, the number of current heroin users went up 51%. Why the increase? People often begin using heroin when they need to find a cheaper alternative to the prescription painkillers they’re already addicted to.

The addictions can kill. The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) recently reported drug overdose deaths are the leading cause of injury death in the United States. That means drug overdoses kill more people than car crashes or guns. In 2013, more than 46,000 Americans died of a drug overdose and more than half of those people died because of heroin and prescription painkillers.

People often become addicted to painkillers after an injury. Doctors prescribe them and soon, many people rely on them to function. Often that reliance turns to addiction when people ignore the risks associated with seeking and taking the drug. They will do anything to get it, but it is sometimes too difficult and expensive to get pills. Heroin is becoming the easier alternative.

The DEA says the availability of heroin is increasing around the country, including here in Florida. According to the St. Petersburg Police Department, heroin arrests more than doubled between 2014 and 2015 and heroin seizures more than tripled.

A key to fighting the heroin problem is keeping people from using it in the first place. “It’s an issue of public safety and we want people in our community to learn how to recognize the signs and symptoms of heroin use and how it can impact families,” said Eileen LaHaie, director of the Center for Public Safety Innovation (CPSI) at St. Petersburg College. “That’s why we’re hosting a community presentation so people can learn about how easily prescription drug use can lead to heroin abuse and what we can do about it.”

The forum will be the evening of February 5 at the Allstate Center of St. Petersburg College and is co-sponsored by CPSI and the St. Petersburg Police Department.

“As a response to the re-emergence of heroin in our community, this event would play a key role in the education of our community about this critical issue,” said SPPD Chief Anthony Holloway.

Police Captain Chris Martin will present information and take questions from 7pm-9pm. Registration is free but required. To register, email or call LeeAnn Bowen at 727-344-8002.

Free childcare for children ages 5-11 is available thanks to a partnership with R’Club Child Care, Inc. Parents must arrive by 6:30 to register their children. “Because of the severity of the heroin issue in our community, we wanted to make sure childcare issues didn’t keep people from coming to this important community event,” LaHaie said. “We want people to know this growing drug epidemic could have an impact on their families.”

Heroin is Back Community Presentation

• Friday, February 5
• 7-9 pm
• SPC Allstate Campus 3200 34^th S. St. Petersburg 33711
• Free childcare available
• Register by email or call LeeAnn Bowen at 727-344-8002.
• You can also register by filling out this short survey.
• Learn heroin history, trends, signs of use, impact on families, cost to society

The Allstate Campus is eager to announce that on Monday, January 25^th from 6-8pm, we will be hosting former CIA, former FBI, CNN Analyst Philip Mudd for an evening of information about his job, relating international crises to life here in the United States, and career tips helpful to any student, specifically those with an interest in Public Safety. Those interested in attending may register online before the event. The Allstate Campus is home to St. Petersburg College’s College of Public Safety assisting students in obtaining degrees ranging from Certificates to Bachelor of Science degrees in many industries, including

• Law enforcement
• Fire services
• Corrections
• Emergency medical services
• Emergency administration management
• Industrial security enterprises

Philip Mudd, as previously noted, is a CNN analyst formerly served in many capacities with both the CIA and FBI since 1985. He ended his time in government service as the FBI’s Senior Intelligence Adviser in 2010. Mr. Mudd has been featured by ABC, NBC, CBS, CNN, Fox, BBC, MSNBC, al-Jazeera, NPR, the New York Times, and the Washington Post. He has also written for Newsweek, the Wall Street Journal, The Atlantic, Foreign Policy, the Washington Post, The Daily Beast, and the Sentinel, the journal of the US Military Academy’s Combatting Terrorism Center.

This educational forum will be open to students, staff, faculty, partnering agencies and community members. There is no cost for this event. He will be here to present on Monday, January 25^th from 6-8pm to share stories of his experience, answer questions, and give advice to students entering the field of criminal justice and members of public safety agencies hoping to expand their knowledge of the field.

To learn more about Philip Mudd, please click here.

For more information about SPC’s College of Public Safety, click here.

To reserve your seat for this exciting event, please click here.

With inspirational words about “family, tradition, and faith,” Tarpon Springs Fire Rescue Chaplin, Tim Stevens, opened the 45^th St. Petersburg College Fire Academy Graduation.  The Ceremony was held in the Florida Room at the Allstate Campus, yesterday, January 7th, with the presence of 21 graduates.

Program Director, James S. Angle, introduced the distinguished guests and the graduates.

Class President, Michael R. Powell, talked about the sacrifices as well as the mental and physical challenges faced by each of the graduates; he emphasized that they were able to finish the program because they worked together as a group, not as individuals.  Powell also thanked instructors, graduates, and squad leaders; and concluded his speech quoting American Author Napoleon Hill: “If you cannot do great things, do small things in a great way.”

Guest Speaker, Fire Academy instructor Louis Sclafani, reminded graduates about the importance of the Fire Fighter profession, stressing that it is, above all, a noble profession. And he finished his speech advising graduates “to be the best professionals they can be every single time they respond to an emergency.”

Program Director Angle presented the Class Awards, with highlights to class graduate Cecilia C. Trejo, recognized for her outstanding academic achievements.  The Presentation of Certificates was conducted by Program Coordinator Gabrielle Bain.

In his final remarks, Director James Angle pointed out that the graduates “came in as individuals and came out as one team: Class 45;” and closed the Graduation Ceremony emphasizing the importance of constant training and studying in the Fire Fighter Profession.

Please view our Allstate Facebook Page to view other photos from the graduation and more information on other events happening on campus.

The next Fire Fighter Academy starts January 11th, 2016. Information about this exciting program and future sessions can be found at the St. Petersburg College website.

Congratulations Graduates!

Looking for ways to get involved at the Allstate Campus? I’m excited to tell you about two of our clubs, both excellent opportunities to increase your academic success and become an integral part of our campus community.

 Book ‘Em: The Allstate Library Club

What is it?

A chance to host cool events in the Allstate Library and hang out with fun people.

Sometimes you need a break from the pressure of homework and exams. That’s where we come in. Many of our events are geared towards helping students feel refreshed and ready to tackle their next project. For example:

• Visits with dogs from Therapy Dogs International
• Presentations on stress-relief from The National University of Health Sciences

  

• Tips from psychologists on how to manage anxiety during tests.

Other events are a chance to have fun in-between classes, like game nights or pizza parties. One of my favorite events took place in November, when we hosted our first-ever poetry night with James E. Tokley, the poet laureate of Tampa and Hillsborough County. What should our next event be? Join the club and help us decide!

Who do you contact?

If you’re a currently enrolled student interested in joining, please contact us at 727-341-4486 or email at Young.Emily@spcollege.edu.

When does it meet?

Book ‘Em will meet approximately once a month (time and place to be determined) to discuss event ideas and plan the next party. We’d love your help in making the library an even more welcoming and fun place for our students!

What is MAX?

MAX is short for Men Achieving eXcellence. According to the club’s page, it helps men:

• Graduate from college
• Find jobs in their field
• Enjoy positive experiences
• Develop friendships with students and mentors

“MAX is a viable club because often young men find themselves facing challenges and they are left to feel as if they are alone, in a vacuum,” explains Instructor Michael Hughes. “MAX provides a setting for young male students to meet and discuss these issues with peers that may be experiencing the same issues. Often, valid resources and resolutions are identified that can be of assistance to club participants. Lastly, it can provide members with an outlet to be of service to others. Sometimes helping someone else gives us a better appreciation of our circumstances.”

As an example of service to the community, Hughes added that “the Allstate Campus MAX Club has . . . participated in Community Events for the MLK Day of Service Event in past years.”

Who do you contact?

The Allstate Center’s faculty coordinator for MAX is Michael Hughes. You can contact him at:

• Hughes.Michael@spcollege.edu
• 727-341-4146

When does it meet?

Meetings will start in January, place and time to be determined. Both recruits and academic students are welcome to attend.

Hello, everyone! If you’ve been to the Allstate Library, we’ve probably already met. But since I’m going to be one of the contributors for this blog (along with our amazing new Student Life and Leadership Coordinator, Rebecca Sarver), I wanted to tell you a little more about myself. (And if we haven’t met yet, drop by the library and we can chat in person.) My name is Emily Young, and I’ve been working as a library paraprofessional at Allstate for a little over a year now. I love it here, and I am so excited for the changes taking place on campus. Just in the past year, the library has been transformed: we have an updated collection of books, beautiful new flooring, cozy chairs, a Chill Zone (stocked with board games and art therapy supplies), and even our own Library Club, ‘Book Em.

You’ve probably already guessed this . . . but I love books. I graduated from USF St. Petersburg in 2012 with degrees in journalism and English. (I still love journalism, and write a column for The Tampa Bay Times on how to throw parties based on pop culture.) Currently, I am pursuing an MFA in Creative Writing from Vermont College of Fine Arts, and will graduate in July 2016. My favorite thing about the Allstate Library is working with this fascinating collection of books– I’m already learning so much about criminal justice and public safety—and the students. I am constantly inspired by how hard the Allstate students work to achieve their goals, and I am thrilled that I can help them along that journey.

Fast facts:

• I’ve lived in Florida my whole life, and never saw snow until last year. (It was a lot wetter than I expected.)
• I grew up owning basenjis (a barkless hunting dog from Africa); now I have a cat who likes to play practical jokes on me. (She’s basically Hobbes.)
• My favorite holiday is Halloween (Another reason I love Allstate: we turn the place into a Haunted House every October. Check it out next year!)
• Once I nearly got eaten by a badger.
• The coolest place I’ve visited is Bath, England. There are these amazing Roman bathhouses, sweetshops straight out of a Harry Potter novel . . . and forests filled with badgers (see above).
• My favorite authors are Maggie Stiefvater, Ernest Hemingway, C.S. Lewis, Suzanne Collins . . . okay I’ll stop now. But if you have a recommendation, I would love to hear it.

If you need any help finding a book, using the library databases, or writing a paper, please don’t hesitate to ask! The best part of my day is when I can help someone from the SPC community find what they need. Drop by the Allstate Library, email me at Young.Emily@spcollege.edu, or call at 727-341-4486. I look forward to hearing from you!

St. Petersburg College Allstate Campus hosted its’ 198th graduation for their Police Academy. On the evening of December 9th, 2015 at 6pm in the Florida Room, 21 cadets graduated. For the first time since PRC #175, the number of graduates was the same as the number who began the course. It takes a lot of diligence, dedication, and teamwork to graduate 100% of your class – and PRC#198 had it!

The ceremony, lead by coordinator Paul Andrews, recognized the esteemed members from local police agencies in attendance, the junior police recruit class (PRC) who began their role as the senior class on Thursday morning, and supportive family and friends – without whom, graduation for many cadets would have been unlikely.

Pledge of Allegiance was led by Shaylin Santana, Brittany Herr, and Diana Glavnik. Invocation was given by Ashley Mehler. Justin Feliciano (pictured right), chosen by his classmates for this honor, delivered a heartwarming class address outlining some of the best times the class had, some of the worst (notably pepper spray), and the camaraderie that held them together through it all.

Many students received awards for their physical and intellectual achievements throughout the 21 week academy. Including Ashley Mehler (pictured left) for high scholarly achievement and Peter Michaelson (pictured right) who received an award from instructors for his overall success in the program and ability to encourage and uplift his classmates. Coordinator Andrews explained to the audience that each day of the academy, cadets would recite the code of ethics and invited Ashley Mehler, Brian Wells, and Peter Michaelson to the state to lead their class in the recitation, followed by a benediction by Ashley Mehler. After being guided by their Instructor for a final fall-out, the class and crowd erupted in joyful yells, hugs, and tears by some.

The Allstate campus wishes the graduates well as they prepare for their state exams and eventual careers as officers of the law. If you are interested in learning more about the Police Academy, please see our website or contact one of knowledgeable advisors.

For more information on events happening on the Allstate Campus, please see our Student Activities webpage or our Facebook page.