FBI to offer peek at career for teens

SACRAMENTO — This fall, the Federal Bureau of Investigation Sacramento field office will offer high school juniors in Madera County and elsewhere a firsthand peek into the 109-year-old agency during its FBI Teen Academy.

An application package is available online for the Fall 2017 class that will be held Nov. 17 at FBI Sacramento field office headquarters in Roseville.

Each spring and fall, the FBI Sacramento field office hosts a FBI Teen Academy for approximately 20-36 students. The one-day academy offers a unique view into the FBI and its mission, values, investigations, partnerships with local, state, and federal law enforcement, eligibility requirements, many career available paths, and more.

Throughout the day, participants engage in activities and discussions with FBI personnel. Discussion topics may include cyber safety, terrorism, active shooter situations, cyber investigations, and civil rights investigations.

Activities may include simulated experiences with the FBI’s Evidence Response Team, Special Agent Bomb Technicians, and Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) team. Students will also engage in candid conversations about online communication and its risks as well as the lifestyle choices required to be eligible for careers at the FBI.

More than 350 students have attended the FBI Teen Academy at the FBI Sacramento field office to date.

The FBI Teen Academy held at the Sacramento field office is open to high school juniors attending any school — public, private, and home school — within one of the 34 counties the field office serves. Neither a minimum GPA nor a particular academic path is required. Applying to and attending the FBI Teen Academy class is free; however, families may need to plan for travel expenses if the Sacramento FBI field office is located a significant distance from their residence.

All students interested in attending the FBI Teen Academy must complete an application package as instructed in the application package materials to compete for this opportunity. A completed package includes an application, forms with original signatures from educators and parents, and a supporting essay. Only complete application packages received by the Oct. 12 deadline by mail or hand delivery will be considered for this opportunity.