Summer 2015 Park Visits

Temple's ProRanger program administration staff will be making visits to all of our partner parks this summer.  During these visits we will be spending time with the ProRangers to see firsthand what they have been learning and doing at their park internships.  We will also be meeting with park staff to assess student progress and to get feedback and suggestions so that we can keep improving the quality of the program.  And, of course, we'll be blogging about our experiences!

During the last week of June, I had the opportunity to attend a meeting that the National Park Service and the NPS Law Enforcement Training Center (LETC) staff held with the directors of the Seasonal Law Enforcement Training Programs (SLETP).  The meeting was held at the National Conservation Training Center in Shepherdstown, WV.  Temple was well represented by Anthony Luongo and Chris Willard from our Criminal Justice Training Programs. 

National Conservation Training Center, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

 
The meeting participants reviewed the (almost) final syllabus and plans for the new SLETP curriculum that will be piloted this fall.  Temple's SLETP will begin using this new curriculum in its next academy offering in May 2016.  I was impressed by the level of thoughtful conversation and debate among the participants.  It was clear that everyone involved is motivated by providing the highest level of training and producing the most qualified and prepared law enforcement rangers for the National Park Service. 

Tony Luongo, Chris Willard, Vicki McGarvey (L-R)

Harper's Ferry National Historical Park is also located in Shepherdstown, WV and Antietam National Battlefield is in nearby Sharpsburg, MD.  I took this opportunity to drop in on Rangers Jordan Keiffer and Jay Copper who are both Temple ProRanger alumni.   

Harper's Ferry NHP

Antietam NB

It was so exciting to see former students on duty!  I enjoyed hearing about how their first year on the job has been going and getting feedback about "what they wish they knew" so that we can add elements to the program.

The return trip to Philadelphia took me through Monocacy National Battlefield and Gettysburg National Historical Park.  Stay tuned for blog posts about my visits with ProRangers Tim Greene and Isaiah Lewis.