Dream becoming more of a reality for teen

AMHERST - A local teenager got the experience of a lifetime when she attended Camp Courage earlier this summer.
Bethany Corbett, 17, has hopes of becoming a police officer her with the Amherst Police Department and didn't hesitate to apply for the program that saw her and 23 other females under the age of 19 with similar goals come together - entering a profession of either policing, firefighting or as a paramedic.
"I've always wanted to become a police officer. In my Grade 11 (career and life management) class, we had to do a job shadow and I asked if I could do it with the police department," said Corbett, still full of excitement from her July 4 to 11 experience.
"And on April 24, 2008, with Const. Tasha Estabrooks, it was the best day of my life. It's been a dream of mine."
Two days of the eight-day camp were set aside as pre-camp and graduation days, so that left six days for Corbett to use to her advantage at the camp that started in 2006 for girls between 15 and 19-years-old.
Each profession had a two-day hands-on learning experience for each participant.
"We did CPR and delivered a mechanical baby," Corbett said of her experience as a paramedic.
"As a firefighter, we got to repel down a three story building and climb a 75-foot ladder," she said, adding she also got to use the breathing apparatus and experience a confined space trailer.
But her favourite part was the two days she spent as a police officer.
"I got to fire a 9 mm pistol that I got right on target, as well as a machine gun and a fake Taser," she said.
Also included in the police days were mock arrests.
"We got to do everything," she said.
Corbett said she couldn't wait to see what each day held for her and the other participants, adding she cried when she left the camp.
Because it's a free camp, applicants need to write an essay for submission covering one of two topics - how they would make their community a better place or how to make the life better for someone less fortunate. And then the applicant has to follow through with their choice.
For Corbett, she chose to talk about her community.
"I would plant trees and pick up litter," she said. "I run every day so I pick up garbage along the way that I see. I sort it properly too."
While excited about her experience and what lays before her (she's attending the two-year Police Foundations course in Miramichi starting next year in hopes of attending the Police Academy), Corbett says she owes it all to the Teen Health Centre nurse, Michelle Richard, and Amherst Police Department's Const. Francis Smith.
She said Richard found her during a free period after she received an email promoting Camp Courage, and Smith has gotten her involved in many different policing activities from police week to security at the Relay for Life.
"As soon as I saw the email, there was only one person that came to my mind that needed to go to this," said Richard.
Smith says Corbett is determined to make it through the Police Academy and through the doors to the Amherst detachment.
"She certainly has the desire to become an officer and there is no doubt that she will fulfill that dream," said Smith.
"I hope I'm still around when she does and I want to be the first person to see that moment when she walks through that door."

Source :  http://www.amherstdaily.com/News/Local/2010-08-12/article-1671934/Dream-becoming-more-of-a-reality-for-teen/1