Wanted by the Sacramento FBI: High school juniors

If you’re a high school junior and have wondered what it takes to be an FBI agent or a member of the FBI’s professional staff, here’s a chance to find out. Or maybe you wonder what FBI casework is like, or if TV shows and movies give a realistic depiction of FBI operations.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Sacramento field office will offer the answers during its Spring 2015 FBI Teen Academy.

The academy will be held March 27 at the field office headquarters. Any high school junior attending a public, private, charter or home school and residing within the 34 California counties served by the FBI Sacramento field office may apply. The counties include Stanislaus, San Joaquin, Merced, Tuolumne and Calaveras.

Students selected for the FBI Teen Academy spend a day participating in classroom and hands-on activities. Past classes offered insight into a number of topics and specialties, including the importance of making good choices when using online communication platforms, what violations of federal law the FBI investigates, what is required of all FBI applicants, and the agency’s domestic and international roles.

Students also had hands-on experiences involving the evidence response team, bomb techs and auto shop.

After completing the class, students are more aware of challenges their communities face, better understand how the FBI serves their region, and are prepared to mentor their peers, according to a news release from the bureau.

Application packages are available online at www.fbi.gov/sacramento/news-and-outreach/in-your-community/outreach. Interested students must complete and submit all required application materials to the Sacramento field office headquarters by 4 p.m. Feb. 27.

For convenience, completed application packages can be sent by U.S. mail or parcel service or can be hand-delivered. Due to the need for original signatures, electronic and faxed applications cannot be accepted.

The Sacramento FBI Teen Academy is offered at no cost to students and their families. The Sacramento FBI Citizens Academy Alumni Association and its members sponsor lunch and snacks for all students in attendance, and all classroom materials are provided. If a student is selected, his or her family is responsible for transportation to and from class.

This story was originally published January 16, 2015 at 6:03 PM with the headline "Wanted by the Sacramento FBI: High school juniors."