SACRAMENTO POLICE DEPARTMENT
News Release

Release #12-06b
December 6, 2000
For Immediate Release

Media Office 916-264-5224 

Lt. Sam Somers
PC III: Ann Nichols

Internet: www.sacpd.org 
Kennedy High Career Academy Wins Major Award

 On November 4, 2000, the National Career Academy Coalition presented the J.F. Kennedy High School Career Academy with the Henk Koning Outstanding Academy Award at their annual conference in Bakersfield, CA.  This award recognizes excellence in the teaching profession. Kennedy High was one of over a thousand nation-wide high school academies competing for this prestigious award; only two schools were chosen.  While this award recognizes the program itself and not individuals, the lead teacher, Mr. Al Ikemoto, teacher Mary Richardson and Academy Police Officer Denise Felix are the instructors who have been instrumental in making this program a success.

 Henk Koning was a businessman who worked with the Electric Department in Philadelphia.  He initiated the concept of a high school-based Career Academy.  Working with mentors in businesses, students were assisted in the transition from school to business careers.

 The Kennedy High School Academy, which is a partnership between Kennedy High School and the Sacramento Police Department, is a member of the National Career Academy Coalition.  The Executive Director, Sandy Mittelsteadt, was instrumental in nominating Kennedy High for this award.  It is her opinion this academy is a leader in the field and a model for Career Academy programs.  The Coalition is a grass-roots, non-profit organization that relies on annual memberships for funding, and assists schools in organizing Career Academies.  This involves partnerships between schools, businesses, teachers and parents.  More information on the Coalition can be obtained on their Website at www.ncacinc.org or at the Bakersfield office, (661) 664-7667.

 This is not the first time the Kennedy High School Career Academy has been recognized for outstanding achievement:

 Started in 1989, the Kennedy program is unique from other Academies in that it has a team-teaching approach.  The Academy classroom is staffed with a credentialed teacher and a sworn officer working together in the classroom.  Sacramento Police Department was the first law enforcement agency in the nation to dedicate a full-time officer to the Academy. There are currently one hundred ten students enrolled in grades nine through twelve with a projection of fifteen graduates this year.  Since its inception approximately one hundred fifty students have completed the program.
 

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