Five local residents were among the 40 high school students from across the commonwealth to graduate from the Junior Law Cadet program late last month. The session was co-sponsored by the Virginia State Police and The American Legion and held at the VSP Academy in Chesterfield. 

The local participants were James N. Compagnone and Jessica J. Inman of Gloucester, and John M. Dyson, Jacob B. Hogge and Cecil J. McCleary, all of Hayes. All five students are rising high school seniors. Also attending from Gloucester was American Legion Post 75 Adjutant Rick Ward, who served as a counselor. 

The Junior Law Cadet program is a weeklong session in which cadets experience a life similar to a trooper-in-training, complete with daily room inspections.  The students are instructed by state troopers on operations, crime scene investigations, officer survival, undercover operations, driver improvement, scuba diving, defensive tactics and firearms safety. 

As part of their traini...