Sixth Graders at Margaret L. Vetter School to Graduate From L.E.A.D.

EATONTOWN, NJ – On June 2, a graduation ceremony will be held for 100 students in the sixth grade at Margaret L. Vetter School for completing L.E.A.D. (Law Enforcement Against Drugs & Violence), a nationwide nonprofit that works with communities to help students understand the dangers of drugs and violence. The children were instructed by Ryan Hennelly, a patrolman with the Eatontown Police Department. Patrolman Hennelly is a founding member of L.E.A.D. and master trainer for the organization, in which he trains police officers to teach L.E.A.D.’s evidence-based curriculum to school children. Over the course of 10 weeks, he helped this batch of sixth graders understand why steering clear of drugs and violence is vital, in addition to teaching them lessons on how to set attainable goals, manage their emotions and make good decisions.

The families of the students graduating from L.E.A.D. are invited to the ceremony, where they will get to observe what the kids learned during the program and understand their newfound commitment to resist drugs and violence. A barbeque as well as dessert provided by Nothing Bundt Cakes and Rita’s Italian Ice will be available for the attendees, and the students will receive several prizes due to the generosity of numerous community organizations.

All the graduates will receive items from L.E.A.D. such as backpacks, sporting goods and T-shirts that will grant them free admission to the L.E.A.D. Fest Carnival at Monmouth Mall, beginning the night of the graduation and ending on June 11. At the end of the ceremony, the prizes donated from local businesses, which include laptops, Apple watches and bicycles, will be raffled off to the students. Additionally, the Eatontown Policemen’s Benevolent Association 305 is donating two $100 Visa gift cards, which will be awarded to the two winners of the L.E.A.D. essay contest.

“We congratulate the sixth graders who worked hard to successfully complete the L.E.A.D. program taught in Eatontown, and we’re glad that they can celebrate their achievements with a well-deserved graduation ceremony,” said Nick DeMauro, CEO of L.E.A.D. “Patrolman Hennelly is an integral part of our family, and we commend him on allowing the sixth grade students to gain skills that will last them a lifetime. We’re confident that he continues to help us achieve our goal of advancing police-community relationships as well.”

L.E.A.D. provides services “On the Street” and “In the Classroom” as it brings law enforcement and communities closer together. The “In the Classroom” program is taught by 3800 trained instructors in 41 states. L.E.A.D. has a proven effective, law enforcement-focused anti–drug, anti–violence curriculum for K-12 students in the U.S. The L.E.A.D. curriculum is taught over the course of a 10-week program to educate youth on how they can make smart decisions without the involvement of drugs or violence.

Patrolman Hennelly says that he’s very proud of his students and the hard work that they put into the essays that they wrote at the end of the program, detailing all the information that they learned throughout the organization. Teaching the program has many rewarding aspects, but having the opportunity to strengthen the relationship between the police and the Eatontown community, he says, is most fulfilling.

“L.E.A.D. is a phenomenal program as it lets students, teachers, parents and police forces come together and work to make the community in Eatontown more unified,” said Patrolman Hennelly. “The students involved in the L.E.A.D. program and their families get to know their local police officers. I’m thrilled to be one of the police officers who folks in Eatontown now view as someone they can trust and rely on.”

The L.E.A.D. program is benefitting the students in Eatontown, says Patrolman Hennelly, given that it’s a National Registry of Effective Prevention Program (NREPP), whose curriculum is tested and proven effective. He also values that it’s a social and emotional learning program.

“The children acquire crucial life skills through being involved in the 10-week program as they learn how to consider consequences before making impulsive choices, communicate more effectively with their peers and handle peer pressure,” he said. “Additionally providing them with dangerous facts about several of the illegal substances and drugs that are out there, the program has given my students the tools to help them make safe decisions now and in the future.”

On May 4, Patrolman Hennelly received the “Friend of Education Award” from the Monmouth County Education Association at their annual banquet, due to his role in Eatontown schools with L.E.A.D. He was nominated by Christine Gallucci of the Eatontown Education Association, who said that she’s watched countless students “learn how to stand up for themselves and be proactive and healthy” through his guidance to them during the program. Patrolman Hennelly looks forward to continuing his involvement as an instructor and master trainer for L.E.A.D. and making a meaningful impact on both school children and police departments.

About L.E.A.D.

L.E.A.D. provides the leadership, resources and management to ensure law enforcement agencies have the means to partner with educators, community leaders and families. L.E.A.D. succeeds by providing proven effective programs to deter youth and adults from drug use, drug related crimes, bullying and violence. L.E.A.D. is committed to reinforcing the mutual respect, goodwill and relations between law enforcement and their communities. For more information, visit https://www.leadrugs.org/.

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Ariel Kaplan
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