For several years, Mid Michigan College (Mid) has proudly partnered with the Clinton County Regional Education Service Agency (Clinton County RESA) to deliver college-level criminal justice courses to local high school students. This partnership not only provides early exposure to careers in criminal justice but also offers students the opportunity to earn college credit that transfers directly to Mid after graduation.
“Students explore what it means to work in the criminal justice field and gain a head start on their college journey,” said Rick Smith, Associate Dean of Off-Campus & K-12 Operations at Mid.
As part of the program, Clinton County RESA students annually compete against their Eaton County peers in a friendly, skills-based competition that tests their knowledge and physical capabilities developed throughout the school year.
This year, for the first time in seven years, Clinton County RESA students claimed the top spot—a testament to their hard work, dedication, and skill.
“We couldn’t be more proud of these students and all they’ve achieved,” said Brian Kelley, Criminal Justice Lectureship Instructor at Mid. “Their commitment to learning, teamwork, and personal growth truly paid off.”
The competition featured a wide range of events, including
- Written examination
- Pushups, pullups, sit-ups
- ½-mile run
- Vertical jump
- Traffic stop simulation
- Warrant arrest simulation
- Computer-simulated target shooting (MILO)
Notably, 11 students earned perfect scores on the written exam, and many others placed in the top three across multiple event categories. The team also took first place overall in both the military formation and written test events.
First-Year Students | Judah Bakaitis, Damion Misener, Clayton Powell, Lance Wiktorowski, Gavin Williams, Ally Drews, Owen Jones, Sydney Moon, Scarlet Morence, Greyson Osborne, Cole VanEtten, and Alyssa Weber.
Second-Year Students | Devin Kingsbury, Joseph Lyons, Holly Miller, Evie Moore, Nicholai Schafer, Norah Wilcox, Stacy Hernandez, and River Castle.
“Our partnership with Clinton County RESA demonstrates how collaborations like this can support student success and spark passion for meaningful careers,” added Smith. “We’re excited to see what the future holds for these exceptional students.”
