The Barnstable County Sheriff’s Office is accepting student applications for the first Youth Spring Program that will take place at the Upper Cape Cod Regional Technical School during the April school vacation (Apr.16 to Apr. 19) from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. The BCSO’s Youth Academy has been a well-respected summer program for more than two decades. It has helped hundreds of at-risk youth improve their decisionmaking through physical, emotional, and intellectual instruction and activities. In April, Sheriff Donna D. Buckley and BCSO Youth Programs Director Sgt. Luke Carroll will be offering a condensed version of the academy to students between the ages of 12 and 16. The 4-day program will focus on self-control, respect, teamwork, integrity, and positive communication. Students will have fun and develop positive, lasting relationships with the officers instructing them. They will be inspired by some of the best community leaders on the Cape. The speakers include Barnstable Police Officer Natalie Fachada, whose expertise lies in helping victims of domestic violence and human trafficking, and Amy Gaboury from Bay Cove Human Services. Students will also meet K9 partners and learn crime scene investigation techniques. Eighteen children enrolled in the debut Youth Winter Program held during the February break at the Harwich Community Center. Space is limited. All students wishing to attend must complete the application process by April 8. For more information, or to nominate a student, please email youthprograms@bsheriff.net. Recent press on the Youth Academy: https://www.capecodtimes.com/story/news/local/2023/07/22/barnstable-countysheriff-youth-academy-teens-at-risk-crime-cape-cod/70432397007