Way to Go! Eastport-South Manor student Ryan Storch selected for FBI New York Teen Academy

A student at Eastport-South Manor Jr.-Sr. High School with a passion for policing has been immersing himself in the field at the local and national level.

Ryan Storch, a sophomore, was recently one of 80 students statewide selected to the prestigious FBI New York Teen Academy in Manhattan, which spanned two weeks in July. To be selected, he completed an application process that included an essay, three teacher recommendations and evidence of community and school involvement.

Storch is also a member of the Suffolk County Police Explorers Program, which is a goal-oriented initiative for individuals between the ages of 14 and 20 who are interested in pursuing careers in the criminal justice system. It is held in conjunction with the Boy Scouts of America.

“When I was accepted, I was excited and amazed, but I was a little nervous because I didn’t know what I was getting into,” Storch said of the academy. Of his interest in the field, he said: “I think it’s just in my blood.”

The academy included daily presentations and hands-on activities on the topics of anti-terrorism, cybersecurity and crime scene investigations, among others. Participants also engaged in a mock trial case at the federal courthouse in Manhattan as well as a fitness test that included a 1½-mile run and 300-meter sprint.

Storch, 14, also plays the alto saxophone and is a member of his school’s marching band, jazz band, wind ensemble, Tri-M Music Honor Society and Natural Helpers Club.

By Michael R. Ebert

michael.ebert@newsday.com

Michael R. Ebert is an education researcher and has worked for Newsday in various capacities since 2003. He was part of an 11-person team named as 2008 Pulitzer Prize finalists for investigative coverage of the LIRR's platform safety issues.