by Lily Clardy
For years, Alex Crogan has heard about his father’s job – Chad Crogan is a detective for the Hudson Police Department, but on April 27 during Shadow Day, Crogan got to experience what a detective really does.
Crogan has been inspired by his father to pursue a career as a detective.
Crogan got to tour the station, go to the courthouse, work on cases, and shoot guns at the shooting range. He got the day-to-day experience of a police officer.
“You get to find out what really happens at a crime scene as a detective,” Crogan says. “I want to make the world a better place, and being a detective, like my father, will make me one step closer in achieving that goal.”
Shadow Day has been happening since 2001 to promote the exploration of career choices and independence.
Students receive work that they have to complete during this from their social studies teachers. They have to ask the person they shadow a list of questions about their typical day on the job.
“The intention of Shadow Day is to promote career awareness, encourage independence, and to help students draw links between educational experiences and the professional world,” Kerry Bartlett says.
Students are able to shadow whomever they want, but the students who have trouble finding a place or person to shadow, the eighth grade teachers work with them to figure out their interests and help him find a place to shadow.
In the past ten years, 30 students have shadowed Officer Chad.
“He hears about the things I do every day,” Crogan says. “I think him seeing me do them, he has a better understanding to what I do as a detective.”
Many opportunities occur for students depending on whom they shadow. Some students have received jobs later in high school from the place that they have shadowed.
After Shadow Day the students are required to complete a presentation about what they learned and how they benefited from Shadow Day.