Bryson White recently returned to his hometown of Vian after spending the week at the Cadet Lawman Academy, a program that is held annually during the first week of June at Connors State College in Warner.

The academy is a program for incoming high school seniors interested in law enforcement. Over the course of the week, students participate in drills and challenges in driving, receive instruction in traffic and boating laws, undergo firearm training, learn self-defense techniques and the history of law enforcement that allow them to achieve a greater understanding of the responsibilities of a highway patrol officer.

White, 18, recalled that one of the first things the students had to do was “lots of pushups,” totaling to be around 3,000 over the course of the week.

“On Monday and Tuesday, the cadets were given a tour of the boatyard and air field, where they got to see and ride in air, jet and patrol boats,” White said.

White said they also got to see aircraft such as jets and helicopters, but were unable to ride them due to them being grounded. Instead, they were treated to a demonstration by the Bomb Square, where White was able to try on a bomb suit.

Wednesday is when the action began for White and his fellow cadets, as they began the driving courses where they learned to shuffle steer. As White describes, shuffle steering isatechniquewhereboth hands are placed low on the steering wheel, and is shuffled through the hands without moving them or crossing the arms. Only the steering wheel should move while shuffling. “Learning this driving technique is valuable for future cadets, as it helps them understand how to avoid injury during high-speed situations or accidents by preventing their arms from “smacking them in the face” when the airbag deploys, a major concern in such crashes,” he said.

But the academy wasn’t all training. After receiving wristbands that signified that the group was a team, they went to the waterpark and swam with the troopers for much-needed relaxation. White also tells an amusing story where the high-ranking cadets got into trouble because their phones kept going off during the flag ceremonies.

Thursday brought further excitement for the students, as they put their driving skills to the test in challenge courses that simulated real-life pursuits. The courses were an accumulation of all the things that they had learned, and they had to race to the finish line as fast as possible while dodging cones and obstacles that imitated driving through urban environments during high speed chases.

“These driving courses were my favorite part of the academy, as they gave me perspective on a real highway chase, but were also fun and engaging,” he said.

On Saturday, White graduated and received a certification for successful completion of the Cadet Lawman Academy. He said he decided to participate in the academy to get a glimpse at what it is like to be a trooper, and what they do on a day-to-day basis, although he is unsure if being a trooper is something he would like to further pursue.

“The shuffle steering technique was the most valuable thing I learned during the week,” White said, believing that it is “way more controllable than actual driving.”

In his free time, he is an amateur wildlife photographer and enjoys the nature of Sequoyah County. After graduating high school, he hopes to obtain his license as a commercial pilot.