More than 70 students showed up for the first day of the Chilton County Sheriff’s Office Junior Deputy Academy, which was held at the LeCroy Career Training Center on Monday.

Deputy David Hubbard, Chilton County Resource Officer, said while the students are learning about law enforcement, he hopes they get more from the program.

“Self-confidence and core values,” he said. “That’s what we want them to get.”

The program lasts from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. this week, and students learn about things that officers deal with on a regular basis, such as training, forensics and even the process of becoming an officer.

“So far, it’s pretty good,” said Jesse Norton, 14, of Clanton. “It teaches a lot about the military you don’t already know. We learn about self-control, discipline.”

Students also must complete physical training tasks, such as seeing how many sit-ups and push-ups they can do in a minute.

Norton, who was the boys’ record holder for sit-ups through Monday, said the physical training aspect “feels pretty good.”

One of the things Hubbard said he hoped the students would take from the program is that the values taught there can make a difference in schools.

“One of the things people don’t realize is that the No. 1 reason for teen suicides, shootings, and fighting in schools is bullying,” he said, “If we can instill some core values, maybe we can prevent some of that. They can take that back with them to their schools.”