Criminal Justice Competitor Receives $1,000 Police Scholarship

Tiffany Denton

Jefferson City High School graduate Tiffany Denton is among 21 top students who will receive $1,000 college scholarships to encourage their pursuit of law enforcement/public safety careers by the professional public safety officers of the Law Enforcement Education Program (LEEP).

Denton graduated with a 4.07 GPA and plans to attend University of Tennessee at Chattanooga to obtain a bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice. She would like to work as a detective and eventually for the FBI.

Denton participated in Skills USA, a technical education program focused on law enforcement, as secretary and president. She took Criminal Justices courses in high school and was a member of Jefferson County Patriot Shooter, a trap shooting club. She was also a member of the RIOT pep club, Beta Club, National Honors Society and National Technical Honors Society.

“She is a dedicated student and is active in the Career‐Technical Education Program, SkillsUSA. She shows tremendous effort in any project or endeavor undertaken,” wrote Jim Potts, Jefferson County High School Criminal Justice Instructor, in a letter of recommendation.

“Through my (criminal justice) classes, I have competed in criminal justice competitions at the state level,” Denton wrote in her scholarship application. She was awarded a $2,000 scholarship for taking third place in crime scene investigation in the Michigan Skills USA 2014 competition.

In the community, Denton participated in a horse show benefitting Children’s Hospital, a Heroes Supper honoring local law enforcement and public safety personnel, and Shop with a Cop providing underprivileged children with Christmas presents. She received an appreciation award for her volunteer work at Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 61 and in the community.

She worked at Jefferson City Community Center as a lifeguard and at the admissions desk at the Jefferson City Outdoor Pool. She also kept score for trap shooting at Hog Heaven Gun Club.

Other scholarship winners include: Lena Illig of Alaska; Jared Ardon and Karen Alvarado of California; Anna Sippel of Colorado; Alexander Gordon of Massachusetts; Mark Wright of Maryland; Bradley Duck, Jr., Cory Ellis, Janice Gilger, Sean Herp, Matthew Poublon, Meleigha Schimmoller and Megan Stacey of Michigan; Riley Verbrugge of Minnesota; Benjamin Reed of Montana; Jordan Chaulk and Kayla Mancusi of New York; Cody Schaeffer of Pennsylvania; Brandon Stanfill of Tennessee; and Daisey Fuentes‐ Martinez of Texas.

In its tenth year, LEEP has awarded some $123,000 in Dream scholarships to students showing a demonstrated interest in public service/law enforcement careers. The non‐profit public safety group’s scholarship program is made possible by a growing list of national supporters.

Visitwww.leepusa.comformoreinformationaboutLEEPprograms.