Edmonton police officers took 50 teens shopping on Thursday to prepare for the first day of school. The event, called “Ready, Set, School,” consisted of a scavenger hunt through West Edmonton Mall. As the youth and police worked together to unlock the next step in their journey, the students picked up supplies, clothing and other personal items they’ll need in September. Grade 10 student Delia Chowace said she was nervous to meet her new classmates next month, but the event helped. “I found something that I love,” she told CTV News Edmonton. The Edmonton Police Foundation organizes the annual event as a way to build inroads into the community. “Part of it is setting them up. Another part is introducing them to police,” said Chief Warren Driechel. “Youth today need a lot of support. We’ve got an affordability crisis, we have a lot of challenges in society. And those impacts come right down to the kid level. These are our future leaders and future citizens in our society.” The students were also gifted a laptop, donated by event sponsor Enbridge. With files from CTV News Edmonton’s Evan Klippenstein
