The Student Ambassador program’s mission is to foster open dialogue between law enforcement and students.
Yaphank, N.Y. (May 14, 2025) – In efforts to inspire local students to become advocates for positive change, the Suffolk County Sheriff’s Foundation and the Suffolk Credit Union bestowed scholarships to four graduates of the Suffolk County Sheriff’s Student Ambassador Program.
The scholarship winners are:
Cristal Hernandez, Central Islip High School
Keilyn Mieses Marcano, Central Islip High School
Jimena Gonzalez, Patchogue Medford High School
Matthew Terletsky, Patchogue Medford High School
The Suffolk County Sheriff’s Student Ambassador Program, which was held bi-weekly for 14 weeks this year, connects young people with law enforcement and provides opportunities for students to develop leadership skills.
The program’s mission is to foster open dialogue between law enforcement and students, providing Suffolk County Sheriff Errol D. Toulon Jr. with a candid understanding of issues affecting young people. During the program, Suffolk County Sheriff staff met with law enforcement and presented topics relevant to today’s youth, including cyberbullying, social media safety, vaping, drug use and more.
With more than three centuries of continuous service, the Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office is eldest law enforcement in Suffolk County, N.Y., and has become known as one of the most innovative law enforcement agencies and correctional systems in the country.
This philosophy and approach of Toulon was the impetus for the birth of the Suffolk County Sheriff’s Foundation in 2020. The Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office combined its work with the Suffolk County Sheriff’s Foundation to build a stronger community.
The Suffolk County Sheriff’s Foundation’s mission is to support community-based programming to reduce incidents of crime and recidivism, improve outcomes for at-risk individuals, and build positive relationships with members of law enforcement.
Toulon notes that the greatest opportunity for the Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office and the Suffolk County Sheriff’s Foundation is to have a positive impact on the community — especially its youth.
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