2024 Federal Teen Academy

The U.S. Attorney's Office partnered with the FBI, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Homeland Security Investigations, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the U.S. Marshals Service, and other agency partners to deliver the Federal Teen Academy, sponsored by the FBI Tampa Citizen’s Academy Alumni Association. This year’s academy included participants from Hillsborough, Pinellas, Lee, Orange, Pasco, Osceola, Lake, and Collier counties. In addition to technical demonstrations, career opportunities, and discussions about the work and mission of various federal law enforcement agencies, USAO-MDFL staff led interactive discussions about careers with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and provided information about the important role the grand jury plays in the criminal justice process.  Throughout the two-day event, students became “Junior FBI Agents” and worked through different aspects of a drug interdiction case. The event culminated with each team presenting their case before the grand jury, with one Assistant U.S. Attorney assigned to each team.  After hearing the information provided by the junior case agents, AUSA’s deliberated as to which team did the best at collecting evidence and building and presenting their case.  More than 115 middle and high school students were in attendance, joined by more than 50 staff and volunteers.  Each student received a certificate of completion during the graduation ceremony at the end of day two.  United States Attorney Roger Handberg joined federal agency heads in congratulating the participants on their successful completion of the academy.