CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. (CLARKSVILLENOW) – The Clarksville Police Department has been in a long term partnership with the Montgomery County Learning Center, commonly referred to as Genesis, for over four years.
Officers have interacted with the young adults in many different ways: basketball game challenges, lectures, mentoring, open and honest conversations, and providing guest speakers who have come from many walks of life. The latest visit for the young adults was to the Police Department’s newest facility at 211 Cunningham Lane.
Patrol officers, detectives, and District Commander Captain Ty Burdine were on hand to answer the “hard” questions about law enforcement.
Special guests Dr. David Summerville and Joshua Simmons were on hand to share their life experiences along with the struggles they faced to overcome obstacles in their lives.
Photos: CPD
Dr. David Summerville shared his story of growing up in a rural, poverty stricken Alabama community. He was brutally honest about his inability to read while growing up, how he had to attend special classes, graduated high school at a 5th grade level, and how it took multiple times to pass a written exam to be a driver. On his journey to improve himself and to earn his degrees, he suffered many setbacks, but was determined to persevere.
Dr. Summerville is a teacher at the Virtual High School housed in the Greenwood Complex.
Joshua Simmons was headed down the wrong path during his youth, but after visiting a prison he lifted himself up and earned a Bachelor’s Degree from MTSU. He has made it a goal to help people who are on the same pathway as he was during his youth.
Simmons wants to launch a non-profit organization, Merci Ranch for Boys, by the spring with the intent of teaching life skills to young adults between the ages of 12-17.
Joshua Simmons is a property management consultant.
“The end result of the Police Department partnering with Montgomery County Teen learning is yet to be seen,” CPD spokesman Jim Knoll said. “Their hope is to influence or help create a more positive mindset for at least one person at a time and to provide roles models for the young adults to look up to or emulate.”