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Miami Palmetto High School senior Will-Ander Jules is involved in the Police Explorers program at the Miami-Dade Police South District Station. He is currently a lieutenant, having recently been promoted from the rank of sergeant. He joined the Police Explorers program in 2017.
“When I lived in Haiti, I was a member I was part of the Boys and Girls Brigade,” he says.
“It’s similar to scouts and the Police Explorer programs.”
Jules moved from Haiti to Miami in 2015. Before COVID-19, he went to the stations once as week for meetings and training.
“Sometimes we do one week outside,” he says. “We do big events like NASCAR. There we do traffic stops and check the licenses.”
The Explorers also participate in Police Explorer competition.
“Each police station, we do like competition, in marching, investigations, all types of police stuff,” he says.
In one of the recent competitions, his station came in third. COVID-19 did cause the Police Explorers program to go virtual.
“When school closed, everything is closed,” he says. “We are waiting for them to open to go back.”
While they wait to do face-to-face events again, he keeps up with the sessions via Zoom.
One of his duties is to communicate with the other Explorers. Along with the official Explorer business, Jules checks with the members on how things are going for them and their families.
At Palmetto, Jules is a vice president of the Five Thousand Role Models organization.
“I am very proud of this and take my responsibility seriously,” he says. “I help guide the other members, help set an example for young men, and assist with running our meetings.
We are the ambassadors of the school, so if the school has a big event, like an open house, we serve as guides and hosts. We go on a lot of field trips too.”
He is a member of the French Honor Society, the LEO Club, and Health Occupation Students of America (HOSA), Bible Club, Key Club, Science Club and the Robotics Club.
He is also a part of the Palmetto senate. He is a member of the School Safety Committee.
Jules runs track for Palmetto. Last year was his first year on the track team. His events are the 200- and 800-meter races.
At Palmetto he has earned an Outstanding Service Award from the Palmetto PTSA. Which is just one of the numerous awards he’s earned in recent years.
His goal is to join the FBI after finishing college. His college list includes Florida International University, the University of Miami, Miami Dade Honors College, Barry University, Florida Atlantic University and Keiser University.
“To be an FBI agent we have to take criminal justice,” he says. “I want to be an FBI SWAT Agent because I want to help my community, protect them so they can be safe. The Police Explorer program has given me the skills to help me meet this goal.”
His ability to speak several languages should help in his career. He speaks Haitian Creole, French, English and a little Spanish.
Most summers, he volunteers at the Read-2 Succeed Summer Camp at Richmond Heights Middle School.
“I had several responsibilities at summer camp. I helped the teachers with whatever they needed,” he says. “Mostly, I helped students with their academic assignments on the computer, distributed breakfast, lunch, and snacks, and assisted on weekly field trips.”
Outside of school, he volunteers at his church where he is also a member of the choir.
Linda Rodriguez Bernfeld
