High Schoolers Can Become Cops?

Carl Wunsche Sr. High School, home of the phoenix, was built on the premise that real industry experience can help create a better prepared workforce for our future without compromising the essential core classes that create the foundation for students. It is with this unique mission in mind that the Criminal Justice Pathway explorers the important role of the first responder, corrections, and legal professionals.

With the changing landscape of our society, preparing dedicated community members who want to implement change is important if we want to continue to be the finest example of police professionals in the world.

Our students get chances for hands-on training that most people only experience in higher education or academies. We are the only high school in the state of Texas that has a sanctioned courtroom where legal students not only get to practice public speaking and courtroom demeanor but understand the pressures that come with the environment of that hallowed space.

Carl Wunsche is moving forward on a changeable search house that will be used for training our students and members of our policing community. Wunsche is also moving forward with improvements to our forensic department, understanding that trace evidence is not just important to today’s legal cases but now a normal standard.

With all these initiatives coming to fruition it seemed logical to share in the academic and hands-on learning with future Wunsche students. Our team and student leadership developed a mobile training center we call WATCH, Wunsche Academy Teaching Community Heroes. This center will reach out to elementary and middle schools all over Spring ISD to strengthen the connection between police and their community. The best part of WATCH will be the instructors, our Wunsche student leadership. Leading instruction seminars for younger students will go a long way in reinforcing the lessons learned in the classroom while providing much-needed role models for younger students to look up to while navigating the complicated world of adolescence.

Every year we go to an event called, National Night Out. National Night Out is an event where the community and law enforcement come together to understand the culture that we live in, in order to build a bridge between the community and law enforcement.

I was honored to attend National Night Out with my classmates and my team. It was an honor to present the colors. This would have to be my 2nd year coming to this event, and since last year they’ve improved and made it way more fun for the kids. The most memorable part of that day is just seeing the little kids happy going to each booth and getting something out of it. The best part of that day would have to be dancing with the little kids and just interacting with them and as well with the parents. It’s amazing to see that the community actually reaches out to our Spring ISD Police Department and they don’t see them as just working men/women, but they see them as a normal person that likes to have fun.

- Joanna V.
Class of 2018

We also go to volunteer at local events:

The Criminal Justice and the Medical Pathway from Wunsche High School went to Operation Stand Down on October 6, 2017. We had a long ride there but we all can honestly say it was worth the drive. We were shocked when we arrived at MacGregor Park to see all the veterans that needed help. We felt honored to be a big part of the operation. We helped move food and put it into bags, fix bags up with supplies, helped in the medical tent, and gave medical supplies out. The experience really showed us how we could help and what doing our part looks like. The best part of the whole day was hearing the veterans tell stories and going back and forth to say who is better. We had the Army, the Marines, the Navy, and the Air Force. The experience was really humbling and we were very honored to be a part of Operation Stand Down and help the brave people who helped us. As a side note, my amazing teacher Mr.Underwood is a veteran for the Marines.

- Ananda Temple

Class of 2019

The Wunsche Criminal Justice Pathway is a place where learning and experience go hand in hand knowing that service is the ultimate goal. Our students were there for community members affected by Hurricane Harvey and continue to be ready to serve when the opportunity presents itself.

At our career academy, we understand that the world is not always a welcoming place, but our students are ready to succeed with the skills they’ve learned and a confidence born of intense preparation.

In the world of public safety, there is a huge, friendly rivalry between red and blue; Fire/EMS vs. Police. Both sides have great pride in their "thin lines", but at the end of the day both put their differences aside to come together for a common goal: serving the greater good. Both industries often receive cross-training to understand the roles their counterparts play and take the skills they learn to apply in their field.

On October 18, 2017, Wunsche's EMT program collaborated with their Law Enforcement brethren to learn new skills. Instructed by Wunsche's lead law enforcement instructor Keith Underwood, the EMT students learned a plethora of hand restraint and control techniques that can be used to subdue a violent patient. We focus on multidisciplinary education, allowing students to experience real-life scenarios and gain valuable skills that can directly translate to the real world.

At the end of a student’s high school career, they have the opportunity to become certified in Texas Department of Corrections, EMT-B, 911 dispatch and have the opportunity to intern with Harris County Sheriff’s Office and Cypress Creek EMS. Carl Wunsche High School offers an unique opportunity for students interested in law enforcement. This is a program that is simply unparalleled.