The Columbia-Richland Fire Department was proud to welcome area teens for a summer of learning and engagement through our annual Youth Empowerment Academy.
A total of 15 teenagers took part in two sessions of the academy that were held during the 2026 summer. Both sessions concluded with graduation exercises where the teens were congratulated by Columbia-Richland Fire Chief Aubrey D. Jenkins and community leaders.
“I am thrilled that this summer program continues to have tremendous success each year thanks in large part to our partnership with the Columbia Urban League,” Chief Jenkins said, “Leaders there first came to us asking if we could build a program that would not only teach our youth about the fire service but also impart to them skills in life. Through the dedicated work that our members have put into the academy and the strong partnerships they have built with agencies across our state, this program continues to grow in its scope and I can’t wait to see what the future brings for it.”
Through the Columbia Urban League’s support each summer, CRFD’s Youth Empowerment Academy provides structured engaging learning experiences centered on the fire service and public safety education. Teens in each session of the program take part in hands-on activities, mentorship time and job-readiness training. The program offers an alternative educational approach designed to promote personal growth and career awareness.
Each session of this summer’s academy lasted two weeks with the first session beginning on Monday June 15. Nine teens completed that session and graduated on Friday June 26.
A second session of the academy began on Monday July 13 and concluded on Friday July 24 with six teens graduating.
2026 CRFD Youth Empowerment Academy
Graduation for Session 2 on Friday July 24, 2026
In addition to touring several CRFD facilities and stations and completing hands-on exercises at the department’s training grounds, participants in the academy also visited many other agencies and sites in Columbia and beyond. This included the South Carolina Fire Academy, South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) and college campus tours at Claflin University and Charleston Southern University.
CRFD wants to congratulate the following teens
that completed this summer’s CRFD Youth Empowerment Academy.
Session 1
Kamren Bostic Chase Boyd
Micah Bray Joshua Brazzle
Nkeyah Gantt Deniria Lorick
Christopher Parker Morgan Thompson
Dante Williams
Session 2
Parker Jordan Chandler Leonard
Jayla Mack Makayla Mackey
Eva Marsh Miyah McDade
