UAHS senior Mycca Sassoon-Meyers graduates from law enforcement program at Downtown High School.
by Hallie Underwood, ’20.
Each afternoon, senior Mycca Sassoon-Meyers leaves the everyday classes of UAHS for Downtown High School. She lines up in the hallway with other law enforcement students for a “fall-out” where attendance is taken. From there, Sassoon-Meyers studies vocabulary and practice report writing before getting dressed for physical training. Everything from push-ups, sit-ups, and jumping jacks to takedown and handcuffing techniques.
Skylar Williams, a peer of Sassoon-Meyers at Downtown High School, explains that Mycca often asks questions to guest speakers in class and demonstrates her interest in class discussions.
“Mycca displays her passion for law enforcement by just talking about it non-stop,” Williams said. “She is also the most hardworking student in our class.”
Mycca’s excitement for law enforcement is nothing new. According to her twin sister, Skye Sassoon-Meyers, her first memories of Mycca’s passion occurred in their early childhood, as early as eight years old.
“Having my sister looking at a career so early doesn’t surprise me,” Skye said. “She was so fascinated by becoming a police officer so young and knew that she would stick with it if she knew she wanted to do this career.”
Sassoon-Meyers said she has seen the benefits of starting her career early in her career path.
“The best thing about starting this career so early is that I know exactly what I want to do, Sassoon-Meyers said. “I can be physically and mentally ready faster. I’ll have a lot of learning to do but I’d say it definitely helps to be a young person and already knowing what you want to do with your life.”
Graphic by Sophia Shen.
Sassoon-Meyers said she has wanted to go into law enforcement since she was a child. She admits it was not a difficult decision for her to make for her senior year, as she’d always known she’d want to help the communities and other families.
When she imagines herself in a police car, Sassoon-Meyers sees the same Upper Arlington roads she knows and loves. Protecting a community that she calls home is ideal for her plans now that she will be from Downtown High School. After graduating from Upper Arlington High School, Sassoon-Meyers said she plans to work with Upper Arlington Police Department at Safety Town, which provides annual safety classes for children in the community. She also plans to work with Patrol Services International, a private security company that helps Columbus police, and attend Columbus State Community College.
At 21 years old, she will be ready for the Police Academy, which will be her last training before becoming a police officer, hopefully landing a job as a K-9 unit in Upper Arlington.
Due to the Police Academy’s rigor, Sassoon-Meyers plans to continue to train to be ready for this high-caliber training.
“Once you go into the police academy the training will be more realistic and at a faster pace than what I do,” Sassoon-Meyers said. “My next step to achieve my goal is to continue to practice what I know already and improve it when I can go into the police academy when I’m twenty-one.”
Sassoon-Meyers has leaped headfirst into her career but still is able to reflect on many memorable friendships through the program.
“These people aren’t just your friends they are considered family,” Sassoon-Meyers said. “I also have the opportunity to go to an elementary school every Friday and give the kids their food who aren’t very fortunate to have as much food, so it’s always rewarding to see them have what they need to get through the week.”
As she was ranked lieutenant, Sassoon-Meyers has been able to create memorable bonds with those involved and interested in law enforcement.
“To have younger people look up to you and already say that I’m impacting their world just by choosing to do this job is definitely a feeling that I wouldn’t change anything for,” Sassoon-Meyers said. “To also have people I know who are a police officer is definitely a plus. To know they are looking out for me and wanting me to become one is definitely a big help to get where I want to be in this career.”
Stemming from her younger days, her dream to go into law enforcement has been a strong motivator. Sassoon-Meyers describes Downtown High School as a tool to help her reach her goals, both career-wise and as a human being.
“Training at downtown for me shaped me to be a better person,” Sassoon-Meyers said. “It teaches me how to communicate with many different people from different backgrounds. I also think it also pushed me to limits that I didn’t know I could push myself to do and achieve. Working on my career helped me learn how I can mentally prepare myself for stuff most people wouldn’t see on an everyday basis.”
While most students spend their days learning within the walls of UAHS, sitting at desks and walking the halls between periods, Sassoon-Meyers explains she is not just fantasizing about the future. She’s living it. While a unique schedule, Sassoon-Meyers said she wouldn’t have it any other way.
By 2:10 p.m., she is back at Upper Arlington High School, often in a junior police officer’s uniform talking to school police officers about the day.
“It’s definitely a different experience with me than with an average UAHS student but I wouldn’t change it for the world,” Sassoon-Meyers said. “I love that I’m doing what I’m doing to get where I want to be.”