Courtesy of The West Australian, 23/11/14

Lacing up their bright new kicks, there was an extra bounce in the students' steps as they started their weekly fitness session with the WA Police Academy trainers.

Thirty-two students at Clarkson Community High School have worked with police for five months as part of a new resilience program to improve their fitness and motivation.

Troubled teens, high-achievers and others with learning difficulties are among the Year 10s and 11s training with police recruits.

The program also aims to create positive relationships with authorities.

Insp. Gordon Fairman, who developed the program with the school, admitted some students were disengaged and even hostile in the first weeks - joining only because it took them out of class.

The sessions are having positive results, according to school principal John Young. Students had shown improved communication and interpersonal skills and were working better as a team, benefits that extended to the classroom.

Their general health had also improved, with one student losing 20kg.

This week, they each received new Mizuno sneakers thanks to a grant from Edith Cowan University and the support of Jim Kidd Sports.

Dr Fadi Maayah, a senior lecturer at ECU, has been helping Clarkson and other schools for three years through a program that uses sporting role models to encourage disadvantaged youths to consider tertiary education.

Admiring her new training shoes, Kira Rogers-Movick said they looked amazing and were really comfortable.

Friend Tynesha Hockley was also grateful. "None of us have a lot of money to buy shoes," she said.

Insp. Fairman hopes to expand the resilience program to other schools.

Picture: Students (L-R) Kira Rogers-Movick, Jacob Wood, Tynesha Hockley and Scott Parnaby from Clarkson High School are training with Police trainers Shane Wood in new runners provided with a grant from Edith Cowan University and support from Jim Kidd Sports. Picture: Lincoln Baker/The West Australian.