In the our first 100 years, we made history as the first Holy Cross school in Indiana.

Now School Resource Officer Tabetha Emenaker hopes to kick start our second hundred years with another first.

Although Junior Police Cadet programs have been a presence for many years in public schools, no Catholic schools in the area have offered this extracurricular activity. However, Emenaker hopes to change this. She is currently looking to gain support for this club, called the Archangel Club, as in the protectors of heaven, to be added as an official school organization.

“We would be the first Catholic school to have a Junior Police Cadet program,” Emenaker said. 

For those who don’t know what a Junior Police Cadet program involves, it is essentially a way for students to find out more about working in law enforcement and to get a glimpse of that profession. 

However, the Archangels Club will be much more. Emenaker said, “It’s a Junior Police Cadet program that uses the Holy Cross core values. There will be elements of brotherhood and sisterhood and camaraderie. It will create a higher sense of morality. Not only would (student members) learn about criminal justice, but the history of the police. They would also learn about the Vatican City Police to incorporate Holy Cross values.” 

Although this club is currently only an idea, Emenaker has grand plans for its future. “If we can get enough people interested, (the administration) will see that it is turned into a class to get college credit hours. They would be taking Criminal Justice I and II, which are college credit hours if it turns into an (elective class).” 

The future looks bright for this club, since “within 24 hours of putting it up online, 24 kids had signed up with it,” she said. Emenaker has students at work designing the flag and emblem of the Archangels. Also, the club’s motto will be the same that of the Vatican City Police: “Fides et Virtus” which means faith and virtue.

In her vision, members of the Archangels Club would be able to give presentations of the American flag, the Vatican City flag and the Archangels flag, which is being designed by a student, all while in Archangels uniforms. They could also help with security at school and during events. Physical training also will be a component of the organization. 

Emenaker also wants her students to be able to create their own cadence, a cheer/chant said while marching or running in a group, similar to the one she has made for the Archangels Club:

As I stand at the pearly gates, the good Lord says that I must wait.

He asked me if I’m free of sin, ’cause if I am I can go in.

As I think of how I lived my days, did I live life in selfless ways?

Did I have compassion for fellow man, did I live life by the good Lord’s plan?

I knew some choices were not the best, so I confessed my sins before I laid to rest.

The gates were open and I walked in, for the good Lord knew I was free of sin.

Although these students would be called Archangels, they would have different ranks and units.

Ultimately, Emenaker’s goal is to walk down the halls of the administration hallway, with all the pictures of Cathedral’s history, and to see a picture of the first ever class of a Junior Police Cadet pogram in a Catholic school watching over our school.