On Tuesday, May 30, 2023, Upper St. Clair Chief of Police Jonathan Wharton and Lieutenant Michael Lindenfelser honored USC High School freshman Braidyn Recker for being selected to represent our region at the Federal Bureau of Investigation National Academy Associates, Inc. (FBINAA) Youth Leadership Program (YLP) this summer.

Recker was one of two local students from the Western Pennsylvania region to be selected, along with Mt. Lebanon High School freshman Abigail Sohyda. They are just two of 62 high school students worldwide to be selected for this opportunity.

Recker is a 4.0 GPA student at USCHS and participates in Student Council, USCHS girls soccer and plays for the Pittsburgh Riverhounds girls soccer team.

Brian McKeown, a Lieutenant for Castle Shannon Police, presented Recker with a certificate commemorating her achievement.

“We are here today to recognize the accomplishment of a very special young lady,” said McKeown. “Following a competitive application process, Braidyn made it to the second round, which consisted of an in-person interview at the FBI Pittsburgh Field Office. It was during the interview process where her intelligence, humility and caring nature really shined through—it is where she distinguished herself from the rest of the pack.”

The YLP is an eight-day program that takes place at the FBI Academy on the Marine Base in Quantico, Va. It focuses on leadership development and supports students’ drive for knowledge and their desire to make a difference in the world. The program is a mixture of classroom study, physical fitness, guest lectures and leadership experiences.

The mission of the FBINAA YLP is to provide a foundation in ethical and moral leadership, which encourages students to further develop the knowledge, skills and abilities necessary to accept the challenge of leadership as a way of life.

South Fayette Chief of Police John Phoennik and FBI Pittsburgh Training and Civic Liaison Specialist Kathrine Halo, among others, were also in attendance.

(Picture above: Braidyn Recker and her family.)


(Pictured above from left to right: Upper St. Clair Lt. Michael Lindenfelser, Braidyn Recker, Upper St. Clair Chief of Police Jonathan Wharton)


(Pictured above from left to right: Caste Shannon Police Lt. Brian McKeown, South Fayette Chief of Police John Phoennik, FBI Pittsburgh Training and Civic Liaison Specialist Kathrine Halo, Braidyn Recker, Upper St. Clair Lt. Michael Lindenfelser, Upper St. Clair Chief of Police Jonathan Wharton)