SANFORD — Heads bent to their task, the young people each took a turn, creating a spark with flint and steel, attempting to ignite a pile of tinder. Deep in the woods, they found the meeting site by GPS or compass, honing their navigation skills.

It is Wilderness Survival Week, and two Maine wardens joined Sanford Police Cadets and the newly minted Massabesic Police Cadets Wednesday to give the young people some pointers on how to survive in the wild if a planned two-hour hike turns bad and ends up lasting all day or night. They were instructed on what to bring into the woods with them, how to navigate if you get lost and other survival skills.

Five teams of five young people each found their way to the spot, near a pond not far from Grammar Road, where the cadets crafted a rough shelter from tree limbs and then set about to find bark and other materials they could use as tinder.

While the young cadets worked at their task, school resource officers who run the program ”“ Sanford Police Officers Michael Gordon and Michael “Tipper” Thornton and York County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Jason Solomon, the resource officer at Massabesic High School ”“ were igniting sparks of another sort.

Programs like the police cadets, active in Sanford for the past four years and just beginning for Massabesic High School students, help develop core values, said Gordon, developing traits like honesty, responsibility, courage and self-discipline ”“ “how to be good citizens,” said Gordon.

Community service projects in which the cadets engage show that the young people can stick to an assigned task, he said. Sanford cadets have created a community garden, have helped out at National Night Out and marched in the July Fourth parade, among other projects.

“It boosts self-esteem,” said Solomon of the program, referring to a shy, young woman who came out of her shell and took on a leadership role in this, the first two weeks of the program. “A lot (of young people) want the structure.”

This week, the students have had presentations from the Maine State Police, the wardens and Maine Forest Service.

Cadets spoke about their reasons for joining during a break from their tasks in the woods.

“It seemed really cool,” said Maelin Nutting, 16, who will be a junior at Massabesic High School in the fall. A member of the Navy Junior ROTC program, Nutting is also thinking ahead to life after graduation. Nutting said she hopes for a career in some facet of law enforcement and figured the cadet program might put her in good stead.

Zach McGrath of Waterboro, who has a summer job picking vegetables on a Dayton farm, joined Massabesic Police Cadets because he’s eyeing a career as a U.S. Marine.

Johnathan Paige, also of Waterboro, plans a career in the U.S. Navy and hopes to become an explosive ordnance disposal technician.

“I thought this would help,” said Paige, who is also in Navy Junior ROTC. “And if it weren’t for this, I’d probably be sitting at home.”

After this week, students will take a two-week break before embarking on Cadet Academy, where they’ll train for a month or more. They’ll learn about distracted and impaired driving with a simulator, complete a community service project, march in formation daily, and undergo other physical training. Past training sessions have included some obstacle courses, like crawling through mud, carrying sandbags on a hike, or carrying other heavy objects as a team.

Maine Warden Peter Herring, who was teaching the cadets about outdoor skills along with Warden Jason Scott Wednesday, said the programs provide camaraderie and create friendships ”“ bonds they’ll have for a long time.

The Sanford program has been around for four years and numbers about three dozen cadets. In this first year of Massabesic Police Cadets, there are 18 members, said Solomon. The program has the full support of Sheriff Maurice Ouellette, the deputy said.

Gordon said the program has sparked the interest of other schools and police departments in Maine.

— Senior Staff Writer Tammy Wells can be contacted at 324-4444 (local call in Sanford) or 282-1535, Ext. 327 or twells@journaltribune.com.