Winter basketball camp in Norfolk enforcing teamwork on and off the court

Every February break, the Norfolk County District Attorney's office runs a basketball camp for kids inside the Stoughton High School gym using money from drug forfeitures.

And on Thursday, about 50 kids at the annual camp were surprised by a special drop-in.

State Police Colonel Kerry Gilpin, who is the second woman ever to run the Massachusetts State Police, was one of this week's guest speakers.

The Colonel shared her own story, hoping to strike a chord with the kids while encouraging them to make good decisions.

"If you can make good friends. And together you make good decisions, those things will follow you through life," she said.

Gilpin told the kids how she originally wanted to be a zoo keeper, and how she became the head of the State Police instead.

"I did 13 years in crime scene and I felt I was making a big difference in people's lives, in victim's lives," she told the kids. "And now as Colonel on the other side, I'm hoping to make a difference for more people."

She said she wanted to let the kids know what a good decision looks like and why the consequences matter.

"Letting them know even at a young age, your good decisions can lead to you getting a good job or not getting a good job," Gilpin added.

Norfolk County DA, Michael Morrissey, said the program not only keeps kids busy during the winter school break, but it enforces teamwork and how working together can make a difference in the world.

One of the kids, Alana Hogan, seems to resonate with that mission.

"If you try hard and really work hard, you will achieve your goals," she said.

The DA's office also runs a similar basketball camp in the summer over three different weeks in three Norfolk county cities.

Cox Media Group