Ria Blunt (center) was recognized by Evesham council for earning three college credits, the youngest in Burlngton County history to do so.
Evesham Township Council swore in two promoted officers and cited a 10-year-old for being the youngest county student to earn college credits at its meeting on Dec. 6.
Council began the session by swearing in Stephen Pearson and Ramon Wright for new positions in the township police department. Winslow native Pearson is a Class 3 officer who will now keep students and staff safe at Van Zant Elementary School. He is a retired captain who began his career in 1996 as a Class 2 officer and dispatcher for the Winslow police.
Pearson also rose through the ranks of patrolman, detective, sergeant, detective sergeant and lieutenant before retirement. Some of his achievements include acting as the department’s Narcan coordinator, police mountain bike instructor and junior police academy organizer, as well as initiating Winslow’s first Crime Scene Club for high-school students.
Wright was sworn in as a full-time officer. He is originally from Newark and graduated from Irvington High School before being recruited to play basketball at the Valley Forge Military Academy, where he earned an associate’s degree in humanities. Wright also attended Rowan University and helped its basketball team win the NJ Athletic Conference Championship in 2019.
Wright joined Evesham police in 2022 as a Class 1 SLEO (Special Law Enforcement Officer). He then went through training to rank as a full-time Class 2 SLEO.
After the police swearing-in, council recognized student Ria Blunt for earning three college credits, the youngest in Burlington County history to do so, according to the township. To accomplish that, she took the College Algebra CLEP (College Level Examination Program) on Oct. 20 at Rowan College of Burlington County in Mount Laurel.
“The test was about 60 questions, and you have 90 minutes to complete it,” Blunt explained of her achievement.
Blunt also helps with the Marlton Kids Tech Club and is a lab assistant for Lil Pro’s LLC, which provides computer literacy and training to kids and offers free tech camps to those ages 5 to 12.
Mayor Jaclyn Veasy read from and presented Blunt with a certificate of achievement.
“The certificate of achievement is presented to Ria Blunt, in recognition of your many outstanding academic achievements, awards, and accomplishments,” Veasy read. “We proudly honor you and wish you continued success in all of your future endeavors.
“Congratulations, we’re so proud of you.”
Some of Blunt’s other achievements include the 2023 President’s Volunteer Service Award; the ’23 President’s Award for Outstanding Achievement; and the 2023 AEOP Juniors Solar Sprint Award for middle-school students to create the fastest, most interesting and best crafted solar-vehicle possible.
Veasy and council also took a moment at the end of their meeting to remind residents that Friday will mark the township’s inaugural holiday light parade on Main Street beginning at 7 p.m.
“I just want to say thank you to everyone who’s worked on the planning of the event and everyone who comes out to celebrate,” the mayor nnoted. “It should be a great time to celebrate the upcoming holiday together.”
The next council meeting is scheduled for 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 20, at 984 Tuckerton Road.
