The following was provided by the Norfolk County Sheriff's Office:

Norfolk County Sheriff Michael G. Bellotti’s summer Youth Leadership Academy returns this year, and registration for the extremely popular program will begin on March 19.

This year for the first time, the registration process will take place on-line. Interested families should visit the Norfolk County Sheriff’s Office website at www.norfolksheriff.com for complete information. The on-line registration form will be available as of March 19. People with questions may email them to youth@norfolksheriffma.org or call 781-751-3501.

Also for the first time this year, there will be a $75-per-child fee to attend the academy in order to help defray the cost of the program. The fee is reduced to $25 for children who qualify for school lunch assistance programs.

“Every year, we receive fantastic feedback from parents and kids about how much they like the Youth Leadership Academy,” Sheriff Bellotti said. “The academy is designed so that kids learn important life lessons while having fun at the same time.”

The academy -- which is open to children ages 10-through-14 who live in Norfolk County -- is centered on the aerial ropes course at the Norfolk County Sheriff’s Office Braintree Public Safety Complex. Specially trained instructors use the course to teach teamwork and build confidence among the kids. Academy attendees meet challenges and accomplish feats they never thought possible.

The academy also includes anti-bullying presentations, instruction on fire safety and demonstrations from one of Sheriff Bellotti’s K-9 units.

The academy is slated to be held in seven separate Monday-though-Friday sessions, beginning on July 2 (the first session is only four days because of the July 4 holiday) and ending on Aug. 17. Each session is capped off by an awards and graduation ceremony and family cookout.

“We look forward to seeing new faces and familiar faces at the academy this summer,” Sheriff Bellotti said. “The kids have so much fun, they barely realize how much they are learning.”