Two local students had been in and out of the Lemont Police Department, but it was not due to bad behavior.

Instead, Zack Bruce, a senior at Lemont High School, and Kyle Ferguson, an LHS graduate who is now a student at the University of Oklahoma, were working with police to redesign the department’s new Web site.

The students built the site through a Web Design III Independent Study under the direction of teacher John Aspel.

They enjoyed the work.

“It was an interesting experience finding out the interworkings of the Police Department and being one-on-one with the officers and figuring out what they want to show the public,” Zack said.

Working with the officers, including Lemont Police Chief Kevin Shaughnessy, gave the students a taste of life in the business world. Police officials left the design up to the students, but gave requirements for what they wanted on the Web site.

“It was a good experience having to work with someone instead of just teachers or classmates,” Ferguson said. “We were actually going out and working — it was like having a client.”

Ferguson is majoring in computer engineering and wants to eventually go into software programming. He said he would like to design and create Web sites as a side project.
In the future, Zack would like to study 3-D graphic design to create games and movies.

The duo’s Web site won an award at the Joliet Junior College Web Design competition last spring. Entries were judged on visual design and layout, interactivity, technical and accessibility.

“We’re very happy and pleased that the school would consider doing a project with the Police Department,” Shaughnessy said. “Anytime we get a chance to work with the young people in the community, it’s an asset for us.”

The students were awarded a certificate of appreciation for their work from the police department.

“We’re excited to have them want to help us promote and inform the people,” Shaughnessy said. “It really was a team effort.”