Some personnel from Picatinny Arsenal found a new way to complete training on human trafficking—and they have students from Jefferson Township Middle School’s Project Stay Gold to thank for it.

“We are required to do training on human trafficking, and some people were insulted by having to take it,” related Mary Manser, Picatinny’s director of financial management. “They felt that that was really more training for the Army personnel than office staff.”

Enter Michelle Andersen, mother of eighth grade student and Project Stay Gold member Emily Andersen.

“Michelle mentioned to me that her daughter had been involved in Project Stay Gold, and that they’d made videos regarding the issue of human trafficking,” Manser said. “I looked at all the videos and decided to show one as part of our training.”

Manser said that the video appeared to have a profound effect on the trainees.

“Everyone was very quiet at the end of the video,” she said. “Many people said they had goose bumps, and they couldn’t believe the passion of the students involved in this project.”

Manser said the usual human trafficking training involved individualized training where scenarios are presented that aim to give signs of when someone might be in a captive position.

“This was a much different perspective to something that we need to address in training,” Manser said. “It was much more impactful.”