Carl Cannon Recognized as Recipient of FBI Director’s Community Leadership Award for 2013

David A. Ford, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Springfield Division, announced that Mr. Carl K. Cannon of Peoria, Illinois, has been selected as the recipient of the FBI Director’s Community Leadership Award for 2013.

This special award, presented on behalf of the Director of the FBI, was formally created in 1990 as a way to honor individuals and organizations for their efforts in combating terrorism, cyber crime, illegal drugs, gangs, and other crimes leading to violence in America. Mr. Cannon is one of 56 individuals or organizations around the United States who will receive this award this year. Mr. Cannon is being recognized for his youth outreach in Peoria and for his leadership with the ELITE program.

By practicing the principles associated with the ELITE program, children build self-esteem and develop positive values. This ultimately reduces the number of juveniles that end up going through the criminal justice system at the local, county, state, and federal levels.

Mr. Cannon spent most of his career in law enforcement and worked for the Federal Bureau of Prisons before he decided he wanted to realign his career and focus on keeping youth from going to prison. He started the ELITE program in 2006. This 11-week business boot camp for high school sophomores and juniors is taught by teams of trained community leaders and business professionals. The program focuses on what students need to know to find and maintain a job. Since its creation, the ELITE program has been enhanced with a second program taught by teachers for students in kindergarten through eighth grade. The program focuses on codes of conduct, dress codes, and a "do the right thing" message.

James B. Comey, Director of the FBI, will present the Director’s Community Leadership Award to Mr. Cannon during an official ceremony held at FBI Headquarters in Washington, D.C., in April 2014.