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Charles Binder was picked by the USA Section of the International Police Association for the International Youth Gathering. The association is comprised of law enforcement officers from more than 50 nations.
There were 60 students from 30 nations across Europe, Asia, Africa and North America at the gathering.
"I shared a room in the dorm with another student from Belgium," Binder told Daily Voice. "It was a very fast-paced program with activities every day to keep us busy.
The students stayed in UCLA's dormitories. They traveled to the L.A. Sheriff's Department headquarters for team-building training, to Disney Land for management training and visited the Reagan Library, Grammy Museum and Science Center.
"I gained a new appreciation of Los Angeles area law enforcement as well as life in Southern California," Binder said. "I made friends with students my own age that we will keep in contact with in the new school year and hope to maybe either host or visit several of them in the future."
Binder, an Eagle Scout from Rutherford's Troop 166, was sponsored by IPA Region 48, which covers Bergen and Essex counties.
The International Youth Gathering is moved to a different nation each year – in 2015 it was in Spain. The 2017 edition will be in South Africa.
"It was a great experience to be able to represent the USA and to show the many different places in our country to the other students," said Binder, who added that he was looked upon to inform the other delegates about life in the U.S. and to serve as a role model and guide.
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