LEVANT, Maine (WABI) - Levant Fire is starting training early for one group of students.

Monday kicked off the fire department’s annual Spark Pugs Academy.

Local fourth graders have the chance to get a behind-the-scenes look at the fire department and meet the team.

This year’s group is taught by high schoolers who are junior firefighters at the station.

The program aims to spark interest but also make kids feel more connected to their local fire department.

“I feel like this is the greatest way to be able to get kids interested, and I really hope that they can come back in 3-4 years when they’re old enough to be able to come join this department as juniors, so they can experience all the things I got to when I came back and joined up,” said Mason King an instructor and junior firefig

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