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Jeanne Watson

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Comedian and actor Rick Mercer, Canadian astronauts Marc Garneau and Chris Hadfield and former Prime Minister Joe Clark all had something in common. In their youth, all were part of the Cadets Canada program.

So was Ernie Boychuk, associate chief justice of Saskatchewan.

“Joining (sea) cadets may have been themostimportantdecisionIevermade for myself,” he said. “Many of my fellow cadets are still very close friends.”

As the summer winds down and the school year has already started for some and beckons to others in our region, it is time to consider what extracurricular activities our children will find inviting.

Anxious parents watch and hope that leisure time will be filled with wise choices, like sports and productive pastimes, rather than just “hanging out” and courting trouble.

One special activity offered in our region is the Cadets Canada program, and any of the 55,000 kids involved in this initiative from east to west in this country of ours can vouch that it is one of the best programs in existence to inspire youth and help them learn skills that extend far beyond the classroom.

It also, as famous past cadets point out, helps create a network of friends that can last a lifetime.

Cadets train in Woodstock each Wednesday from 6 to 9 p.m. and more information is available by calling 324- 9198 or e-mailing 318army@cadets.net, according to the Cadets Canada Web site.

This federally-sponsored program is designed for youth between the ages of 12 and 18 who are interested in participating in a variety of challenging and rewarding activities and learning more about the Canadian Forces.

What I really like about this program is that the cadets are encouraged to become active, responsible members of their communities. They learn valuable life and work skills like teamwork, leadership and citizenship. Kids I know involved in the program also tell me theyhaveincreasedself-confidenceand physical fitness. More subtle skills, like learning how to take initiative and how to make decisions, are also taught.

In this time of world strife, it is also worthnotingtobothparentsandyouths alike that cadets are not part of the Canadian Forces, and there is no expectation for those young people involved to join the military.

Another tidbit I found particularly interesting during a recent presentation I attended by senior Cadet officials was that there is absolutely no cost to the cadets or their families. There are no enrollment or registration fees, uniforms are provided at no charge and cadets selected for cadet camps attend at no cost. It’s hard to believe in this day and age that our children can learn and attend such a program and develop not only their minds and their bodies but their sense of self worth at no cost. This is a very rare opportunity indeed.

The three elemental programs of the cadets are the Royal Canadian Sea Cadets, the Royal Canadian Army Cadets and the Royal Canadian Air Cadets.

Once enrolled in a program, cadets take part on a weekly basis during the regular school year (September to June) on an average of one night a week, plus optional weekend training depending on their interests.

But the cadet program doesn’t have to end when classes close. There are a total of 24 summer training centres across Canada, and about 21,000 course cadets receive training and 2,500 staff cadets are employed each summer in the training centres and abroad on cultural and training exchanges.

Inmychatswithlocalcadets,theytell me the program has really heightened theirpersonalsenseofaccomplishment and given them once-in-a-lifetime experiences.

There is also the noteworthy aspect of recognition from peers and mentors and a chance to showcase their talents.

Being involved in our towns at any age also heightens our self-confidence, self-discipline, self-esteem and selfawareness.

Hans Bernard put it best when he said all of society benefits by having young people exposed to the “way things are done” in a democratic society.

“Isn’t it time ... to ‘tap the power of youth’?” he asks.

When young people are brought together in a spirit of fun and fellowship, but with the chance to express themselves and learn new skills, something magical happens. Youth start to grow in ways that aren’t really a scheduled part of any preconceived program. Deborah Meier describes the results as a radical and wonderful idea.

Such a mindset is a new idea here, she says, “that all children could and should be inventors of their own theories, critics of other people’s ideas, analyzers of evidence and makers of their own personal marks on the world. It’s an idea with revolutionary implications.

If we take it seriously.”

In the cadet program, adult coaches and team leaders learn to teach and still stand with youth speaking for themselves. In such an environment, we build strengths and policies for our collective future. That is a very good thing indeed.

Editor’sNote:JeanneWatsonispublisher ofTheBugle-Observer.Hercolumnappears eachTuesday.Youcanreachherviae-mail atwatson.jeanne@thebugle.caorbyregular mailsenttoTheBugle-Observer,110Carleton St., Woodstock, N.B., E7M 1E4.