Cadet Corps
The organization that I will be using is the Bill E. Young, Jr. Middle School Cadet Corps. This organization goes in the improving American society by motivating kids from grade 6-8th that is having difficulty with academics. This program not only helps improve their academics but it also improves their ability with socializing by communicating with their classmates by starting off with the kids in the program. The Cadets learn four attributes while in the cadet corps which is Loyalty, Integrity, Duty, and Selfless- Service. The Cadet Corps makes them ready for high school and keeps them on track afterwards. These Cadets are motivated through discipline, military courtesy, and drill and ceremony. This is the only middle school to have a cadet core in the valley which has some discipline as the army by having not only a principle/teacher from the army but a friend they can relate to. The person I’m talking about is Joe Derma who to the Cadet Corps is the “Cadet Commandant”.
The Cadet Corps was established in 2004 at the Bill E. Young, Jr. Middle School in Calipatira and has been going on since then. The Cadets meet at the last period of class in their school time which consists of 7 periods. There are currently 30 cadets in the program. During the year they will have extra help in learning the U.S. Constitution, Current affairs, Economics, and Physical Education. At the end of the year all 8th graders are required to pass the test for their knowledge in the U.S Constitution to graduate to high school. The Cadet Corps helps them understand the information they received by their history teacher. They discuss the current news and talk about how they feel on the subject and why things are the way they are. The Economics they learn would be about the production and consumption of goods and the transfer of wealth to produce and obtain those goods. The study session would also be about explanations about how people interact within markets to get what they want or accomplish certain goals. It also helps explain why people and governments behave in particular ways. The Cadet Corps improves there physical education while teaching them discipline at the same time. During the year about 75% of the Cadets have awarded Honor Roll Status. Each year the program usually ends with 85% of the Cadets being awarded Honor Roll.
The Cadets also learn self-defense, map reading, maintenance on a military HumVee, first aid, military history, and boasts a silent rifle drill team. The definition of a silent rifle drill team is a rifle squad of 24 or more performs unique silent precision exhibition drill. The purpose is to exemplify the discipline and professionalism. Part of their schedule is a seven mile road march that serves as a test in which they use the skills learned from the program. The seven mile march starts at Bill E. Young Middle School in Calipatria and goes through various roads outside of Calipatria. The Cadets use their map reading skills to locate a hurt person, then to use their first aid skills, and the use their communication skills to give the casualty to the local fire department. The Cadets have a campout at the El Centro National Guard Armory. During this time their activities is learning first aid, knot tying, self-defense, map reading, maintenance and playing dodge ball. The Cades also participate in numerous parades and demonstrations. They have a performance on Veterans’ Day which is started with a cannon fire, playing of Taps, and a silent rifle demonstration. This performance is to ensure that all the students of Bill E. Young Middle School understand the sacrifice and price of freedom that our Nation’s Soldiers paid for us. The Cadets also perform their very own “21 Step” ceremony for Memorial Day. Each fallen Service Member from the War on Terror from the Imperial Valley is remembered through a rifle volley and folded flag that is given to the family members. A classic occasion is the Cadet Ball which is typically held toward the end of the school year for the students. Cadets are taught military courtesy and ceremony and the Cadet Ball gives each Cadet the opportunity to demonstrate this knowledge in a formal setting. Cadets are exposed to the “Fallen Soldiers Table”, formal dinner, and a waltz with their parents. The “Fallen Soldiers Table” is a place near the head table in which it holds dignity and honor for the soldiers that can’t be there with their families. The formal dinner also has a giant cake that’s cut by the ceremonial sword and first served to the youngest Cadet to the oldest. The Cadets have won many competitions as a drill walking team and a Top Cadet is named each year. During the 2010-2011 school years, the Cadets had the highest overall Academic Performance of any class at Bill E. Young Middle School, with a score of 920. Since it’s induction over 9 years ago, some of the former members have since joined the Armed Services.
My experience was helping the Cadets learn parts of the U.S. Constitution. The first lecture consisted of 1 hour and taught them about the three branches of government and why it’s important to have it. I told them what each one did and how they coincided with each other. Then it was the requirements to become a member of each branch. I told them how many terms they can have and the powers and duties of each branch and member. I described the Congress and the two that create it, the Senate and House of Representatives and where they meet for Congress. I also told them about a landmark decision for the judicial branch which was the Dred Scott case about citizenship and why it was important to the U.S. Constitution. The next lecture it was about the Bill of Rights and how each was important to us. I told them the definition and how to understand the definition of it. I also told them about limited government especially about the limitations on the Bill of Rights mainly the first amendment. I also observed them while watching Mr. Derma teach the class and how they were preparing for the Cadet Ball which is held annually at the end of May.