During my 7 years in the Army Cadet Program, I was a member of 105 Streetsville RCACC. At my corps, I was captain of our shooting and drill teams. As well, I acted as Cadet RSM for 2 and 1/2 years. I took part in many different camps throughout my time in cadets: Basic Marksman, Drill and Ceremonial, Rocky Mountain, and spent 3 summers as a staff cadet at Connaught Cadet Training Centre.
During my time at Rocky Mountain CTC, I took part in 6 weeks of training that covered hiking, mountain biking, white water canoeing, rock climbing, horseback riding, and glacier. My summer in the Rockies was unforgettable! It truly inspired my move cross-country to BC.
In my final two summers, I was the Cadet RSM of Connaught CTC. In my role, I got to interact with cadets both on and off the range, meet several high-ranking members of our CAF, and built lasting connections that prevail to this day.
One of my favourite memories from cadets was working with the Expedition Program. I volunteered my weekends as an Expedition Centre/ZET staff. In addition, I was one of 17 cadets selected from across Canada to take part in the International Expedition to Peru. During our trip, we hiked through the Andes and the jungle, whitewater rafted, hung out with monkeys, and climbed to the top of Machu Picchu. I have the best memories of this trip and hope to return back one day!
Now, I live in North Vancouver, BC with my husband (who I met in Basic Marksman!). I am a full-time secondary teacher in North Vancouver. I completed both of my degrees (BAH and BEd) at Queen’s University in Kingston, ON. The experiences I had and the lessons I learned in cadets such as leadership, organization, teamwork, communication are still with me today. I am forever grateful for all the Army Cadet Program gave me!
