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Cadets

Students in cadet uniform posing
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Established in 1861, the Bishop’s College School No. 2 Cadet Corps is the oldest continually active school cadet program in Canada.

The school is fortunate to have a long-standing tradition of cadets. Since 1861, this program offers all students the opportunity to learn valuable lessons about leadership, teamwork and self-discipline. Every student participates in cadets, an important experiential learning component of the school’s overall leadership program. As part of this outdoor education program, BCS students begin the year by attending an overnight orientation camping trip, which is held in Saint-Gabriel-de-Valcartier, Quebec. Throughout the year, students will take part in a variety of activities that push students out of their comfort zones to develop team, communication, and leadership skills. The activities include marching drills, camping, hiking, archery, zip lining, orienteering, a high ropes course, camp crafts (survival skills) and a variety of other competitive team building games. The time and effort students contribute to the Cadet program also helps them as they work towards the skill component of the Duke of Edinburgh Award. Another important aspect of the cadet program at BCS has all students receiving training and qualification from St. John Ambulance in Emergency First Aid. This is a useful skill that they will be able to take wherever they go.

All the hard work and determination throughout the year comes to fruition in the spring with the Annual Cadet Review. This is a longtime BCS tradition that is celebrated on campus in front of BCS families, friends, and alumni. The parade of cadets is inspected by an individual affiliated with The Black Watch, Royal Highland Regiment of Canada. In 1989, BCS had the honour of hosting Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, as a special guest on-campus to join our families for this celebration.

For me Cadets was such an important part of the BCS experience. [In my graduating] year I won Her Queen Mother the Queen Elizabeth’s Award for demonstrating ‘the most officer like qualities.’ I’ll never have the opportunity to do something like that ever again.

Fevzi Kamalov, BCS’18