BORDEN—At 17-years-old, Rebecca MacDonald is taking on a new challenge that not many people her age would ever dream of doing and is doing so with a passion. Because of this, she is now learning skills that she will be able to take with her over the course of her life. Cadet Rebecca MacDonald is participating in a summer training course at the Blackdown Cadet Training Centre located at Canadian Forces Base Borden.
Originally from Manitoulin Island and attending 348 Manitoulin RCSCC, Ms. MacDonald has the opportunity to attend the Pipe Band Advanced Musician Course, where she will participate in advanced music training and pipe band activities to prepare them to lead and instruct corps’ music programs. This course includes activities such as highland dance, music theory, executing drills as a member of a band, performing ensemble music as a member of a band, leadership and instructional technique.
When asked which part of this courses she was most looking forward to, Ms. MacDonald talked about “being able to play instruments I love while also being in a leadership position.” Apart from cadets, Rebecca enjoys maintaining her garden and goes to school at Manitoulin Secondary School (MSS).
With a great chance to spend the summer becoming trained in anything from leadership, musical theory, field craft or physical fitness to instruction, citizenship and team building, Rebecca is one of more than 3,000 cadets that the training centre will call home. With strong numbers like these, the Blackdown Cadet Training Centre is the largest cadet training centre in Canada and is proud to be the home of Canada’s finest youth.
These summer activity programs offer young Canadians a distinctly different opportunity to take up interesting challenges and enjoy new experiences, while at the same time encouraging pride, teamwork, camaraderie and physical fitness in a safe, yet challenging environment. “I really liked learning the more difficult band parts, because I was able to challenge myself and now I can go back to my corps with this knowledge.”
The Cadet Program, which dates back as far as 1887, is open to all young Canadians from all backgrounds between the ages of 12 to 18 years-old who are interested in taking up personal challenges and exploring new opportunities.
