Cadet Corps Program at Southwest High School in El Centro hosts Promotions & Award Ceremony
EL CENTRO, Calif. (KYMA, KECY) - The California Cadet program at Southwest High School continues to transform young lives in the Imperial Valley.
We spoke with its Commandant who says the change he's seen in his students has been like night and day.
The two-year program teaches students basic military knowledge while aiming to develop academic achievement and leadership skills.
They recently hosted their Promotion and Award Ceremony, where several cadets in the battalion advanced to leadership phases like Corporal, Sergeant, and Staff Sergeant.
The Commandant of the program, Sergeant Arturo Velasquez, says this event marks a huge milestone in the right direction.
Sgt. Arturo Velasquez says "When I first started the program, I got a lot of warnings, these are the hard-headed kids, these are the kids that aren't doing so great, and I didn't get any of that. Tonight we saw that change,".
But the journey to these promotions hasn't been easy.
Sgt. Velasquez says the students took it upon themselves to prove they were more than capable.
"From day one they wanted to change, they wanted to learn, and they wanted to be a better person overall. They got to a point where people were giving up on them and so being able to be that piece, means the world, it means everything to me," he shares.
Sergeant Velasquez says building a bright future for them is what's most important to him.
"I have kids that need help with university applications, we're helping them. I have kids that are already looking at military service, I'm making sure that they're prepped for the ASVAB and they get the best score they can get. I just want them, to be successful in their own way. They need to be their own leaders and lead their own path," says Sgt. Velasquez.
And despite some of them having a rocky start, the Commandant is a big advocate of tough love.
"They wanted that authority figure or somebody to tell them "You failed but it's okay" and even though you've messed up 1000 times, it takes that 1001st time to get it right," he adds.
The Cadet Corps will be hosting its Military Ball on December 14th where the program will receive recognition from the state as an outstanding organization.
