Cadets begin at Porterville Military Academy ‘A Higher Bar’
New cadet Connor Lanning, began his school year at Porterville Military Academy on Monday, by beginning training with “Charlie company” at PMA, and receiving a new uniform.
“I like it and it’s very organized,” he said. “I’m excited about the new year and going into 7th grade, and I’ll be 12 in a couple of weeks. I liked the structure of the learning, and I’m fine with wearing a uniform. I want to gain knowledge and learn more English, because that’s my weakest subject.
I” think the training is going to be something new.”
The cadets will go to San Luis Obispo today, where they will go through training in entrance camp at a National Guard camp which is also a military post said principal Doug Imels.
“I’m so proud of all these cadets. We start earlier, and the new cadets will learn from the older cadets. That’s our leadership model. They learn from success or failure. Now all our leaders have proven themselves, and they represent us so well. Cadet Commander Tristin Galvin and Anthony Gonzales, as example. The nice thing about our program is the cadets are constantly going through
the summer and weekend trips, and training. It’s a higher bar, and the expectations for cadets to succeed are higher, and they went to summer school to maintain their grade requirements in A-G status.”
Savannah Mendoza, 12, said, “I like everything here, and I wanted to try something new. I like how the cadets dress, but I’m also nervous and excited to start a new school.”
Cadet Sergeant Major Jasmine Gomez, 15, has been in the California Cadet corps for four years and this is her second year at PMA. Her responsibilities are to supervise all the cadet companies, and get information from the officers and technicians and give them to the company leadership, she said.
PMA is a leadership and skills based learning, said Gomez, and cadets don’t have to go into the military, it’s just based on leadership and learning. Otherwise it’s a normal middle school and high school.
New cadet Kevin Martinez, 12, who was standing in the PMA gym and had just collected his new uniform, and was formerly at Olive Street Elementary, said, “I need to get my grades up and PMA will help me in the future. When they gave a presentation at Olive, the cadets and officers said you could improve your grades as well as participate in activities, like sports, and also have fun. They also described all the training.”
Warranty officer Chad Wright was overseeing the cadets receiving their uniforms and said, “It’s good that the kids get to experience something they’ve never experienced before. Also interacting with the cadets who’ve been through the program. We are a traditional junior and high school with extras; the uniform, the drilling, and the training camps. And we want it to be mandatory that the students (cadets) go to camp when they start PMA. It’s definitely a different experience. Anyone can apply. But PMA supports a positive disciplinary culture, with respect and integrity, and a cadet takes pride and ownership in wearing a uniform.”