Camp Cadet returns; young people learn life lessons while getting fit
FRANKLIN TWP — Cadet Jessica Young’s forehead was beginning to glisten in the bright sun Friday morning as she practiced graduation exercises at the 51st annual Camp Cadet, but her enthusiasm for the program had not evaporated.
“(Camp Cadet is) pushing me to be better in sports,” said Jessica, 14, who is a Concord Township resident and Moniteau High School freshman. “I do cross country, basketball and track at school.”
Trooper Josh Black of State Police, Troop D in Butler, said Camp Cadet is open to all youth, ages 12 to 15, in Troop D’s territory of Butler, Beaver, Lawrence and Mercer counties.
The weeklong camp, held at Lutherlyn since 2011, establishes a positive relationship between young people and law enforcement in a structure similar to training at the State Police Academy in Hershey.
Black said the program, which began in 1970, was put on hold in 2020 and 2021 by state police officials due to the coronavirus pandemic.
He said the cadets did not stay at the cabins at Lutherlyn as they normally do because of the virus and a lack of fundraising opportunities also caused by the pandemic.
“I’d say 85% to 90% of fundraising is from small businesses,” Black said. “Because they were hit hard by the pandemic, we didn’t want to ask them for donations this year.”
He said the overnight version of the camp typically costs $38,000 to $40,000 to operate.
The day camp format used this year cost less than $15,000.
Black said generous donations by several American Legion posts and other veterans organizations, Rotary and civic clubs and a grant from Butler Sam’s Club allowed Camp Cadet to return this year, albeit with fewer young participants.
Black explained that the 19 male and six female cadets start each day with physical training, such as calisthenics, followed by a run.
The distance the cadets run increases each morning, Black said.
“It’s hard, but we are educating them on exercise,” Black said. “We don’t want them to stop when they leave here. We want them to continue.”
Daily activities included a ropes course and zip lining to stretch the cadets’ comfort zones, a forensics lesson in which a state police forensics unit helped the students investigate a mock crime scene, presentations on vehicle crash reconstruction, game commission activities, FBI operations, vice and narcotics unit work, and a demonstration by the Community Emergency Response Team.
The state police helicopter also visited Lutherlyn to the delight of the cadets, even though they checked out the big bird on the ground only.
“They get overall exposure on what it’s like to be a police officer,” Black said.
He said throughout the week, cadets maintain a military bearing while engaged in all camp activities, speaking only when asked and replying to troopers and other camp leaders with a loud “Sir, yes sir!” or “Ma’am, yes ma’am!”
“It’s so they know what it’s like at the police academy in Hershey,” Black said.
Other activities during the week included separating the platoon into squads and competing in various games to foster collaboration and teamwork skills.
The losers performed push-ups or some other calisthenic.
Cadets also had the opportunity to swim in the pool at Lutherlyn during the week.
Black said feedback on Camp Cadet has been positive, both from cadets and parents.
“Sometimes parents are taken aback when they pick their kids up and they address them as ‘sir’ or ma’am’,” Black said.
Cadets also share their thoughts on what they consider the most challenging part of the week.
“I think getting them out here and exposing them to physical activity is the hardest challenge,” Black said. “In the summer, they have a lot of freedom, and they use much of that time on the couch playing video games.”
But many cadets report that the physical training also is the most rewarding aspect of Camp Cadet.
“They’ll say ‘I didn’t think I could do this run, and now I’m proud of myself,’” Black said.
Barring any new virus variants, Black hopes Camp Cadet can return to its normal, overnight format in 2023, and so do the cadets.
“I learned that you can’t stop,” cadet Jessica said. “You have to keep going.”
All 25 cadets graduated Friday afternoon.
