09/30/2026
Over the past month, our cadet corps embarked on a journey exploring traditional Indigenous teachings, bridging cultural wisdom with youth development, self-reflection, and leadership. Grounded in the Medicine Wheel and timed alongside National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, these sessions offered cadets space to reflect on personal energy, inner spirit, identity, and community.
The Eastern Doorway: Energy and Leadership
The journey began with a Saturday session for our senior cadets focused on the Eastern Doorway, the direction of the rising sun and new beginnings.
Cadets explored how energy connects all living things. They discussed the value of quiet morning routines to recharge and set intentions before facing daily demands. For senior leaders, the core takeaway was clear: the energy we bring into a space directly impacts our team. When senior cadets show up grounded and intentional, that positive energy fosters trust, safety, and focus across the entire corps.
The Southern Mountains: Fire, Identity, and Belonging
The entire corps gathered on Monday night for a one-hour Truth and Reconciliation Day activity focused on the Southern Mountains, representing the walk of Youthhood (ages 7 to 30).
This teaching used Fire as a metaphor for the human spirit, emphasizing that tending our inner spirit requires caring for our physical body, holding positive mental thoughts, and choosing supportive social environments. Building on this, cadets explored Identity, a blend of bodily traits, values, beliefs, and unique gifts. Finally, cadets defined Belonging, which centers on our personal support systems.
The activity invited cadets to reflect on two essential questions to answer across their youth:
• Who am I?
• Who is my community?
The session highlighted that these answers naturally evolve. The goal of youthhood is learning to embrace change, build self-awareness, and establish a grounded sense of self and community to prepare for the next stages of life.
