For the first time in its 18-year history, the Prince George RCMP Youth Academy saw a female cadet take on the lead role of the 18-member troop during the week-long training session held at Kelly Road secondary, which concluded Saturday.
Mekenna Parker exhibited outstanding leadership skills that saw her shine early on in the training.
Const. Marc Cloutier, one of the drill instructors, said the RCMP members that trained the cadets put a lot of pressure on the troop in the beginning of the training session. At that time, Cloutier said officers look for the natural leaders of the group to come forward, who overcome their own doubt and nervousness to help and encourage others, while succeeding in the challenges they face.
"Mekenna Parker did really well," said Cloutier. "She had all those things and we knew she would be respected by the rest of the troop."
Parker wasn't sure coming into the training that she wanted to be an RCMP officer but attending the academy cemented her career path, she said.
"It is now set in my mind," Parker said. "It was such an incredible week."
Parker said along with the 12 boys and 5 other girls in the troop, she struggled to find the rhythm of 5 a.m. wake-up calls and adjusting to the steep learning curve a condensed version of the national training centre experience offered them.
"We started out as 18 strangers and soon we were gelling as a team and becoming so close," Parker said. "We also got closer to the constables and at the end it was just like we were one big family."
Constable Trevor Hurley, who has taken the lead for the last two local youth academy sessions, said it really touches his heart to see the growth each youth experiences throughout the training session.
"It's the most rewarding experience of my career," Hurley said. "To see the changes from how they are on day one to day seven is just incredible."
Hurley said this year's troop did an impeccable job on the drill, which is when cadets march sequentially.
Parker said that after she graduates from secondary school, she will take a year to volunteer for organizations like St. Vincent de Paul Society and emergency services to gain some much-needed life experience that the RCMP likes to see cadets have before entering into the national training academy in Regina.
"The thing that surprised me the most was how much I learned about team work, integrity, determination and everything you need to become a police officer," Parker said. "We got to hear stories from RCMP officers and they were so inspiring - the amount of themselves they put into their job and how much they have to sacrifice really just opened my eyes."
