Article Submitted by Cadet Second Lieutenant Ethan Whaley

Serrano High School’s 279th Battalion California Cadet Corps and Military Prep Program has been hard at work to prepare a not-so-typical garden on Hero’s Hill.  Serrano’s Cadets would walk past a fenced area each day of last year as they climbed the steep ramp to Hero’s Hill, where the Cadet Corps Program is based.  Several students wished to reclaim this area as a safe space to hold ceremonies, eat, workout, and just decompress with friends.  They had a vision and implemented their plan by partnering with the Mojave Water Agency. These young men and women wrote and earned the Strategic Partnership Grant to make their dream a reality.  

The Cadets have already begun phase one, the clean-up process, in order to construct the Command Sergeant Major’s Garden.  Once completed, the garden will be a safe haven for Cadets, Fire Science Students, and teachers alike.  The area will be filled with beautiful flowers and vegetation that incorporates patriotic themes. “We want this garden to be a place where we can do homework and relax, train on a state-of-the-art obstacle course, and hold ceremonies to recognize our achievements,” said Cadet First Lieutenant Chris Ragel.  

Many in the Cadet Corps are very excited about the garden.  “This garden is a physical example of all the hard work and dedication these Cadets put in every day,” said Cadet Captain Makayla Gill.  Phase two of the garden project is set to begin construction in April and will occur throughout the Spring and Summer.  If anyone would like to donate, support, or aid in the project, you can contact the 279th Battalion’s Booster Parent’s Club at shsmppcccboosters@gmail.com