High school is the time when many people start thinking about their future, like what they want to do or who they want to become. Students are typically interested in opportunities that involve leadership, hard work, helping others, character development/improvement, or even just something that’ll help push their own boundaries towards new goals. Although lots of students don’t know where to start, Pahrump Valley High School has a program called Civil Air Patrol (CAP) to help give students the opportunities they might need. It helps them learn some important skills they might need in the future and assists them with other career paths.
Since PHVS does not have a JROTC program, Mrs. Sitter-Jones helped start the CAP program to help the students who had an interest in helping others, joining the military if they’re interested when they get old enough, or even the students who had an interest in being able to learn how to fly planes. Mrs. Sitter-Jones started this program after having to travel with her daughter all the way to Henderson due to there not being a program out here in Pahrump. “My daughter was originally involved with Civil Air Patrol, and I thought it was a very interesting program, and she traveled out to Henderson because it was the closest squadron.” CAP has helped many students, giving them so many new opportunities. It has allowed students to learn to take more responsibility, get better at public speaking and teamwork.
CAP can, and has been, beneficial to many people, whether you’re a cadet, a student, or even a senior member. Breille Paterson, one of the higher-ranking cadets, talks a lot about how joining CAP has helped her grow in many different ways. One thing she focuses on is how CAP has been of use with her personality development improvements, whether it was helping her social skills towards people: “Civil Air Patrol has helped me kinda get comfortable working with other people. It’s helped me be able to do more public speaking, and I’m a lot more social than I was before I joined, and it’s helped me make a lot more connections.” Or how CAP has helped her to understand others better: “It’s taught me how to figure out how each person individually learns, as some people learn more visually, while others need more explanation.” CAP can have an impact on people’s lives, with their personal and social skills. It can also make someone become a better person and affect their social environment.
Paterson explained the reason she decided she wanted to join CAP in the beginning: “I had an interest in planes since I was very young. I used to go out and plane watch, so getting the opportunity to work and learn about aircraft is one of the big aspirations in my life.” This shows how CAP allows students to explore their personal interests while getting real experience. Plus, Paterson has always had an interest in wanting to join the military, “and I’ve had interests in the military, so getting that experience is good.” So CAP gives, and has given, the multiple opportunities that she needs to get her to where she’s trying to get to.
If this article interests you or you’re interested in joining Civil Air Patrol, come to the meetings at Pahrump Valley High School every Thursday night from 6:30 to 8:30, or contact Mrs. Sitter-Jones to learn more.
