The Last Amazon has left home.

I named my blog the Last Amazon because of my incredible daughter. Now all parents think their daughters are incredible but mine takes the breathe away of everyone who meets her. At 13 and 5’5”, I have to lift my head to look up to see her beautiful face and I think that she is who I want to be when I grow up.

This year she won an academic scholarship to attend a private prep school. When the principal interviewed her, he asked her to tell him what she didn't like about school. She looked directly into his eyes and said, "Distractions". The principal and I were both floored, and I know her. He told her that public school students often find French challenging at the school, so to prepare she went out and found a French tutor for herself and then advised me.

She is no slouch mentally and possesses an incredible work ethic. This year alone she fulfilled all her cadet duties as well as being on a biathlon team, a shooting team marksman, a medal winning competitive swimmer and gymnast, studying for her SSAT’s, and had a history project on the War of 1812 that was presented in May, in Kingston. She is an extremely modest young woman; she won't tell you what she does, or how she did. She keeps most things to herself and only shares with her family.

At six, she won an essay contest competing against 54 schools across the country. She was competing against 6-9 year olds. She had been grounded for a week to her room and decided to use that time to write her essay on why adults should respect children. I am still laughing at that one. At nine, on her last day of school when she was in grade 4, I came home to find her writing a list of what she wanted to do with her life. She had listed her short and long term goals and at what age she wanted to accomplish each of the things on her list. She still has that list by her bed and she has lived by that list. Some things on that list have changed. At first it was an astronomer and now she waivers between that and either an astro or nuclear physicist. She had decided that she wanted to attend the Royal Military College for their space science program. To help her prepare for RMC and military life, she decided to join the Royal Canadian Army Cadet Corp, 48th Highlanders. The only thing on her list that she cannot control or work for is being 6 feet tall.

Yesterday was her birthday and for her birthday, I put her on a Department of Defense bus to go away to marksman camp at a Canadian Forces Base. It was what she wanted, and it is to help her on the path that she has mapped out for her future. One of the hardest things I had to do was watch the last Amazon leave home. I won't be there if she needs me and I have always been there. I didn't want to do it, but she did. Her youngest brother and I fought over who was sleeping in her bed last night and probably will again tonight. I don't know how we will get on without her. She is sorely missed.

I had no prior knowledge of the Cadet program unto she told me she wanted to join it. It is a wonderful program for youths between 12 -18 years old, supervised by the Department of Defense. There are three different divisions to join: navy, air and army. The army program offers woods craft, public speaking, mountain climbing, parachuting, leadership training, first aid, shooting, music, drill, citizenship courses and an international exchange program with other commonwealth countries and the US as well. There are a multitude of scholarship programs to help the cadets with post-secondary education. The Navy does all of that and teaches them how to sail too. The Air program offers a scholarship program for youths wanting their pilot license. Every year there is a summer camp program where Cadets who are interested in participating can receive advanced training all over Canada and they get paid to do so. There is no cost to join and the only requirement is Canadian Citizenship.

The Cadets also have many opportunities to take part in many different community projects. Each Corps has its own traditions and history which the Cadets learn. The 48th Highlanders Cadet Corp each year paints all those white crosses you see in on the gravestones of fallen 48th Highlanders in Netherlands. Every year as part of the Remembrance Day ceremonies each cadet is assigned a fallen 48th Highlander to research and makes a presentation to the corps about their life. 48th Highlander cadets can also volunteer once a month to visit veterans in Sunnybrooke Hospital. It is an extraordinarily worthwhile program whose goal is not to recruit for the forces but to turn out responsible citizens who are ready to contribute to the society that they live in.

These young people who join come from all walks of life with many different goals (or lack of), but what they have in common with each other is that they are looking for a way to aspire in life. In the current anti- all-things-military culture this represents a huge step back from the maddening crowd. I know my daughter and her fellow cadets are taunted by their peers over their decision to join the cadet corps. They are often held in contempt by their teachers and others in authority for this decision. I know the crude and vulgar comments made by bystanders on the street or on the subways made to these young cadets. I know that every Tuesday night when that she and fellow cadets put on their dress greens or combats they have to walk by a group of protestors at the Moss Park Armory. No matter the provocation, these cadets are not allowed to "engage" the protestors in any way. It takes a great of courage for these cadets to walk calmly through this crowd without engaging. As a matter of fact they are not to "engage" or confront anyone while in the uniform of Royal Canadian Army Cadet.

It would be so much easier for them not to come. But come they do, and each of them leave learning the meaning of commitment and citizenship. So the next time Tag Day comes and you see a Cadet in uniform trying to raise money for outings for their corps, make a donation, if for no other reason that you want to help contribute to what is the best in our future, our children.

If you want to learn more about the Royal Canadian Cadet Corps visit www.cadets.ca.