News

The 254 Wraps Up in Style

The training year for 2021-22 was indeed an unforgettable year for the 254. Throughout the ravages of the COVID-19 pandemic, the members of the corps stood fast and trained to the best of their ability. We had trips to Ontree, climbed Moses Mountain and did numerous activities on campus to generate good training and the education of some incredible young leaders. COVID-19 hit us rather hard in the winter and caused the postponement of a number of activities. Happily, May became a busy month.

The Cadet Ball
The first event in May was the Cadet Ball. The ball followed the Grade 12 and Alumni Dinner. My congratulations to the Advancement and Alumni Team of Heather Strickey, Jenn Shaw, and Kelly Fillman. These ladies worked incredibly hard to pull the dinner together, and it was a huge success. They also do tremendous work from the sidelines in promoting the 254. Many thanks!
 
The Cadet Ball was indeed a beautiful affair. We started off with swing dance lessons from alumna Sarah Bell ‘21. Cadets and staff learned the moves and had lots of fun. The last set of lessons came from Head Girl, Gabby Strickey '22, assisted by Megan Mattie ‘22. Well done to these student leaders. Unfortunately, we could not get a live orchestra this year. Cadet Maelle O'Handley '23 obtained the playlist from Mr. Jeff Smith that had been used in previous years. Maelle then downloaded all the music from Spotify and provided the entertainment for the evening. Well done Maelle and thank you Mr Smith.
 
If you have ever seen cadet training, the corps starts out pretty clean in their field training uniform, but they can get pretty dirty depending on the events. I always enjoy the Cadet Ball because to me it is the metamorphosis from the field to a formal event. The ladies are beautiful in their gowns and the young men look quite dashing in their suits. The evening was a great success, and the dancing was superb.

Cadet Candlelight Dinner
The next event on the calendar was the Cadet Candlelight Dinner, which was held on the evening of Monday, May 9. Of course, we had to precede it with a full-dress rehearsal for the upcoming parade. So, who do I turn to? Head Girl Gabby Strickey ‘22 provided all the necessary training to pull off the event. Once again, great job Gabby! Of course, this event needed some planning and execution. The bulk of the success of this affair was due to the efforts of Ms. Morgaine Sullivan ‘09. I often think the corps administration would start to implode without the input of Morgaine’s advice and hard work. Well done! The dinner was superb. The young servers from the corps did a fantastic job led by newly promoted sergeants Jessica Etou ‘24, Graydon Spence ‘24 and already promoted sergeant Katherine Lowe ‘23. Newly promoted sergeant Sofia Ning ‘25 provided some beautiful piano music giving the whole dinner a wonderful atmosphere.

Cadet Church Parade and Annual Review
The last events for the season were the Church Parade and the Annual Cadet Review which took place on Friday, May 13. It was a scorcher of a day! The corps marched to Christ Church in the afternoon, dressed in highland reds and greens, looking sharp as shillings. Our corps chaplain, Reverend David Curry, hosted the corps, parents, grandparents, faculty, and staff at Christ Church Cathedral. There was standing room only! The event was well orchestrated by Reverend Curry. The Church Parade celebrates the life of the corps, the military connection, and the warm relationship that we enjoy with the Town of Windsor. Thank you Reverend Curry. This was an afternoon to remember.

Once the Church Parade was concluded, the corps fell back in on parade and marched back to campus. There they took a quick break for supper and then precisely at 6:40 pm, marched onto the Tanna Athletic Facilities for the final parade of the year, the Annual Cadet Review. The Review was spectacular! Our Regimental Sergeant Major Chief Warrant Officer Maya Faucher ‘22 commanded the parade through a flawless performance. Honorary Colonel Phil Otto, father of our Drill Sergeant Major Greg Otto ‘22 held the position of Reviewing Officer. Drum Major Mitchell Larkin ‘22 provided us with a band display prior to the march on of the corps. It was beautiful and well executed. Dr. Paul Kavanaugh, founder of Operation Veteran, gave us some eloquent words on the anniversary of the reading of the Vimy Hymn. The hymn was first read on May 13, 1917 at a service following the historic Battle of Vimy Ridge. One hundred and five years later, Dr. Kavanaugh once again read the Vimy Hymn to our corps. It was Incredible! Dr. Kavanaugh then presented a copy of the hymn to our School. It was an evening to remember both for the history and because it was the first Review conducted since 2019. 

What a great year! My thanks go to the faculty and staff of this School. You make it possible for the corps to perform. In particular, I thank the civilian instructors and my cadet instructor cadre officers. You drive the ship. Once again, Morgaine Sullivan did an awesome job.

Of course, cadet activities never really end. Our corps has now been asked to parade for the Queen’s Jubilee celebration on June 2 here on campus. Even as I write this correspondence, emails from student volunteers are popping up on my computer screen. What a great day to be a member of the 254!

Major Keith Hynes
Commanding Officer
254 KES Cadet Corps


Cadets at KES
Back
King’s-Edgehill School is located in Mi'kma'ki, the unceded ancestral territory of the Mi’kmaq People.