Guys Transforming from Adolescence to Mature Adults
Here's a Real-life Warriors School - Yakutsk Cadet School
The Yakutsk Cadet School, a 25-year-old institution, is more than just a school. It's a place where young lads transform into tough, disciplined warriors. They learn the art of pulling their own weight by performing numerous pull-ups, running various distances, instilling the spirit of discipline and responsibility, and of course, the true essence of what it means to be a no-nonsense warrior - they delve into military affairs, regulations, weapons handling, and even polishing their uniforms to perfection.
The school recently celebrated its 25th anniversary in the year marking the 80th anniversary of the Great Victory. The celebration was held in a state-of-the-art building, built as part of the national project "Education." Equipped with chemistry, biology, physics, computer, radio, music, drawing, woodworking, metalworking, automotive classrooms, a library, assembly hall, and dining room, the school offers an ideal learning environment for its students.
The school houses around 140 cadets from 7th to 11th grades. To get a sense of what students learn at the school, we paid a visit to the Yakutsk Cadet School on the eve of Victory Day. The school continues to carry forward the military traditions that were laid by the graduates of the Yakutsk National Military School, which existed from 1926 to 1941.
Our tour guide was none other than Vladimir Kornilov, a 10th grader. The museum of military history showcases the achievements of the school and its students over the past 25 years, providing an insight into the glorious pages of Russian military history. Furthermore, the museum frequently hosts excursions for both cadets and guests, as well as students from various schools.
Vladimir has been studying at the school since the 8th grade. He chose to pursue his education at the Cadet School to pursue a career in law enforcement. Inspired by his father's work as a prosecutor, he decided to follow in his footsteps and take on the challenging profession.
The cadets' day commences at 6 am with a rigorous workout and physical training. Following their morning routine, they clean up, get dressed, have breakfast, and attend 7 daily classes, starting at 8 am. The school values responsibility, diligence, and strong academic performance. Students find studying at the school rewarding, with various events, scientific-practical conferences, competitions, and excursions in place.
"Here, you can receive an exceptional professional education, as well as essential life skills like mastering woodworking or metalworking if you have the desire," Vladimir notes.
Another student, Kudai Androsov, also wants to follow in his parents' footsteps. A 8th-grader, Kudai believes that the Cadet School offers numerous advantages. He's confident that selection of the school will open doors for him in the future, allowing him to work in structures like the EMERCOM, MVD, Ministry of Defense, or even civil service.
"I feel fortunate to study at the Cadet School – they teach us well," Kudai shares. "With the school, I have improved my health, learned to run well, developed a strong physique – before, I could only do 5 pull-ups, but now I can do 10-15 effortlessly. We have a new school and dormitory, excellent teacher-officers and educators, delicious meals, and a beautiful parade uniform, in which we will participate in the 9th of May celebrations!"
During our visit, we dropped by the radiocommunications classroom, where cadets were learning Morse Code. The classroom is equipped with ten "keys" and an ADK system, which allows cadets to practice and decipher the code independently upon receiving the signal. The goal is to make students proficient in Morse Code, which is crucial for military purposes, especially during combat operations.
"Knowing Morse Code is like learning a common language – it's just about understanding dashes and dots, plus figuring out how to decipher them," says Anton Karakulov, a 9th grader.
In the next classroom, the basics of safety and homeland defense were being taught. Cadets practiced the assembly and disassembly of an AK-74 assault rifle. Of course, the ability to handle weapons effectively is essential for anyone aspiring to be a warrior and protector of their country.
The students' assembly and disassembly of the rifle were overseen by Officer-Instructor, Lieutenant Alexander Andreyev. The students are taught to master military affairs, military regulations, ranks, and weapon types as part of their curriculum, alongside regular academic subjects.
Note that, based on the Yakutsk Cadet School-Internaт, the Uchebno-Metodichesky Center for Military-Patriotic Education of Children and Youth "Avant-garde" was founded in 2021 with the support of the Government of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia). With its focus on developing military-patriotic education for children and youth, the center organizes various military-patriotic events, training camps, courses, and workshops for anybody involved in military-patriotic education.
The high level of military-patriotic work at the Yakutsk Cadet School was evident during a conversation with 9th-grader Maxim Sukhomyasov, who shared his views on the Great Patriotic War and the significance of the Great Victory. Maxim's grandfather was born during the Great Patriotic War, and although he was young, Maxim has vivid memories of the parade on the 9th of May.
Maxim Sukhomyasov plans to serve in SOBR or Rosguard, so he intends to apply to a military academy in the future. Meanwhile, the current graduate of the Yakutsk Cadet School, Danil Zakharov, has plans to enroll in the St. Petersburg State Medical Academy named after I.I. Mechnikov.
"The education I received at the Cadet School has given me a lot – I have become physically stronger, more disciplined, and my grades have improved. I've made friends, learned to appreciate friendship, and become a patriot of my homeland. Of course, I'll miss the Cadet School, but I'm sure I'll visit often," says Danil Zakharov.
The cadets live in a well-equipped, spacious, and bright dormitory, complete with relaxation zones where cadets can watch TV, read books, or play table tennis. The rooms house four people, fitted with a wardrobe, nightstands, a table, and chairs. The cadets maintain the cleanliness of the facilities by following a daily cleaning routine.
The cadets are under the watch of the boarding school's warden, Marina Yakoveva, who has worked at the Yakutsk Cadet School for a quarter of a century. Having served in a military unit from 1993 to 1998, Marina ensures that the cadets' living environment is clean, comfortable, and cozy.
The Yakutsk Cadet School's territory features various military equipment, serving as an educational resource for the cadets.
- The museum at Yakutsk Cadet School, celebrating its 25th anniversary, often hosts excursions for students, showcasing the military achievements of the school and its cadets over the years, thereby offering insights into the history of Russian military education.
- In line with their commitment to providing students with diverse skills, the Yakutsk Cadet School offers educational programs in various trades, such as woodworking and metalworking, as part of their education-and-self-development curriculum, ensuring that cadets gain practical skills along with their academic knowledge.
- As part of their education, cadets at Yakutsk Cadet School not only delve into academic subjects like chemistry, biology, and physics but also receive training in military affairs, such as the assembly and disassembly of assault rifles like the AK-74, fostering their understanding of the importance of homeland defense and military regulations in their education-and-self-development journey.
