Middle School Visits
1st Lt Kertis Henderson, CAP
Public Affairs Officer
MER-NC-022 Burlington Composite Squadron
Introduction
About the Author
I'm the Public Affairs Officer at the Burlington Composite Squadron (NC-022). In the past, I've done a number of non-C.A.P.-related school visits. I've used these visits to teach topics such as computer programming, photography, and mathematics. Over the years, I've learned a little bit about how to make these visits go smoothly and how to capitalize on them afterward. I hope to help other squadrons use these visits for cadet recruitment.
Problem
I'll describe NC-022 as it was in the months before our first middle school visit. At the squadron, we had a functioning group of senior officers, and almost all of the staff positions were covered by one or two members. We had enough cadets to have an interesting meeting, but we still had room for more. Our meeting space had more than enough room for senior officers, cadets, and other specialized groups to meet at the same time each Tuesday night.
Our goal was to recruit more cadets from area schools. Like most squadrons, NC-022 represents an area that contains many middle schools, so we had options to choose from.
Four Parts
The process of recruiting cadets from middle schools takes a few months. If a visit is not properly planned or not followed through, then the results might not be as good as we hope. I've broken the process into four steps:
- Get the Squadron Working
- Plan the Visit
- Make the Visit
- After the Visit
Get the Squadron Working
Before we call a school, before we ask members to speak, before we do anything else, we need to have a working squadron. A working squadron is one that has its staff position filled. It has a working cadet program. Such a unit has regular meetings. Nobody wants to join a squadron that isn't working.
Staff Positions
Why should we have all staff positions filled? For two reasons. Firstly, nobody can argue against having people trained in the finer points of running a squadron. Secondly, and more relevantly, we need to show the cadets how the Civil Air Patrol works! Communications, Public Affairs, Emergency Services, Aerospace Education, and the rest are each very important to a cadet's experience.
For instance, imagine the cadet that's very interested in radio communications. Without a squadron communications officer who is somewhat familiar with his staff position, it would be very difficult for that cadet to learn about radios. Without that opportunity, the cadet is more likely to attrit. In general, staff positions should be filled and those individuals should be prepared to perform the necessary duties of that office.
Cadets
Before new cadets are invitied, the existing cadet program should be running. This seems like a chicken-and-egg problem. If we need cadets, how can we have a working cadet program? Fortunately, there are ways to help in this situation.
Firstly, the cadet program is not made up entirely of cadets. Senior officers can do a lot of the work. Planning for encampment, giving orientation flights, and teaching drilling are all things that a senior officer can do.
Secondly, you are not alone! There are neighboring squadrons that would gladly lend a hand in getting the program running or helping it to run better. In addition, higher units, such as the group or wing, have resources to help. That's what they're there for, and they're good at it.
The important point is to have something for the cadets to do when they visit. A schedule of events, monthly activities, and a set meeting time are very important. (So is a meeting that starts on time!) When the cadet visits, they should get the feeling that they're taking part in something that works. Even if there aren't a lot of other cadets, there should be something for the visiting students to see.
Plan the Visit
Find a school
The next step is to find a school to visit. Your first one should be chosen carefully. It can be hard to get your foot in the door of a school if they have never heard of the Civil Air Patrol, and you have no references from other schools. If a squadron member has any connections to the school, such as if they're a teacher, if they have children or relatives attending the school, or any other connection, then that school might be a good choice. The school should, of course, be somewhere near the squadron's headquarters. If the school is in between two squadrons, it might be a good idea to contact the other squadron, just to make sure that things go smoothly for everybody.
Court a Sponsor
It's almost impossible to schedule a visit to a middle school without a sponsor. Unless you're the President, you're going to need to know somebody on the inside. If a squadron member has a contact at the school, this is where they come in. A principal is a good start if you don't know anybody. They may be able to put you in touch with a teacher that would help.
This sponsor is the one who would typically schedule the visit, handle permission slips, and sit in the room during the presentation.
Permission Slips
Why do we need permission slips? Some people would consider the Civil Air Patrol to be a military organization. You and I know that there is a definite distinction between the C.A.P. and the men and women who serve our country in active duty. However, we do represent the U.S. Air Force. So, we inherit some possible negative feelings toward the military.
We can use this to our advantage, however. The permission slip is one of the first things that the student sees, and is almost always the first thing that the parents see. This can be a powerful document. Most of the time, the sponsor will ask for a paragraph or two about the presentation, and they'll create the form. Be prepared to do this yourself, if they don't offer to do it.
The permission slip should draw heavily from the resources published by national headquarters. "The members perform more than 85 percent of inland search and rescue missions as tasked by the Air Force Rescue and Coordination Center," and so forth. Sell your visit! Talk about the strengths of the Civil Air Patrol and your own unit.
Lastly, this should not be described as a "recruiting" event. We're not going to lie; we need cadets. However, the purpose of the visit should be to describe your unit and the C.A.P. as a whole. That's all we need to do. Use language that is less likely to offend or scare parents, and there will be more students present to hear your presentation. It might be a good idea to describe the visit as an "informational presentation."
Plan
Of course, we need a plan. Who will be present? What topics will be covered? It's easy to split things three ways, and assign one topic each to three members: Cadet Programs, Aerospace Education, and Emergency Services. There's more than one way to skin a cat, but this way works well.
Try to have more than one representative. If you can bring more than one member, the program looks more legitimate. If it's possible, bring a cadet or two. A cadet in uniform looks very impressive to their peers. Choose members who are knowledgable in the areas which they plan to present. Even if their presentation is well-rehearsed and airtight, there will always be questions. Middle school students can ask a lot of strange and interesting questions.
Handouts
Your sponsor at the school should be able to estimate the number of attendees. Plan to have handouts for each of them. It is also nice to have extras to leave behind or to allow students to take extra copies. There are handouts available from your wing or from national headquarters.
Make the Visit
Early Meeting
I like to meet with the group early on the day of the school visit. Last-minute changes to the presentation will inevitably happen, and it's nice to have everyone present to discuss the plan. Everyone can make sure their uniforms are on correctly. It also gets everyone out of bed early enough to get to the school on time. Which leads me to the next point...
You represent the Civil Air Patrol and The U.S.A.F.
This goes without saying, but it is absolutely vital to put your best foot forward. You must be in uniform. You must be on time. Everyone should arrive together and without argument or horseplay. This is easy stuff, but it's some of the most important details of the visit.
The Presentation
Hopefully, everyone shows up and there's a room full of students. The presentation should be the easy part. Give a brief introduction and make it very clear that you're not recruiting. You just want to give information and tell the kids about the program. Questions should be welcomed at any time, though in a format that the sponsor approves of. (Should they raise their hands, or step to a microphone in the aisle?)
Next, the each speaker should introduce themselves and give their presentation. If a projector is used, make sure that there's enough interesting information, in both the slide show and the speaker's content, to keep the students engaged.
The handouts should be given out at the end of the presentation. At the earliest, hand them out during the question-and-answer session at the end. Handouts immediately take focus from the presenter, so save them for the end.
Don't forget to leave details about the squadron meetings! Something simple, such as a handout, or a note in large writing on the blackboard will get this information across. Leave your squadron's address, meeting times, and contact information, such as web site, e-mail address, and phone number.
When you leave, be sure to thank the sponsor and the school administrators. This gives you a nice opportunity to leave a box of handouts or a poster with them. Don't forget to mention Aerospace Education Membership to the adults!
After the Visit
Follow Up
In the week after the visit, call or e-mail the sponsor to thank them for allowing you to visit. This gesture will make them more likely to recommend you when you're setting up your next school visit. The next visit you plan will always be easier if you have a good reference at another school.
The Next Meeting
Don't be surprised when your cadet attendence spikes at the next squadron meeting. Make sure that there is an appropriate activity planned, and that there is somebody available to speak to the visiting students and parents. They'll all have questions. This meeting is crucial to retention of these prospective cadets. You should give them the feeling that they can fit in, have fun, and grow with the cadet program.
Summary
Our Results
Here are some details about my first C.A.P. school visit. We had about 25 students in attendance. We brought our squadron commander, two other senior members, and two cadets. The commander spoke about cadet programs and showed slides with pictures of our cadets doing fun things (BDUs in the woods, C-130s, blackhawks, lots of smiles, etc.). The two cadets spoke briefly about their experiences. Next, a Ground Team Leader, spoke about emergency services. He brought a 72-hour pack and all the "toys" that he takes with him on missions. Then, a mission pilot spoke about aerospace education. He brought Cessna posters and sectional charts. Finally, we did a question and answer session.
From that one school visit, we've had 10 cadets with significant interest in the program, and most of these have already joined. The icing on the cake is that they've told their friends about the program, and they're doing a great job of spreading the word.