The Bermuda Cadet Corps have more than quadrupled their ranks this year, with almost as many cadets as there are soldiers in the Regiment itself.

After a massive effort to encourage schoolchildren to join, Cadet Corps public relations officer and chaplain Lt. Charles Smith said more than 500 cadets enrolled this year.

The Cadet Corps, a branch of the Bermuda Regiment for schoolchildren, covers most of the same things that soldiers in the Regiment learn, Lt. Smith said.

Students from the Island?s middle schools, high schools and home schools all take part. Even the private schools are signing up, Lt. Smith said: both Mount Saint Agnes and Saltus are taking part this year. ?That?s the first time that?s happened in a long time,? he said.

The success of the this year?s programme also caught the eye of Opposition Leader Grant Gibbons, who contacted after visiting the cadets at camp last week with Shadow Public Safety Minister Maxwell Burgess.

?It?s a real success story,? Dr. Gibbons said. ?Both Maxwell Burgess and I were very impressed with the way it?s been managed and the number of teenagers who were attracted to it. They seem really engaged, and they are learning a lot of good skills.?

One of the most impressive things about the programme was the fact that the teenagers wanted to be there, Dr. Gibbons continued.

He said that, when addressing them, he asked how many of them were they because they wanted to be, and not because their parents made them attend. He estimated at least 80 percent of the hands shot into the air.

The cadets will spend the next few days camping at Ferry Reach. This Saturday they will be holding an Open House at Warwick Camp from noon onwards, while on Sunday they will hold their passing out parade. All are welcome to both events.