LOCAL AIR CADET WINS NATIONAL YOUTH REPORTER COMPETITION

A local 15-year-old air cadet from 351 Silver Star Squadron in Markham is a winner of a national youth reporter competition in the open category.

With his article titled, "How I Gained Perspective from Learning to Fly Drones," Sgt. Marcus Ng shared how he was able to gain new skills and knowledge, growing as a person.

"What started as a way to beat boredom has become a hobby. But it's become (flying drones) even more than that for me," said Sgt. Ng. "It's a way to impact other people's lives with just one skill."

When Sgt. Ng thinks of his family and friends, he reflects on how they all did different things to pass the time during the pandemic, like learning to play guitar or knit a scarf.

Sgt. Ng hopes, as we return to normalcy, those of us who learned a new skill during the past two years of lockdowns will use it to give back to their community. For example, entertaining residents at long-term care homes by playing guitar or donating hand-knitted items to a clothing bank.

By sharing his personal experiences, Sgt. Ng hopes to encourage others to

reach new heights and make a difference with their new-found skills.

The Canadian Forces Newspapers Youth Reporter Competition gives young people a unique chance to tell their story in print, online or on social media with the help of its journalists, editors and photographers. The winner of each category will receive a scholarship,

presented by Adobe valued at $500, as well as a one-year subscription to Creative Cloud.

The cadet program offers a variety of dynamic training and experiential opportunities to local youth between the ages of 12 and 18, developing in them transferable, careerenhancing skills that will last them a lifetime.