Civil Air Patrol now an option for Pasco County high-schoolers to join

LAND O' LAKES, Fla. - High schoolers in Pasco County can now apply to be a cadet in the Civil Air Patrol and get academic credit for it.

Sunlake High School’s squadron of the Civil Air Patrol became official Tuesday night with an activation ceremony. Civil Air Patrol is the auxiliary of the United States Air Force. It helps with search and rescue, and disaster relief as well as assisting federal, state, and local agencies, among other duties.

Captain Mark Aragon, Commander of Sunlake High School’s squadron, said about three years ago, the school’s principal wanted some type of military presence for the magnet aviation academy at Sunlake. Adding ROTC, however, had a long waitlist, he said.

Aragon, who spent 38 years in the Air Force, approached the Civil Air Patrol about a squadron at Sunlake.

Courtesy: Civil Air Patrol

"We are the ones that are breaking ground, and so, we don’t have anyone to follow, but that has really made it exciting for us," said Principal Kara Merlin. "I’m proud of our students, or, our cadets, and what they’re able to do and what Mr. Aragon has been able to bring into our school."

Merlin said the principal before her tried to get an ROTC program at the school. They filled out applications several times, she said, but never had any luck. Aragon and school leaders collaborated, and Aragon suggested starting their own Civil Air Patrol Charter.

"We’re really excited for the future of our squadron and what we might be able to do for other schools around the country," Merlin said.

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It’s a four-year program and students are dual enrolled in Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University where Aragon is a professor.

"This opportunity is something that is unheard of at the high school. I would’ve loved to have this when I was in high school," Aragon said.

Students graduate with their pilots’ licenses and two promotions higher, an E3, than if they didn’t enroll in this program, Aragon said.

They get flight training, among other classes, that are paid for along with their FAA certification exam, he said. Students from high schools across Pasco County can apply to the program. Around 30 cadets were accepted this year, and they plan to double that number next year.

"I’ve always been interested in aerospace and the military, so when I learned that it was coming to the school as a class itself, I thought, ‘Perfect. This will be great,'" said Alex Hearn, a cadet and a junior at Sunlake.

Hearn said he has been enrolled in a Civil Air Patrol squadron in Wesley Chapel for two years that wasn’t involved with any school. He was able to transfer to Sunlake’s squadron this year.