As candidates of Sunburst Youth Academy's Class 36 step off the bus, they leave behind past troubles to embark on an educational and life-changing journey.

Over 200 teens from all over Southern California moved onto the Los Alamitos Joint Forces Training Base earlier in July, two weeks before the official first day of classes at Sunburst. These weeks leading up are called the acclimation phase — filled with intense physical training, dorm inspections and team building exercises meant to weed out candidates who aren't fully committed.

At Sunburst, students choose to enroll on their own, taking advantage of a program designed to help struggling teens re-engage with school and develop military-level discipline for the future. Class 36 and its 228 candidates make up the largest class in the program's history — the previous record of 225 set by the Fall 2017 class.

Saying goodbye

As cadets say goodbye to their families one last time, it's a bittersweet moment.

On the one hand, this will be the last time they see each other for months, as cadets live on base for the entirety of the program. But on the other, this marks the beginning of building a new family with their teachers, cadre leaders, and most of all, their platoons.

For the first time in almost a decade, this class of cadets is made up of an equal number of males and females, with two platoons of each. Typically, Sunburst sees a male dominant 3:1 ratio in its classes, so this is a welcome change that will provide further opportunities for the female cadets.

It’s nice to have that balance. It even plays out in activities — like when we have competitions at the beach, we can pair the males against each other and the females against each other. It just feels good on campus.

— Principal Dinah Ismail

Education

When classes finally started in early August, cadets hit the books hard. In just five months, they will complete over a year's worth of high school credits — a feat only made possible by the dedicated teachers of OCDE's ACCESS alternative education program. The small class size and constant support from ACCESS and military staff allow cadets to thrive not only in the classroom, but beyond as well.

"The teachers actually understand that each student has different capabilities, and they really help us. I feel like I can actually succeed here."
Cadet Irineo Poblete

When Cadet Irineo Poblete first enrolled at Sunburst, he was not even sure whether he would make it through the acclimation phase. Now, after being promoted to squad leader, he's glad he persevered.

“I was going to drop out before I even made it to the first phase, but I did it and I became a squad leader. I felt so proud putting on that uniform.”

Changing lives

Cadet Poblete isn’t the only one grateful he stayed. Cadet Carlos Rivera was recently selected for a student logistics role known as S-4, a reflection of the change he's already beginning to see in himself.

"I came here mainly to discipline myself and become a better person. I was behind in credits, but now I’m on track to graduate early. I want a better future for myself."
Cadet Carlos Rivera

As the school year progresses, Class 36 will have new chances to grow and connect with their community, with added field trips to El Dorado Nature Center and the Aquarium of the Pacific. Cadets in Art Club will complete a mural with Oasis Arts, and a brand new outdoor learning center will allow classes to be held outside. Along with a cadet-led media team that boasts an impressive array of equipment, cadets in Class 36 will have numerous opportunities to develop career, life and leadership skills that will shape their future.

Welcoming this many students into the program is both exciting and inspiring. They’ve already shown they have what it takes to succeed by making it through acclimation, and I can’t wait to see how far they’ll go.