Fireee! Most students spent their afternoons playing sports, finishing homework, or hanging out with friends. But for the students in the 1904 Cadets program, the day was only beginning.
Through the chest compressions to putting the fire out the 1904 cadets was developed for underexposed communities. Helping students from k-12 get a hands on experience and certification.
Founded in 2024 Nicholas Swift expanded the program to schools for students to get a certification in fire and EMS while teaching leadership, discipline, and teamwork. What started as a small idea quickly became one of the most respected student programs on campus later becoming a class.
“Joining the 1904 Cadets was something I did because firefighting has been a passion for me and I was curious on how the program would help me learn as a woman in a male dominated workforce. I was a captain my first year but decided it would be best to let someone else take charge,” Hellen Cervantes, 12, said.
Every week after the final bell rang, the cadets gathered on their training grounds in front of room 702. Dressed in black shirts and work boots, they practiced emergency response drills, learned CPR techniques, and trained with firefighting equipment. The sound of radios crackling and instructors calling commands filled the air as students prepared for real-life emergency situations.Under the guidance of instructors and mentors, the cadets learned more than technical skills. They learned communication, trust, and how to stay focused during stressful moments. Training exercises pushed students beyond their comfort zones, whether they were practicing search-and-rescue scenarios or responding to mock emergency calls.
“This program has opened so many doors for me. All the work and skills learned has helped me while looking for job opportunities. It helped me earn a scholarship that I will use to pay for my EMT school and whatever is necessary to make me successful,” Cadet leader, Joshua Alemanza, 12, said.
Nicholas Swift believed the program was about more than preparing students for careers. He wanted young people to understand the importance of service and leadership within their community. By the end of the year, the 1904 Cadets program had changed many students’ lives. Some planned to become firefighters, paramedics, or emergency dispatchers. Others simply carried the lessons of responsibility and courage into everyday life.For the cadets the program was more than an after-school activity. It was a place where students learned what it truly meant to serve others.
“I joined just because my friend had recommended it to me but slowly I started to enjoy the class. It has helped shape my future because it’s a guideway into EMT that teaches national registry EMT skills that I would’ve had to pay. The fire skills help with other career paths if I decide I want a different route, Erik Aragon, 11, said.
