By David Stinchcomb
Intern EA News
Even though the school year ended over a month ago and we are halfway into the summer, the Stanhope Elmore JROTC program is continuing to develop leaders while also offering a helping hand in the community.
For six Tuesdays this summer, cadets from the program are volunteering to help with the Elmore County Summer Feeding Program that takes place at Coosada Elementary School. “We had at least five cadets [every Tuesday], sometimes seven or eight, help with the Millbrook area,” said First Sergeant (Ret.) James Chambers, who is the Army Instructor for the JROTC program. “They helped the lunch ladies pack up and hand out to the cars, and there were quite a few cars,” he continued.
In addition to their volunteer efforts in Coosada, they also participated in JROTC Cadet Leadership Challenge (JCLC). The event was held in Columbiana, Alabama this year, and each school that participates can take 10 cadets. “JCLC is a camp that tests the kids’ leadership skills and acumen, and the things that they’ve learned throughout the year,” said Colonel (Ret.) Charles Bonasera, who is the Senior Army Instructor of the JROTC program. “Every day their schedules are packed from 5 a.m. in the morning until 10 p.m. at night,” he added.
Some of the events that were conducted at the camp were an Army Physical Fitness Test, paddleboarding, canoeing, drill and ceremonies, and other team building/confidence building activities.
Since schools are only allowed to take 10 cadets, the selection process to fill those slots is difficult. “We look for the very high performers during the school year, the ones that their grades are outstanding, their attitude is outstanding… we consider any leadership positions they might’ve had during the year and how well they did in those,” said Colonel Bonasera. The 10 cadets from SEHS that attended JCLC were Kennith Rogers, Jackson Wade, Alex Caylor, Phoenix Dale, Rodrick Arnold, Juliana Peralta, Trinity Edwards, Deandrea Hatcher, Carrington Robertson, and Kaylee Simmons.
Since the start of the school year is just over a month away, cadet leadership will return to campus in late July for Leadership Camp, where they will create a roadmap for the year.
“The main thing we do in Leadership Camp is we give the opportunity for the incoming leaders… to develop a plan for their battalion,” said First Sergeant Chambers. A large majority of the events that the program will participate in is planned out at the camp. It is an inspection year for the program, which means that the cadets will have a lot of activities and events for which to prepare.
