By Amanda Pevey
Elmore Autauga News
Top Photo: From left, Commissioner Henry Hines, Gabriella Brown (SEHS JROTC), Principal Ewell Fuller (Principal), Commission Chairman Bart Mercer, JROTC instructor SFC Wayne Kindley, Elmore County School Board member Bill Myers, Commissioner Desirae Lewis Jackson, School Supt. Richard Dennis, Taye Crawford (SEHS JROTC), Tucker Ayers (SEHS JROTC), and JROTC instructor Sgt. Major Nathaniel Bartee.
On Thursday, the Elmore County Commission gave a very generous donation in the amount of $200,000 for an obstacle course and rappelling tower for the Stanhope Elmore High Army JROTC program. This will be the first obstacle course in Central Alabama at a high school and will be utilized for cadets in the program. However, it will also be open to local first responders. This course can bring other high schools from all over Alabama, as well as schools out of state for competition events as well.
The obstacle course will be built in the fenced field beside the Millbrook Middle School, behind the football practice field. The rappelling tower will be made from wood and 30-feet high once finished.
More donations will also come soon from the Elmore County Board of Education and the City of Millbrook, to fund the total project, estimated at $250,000.
“I am extremely surprised and appreciative of the support we received from the County Commission, the City of Millbrook, and the Elmore County Schools Board of Education,” said SFC Wayne Kindley.
Kindley is an Army Instructor for the SEHS Army JROTC program and a certified Rappel Master.
He continued, “When I submitted this request at the beginning of school, I never thought it would happen so quickly. This course will not only help our cadets train and overcome personal fears, but it will also help our community partners train their SWAT and fire rescue teams. I can not express enough how appreciative I am for all the support. I look forward to the opening of the course and the start of training.”
The Army JROTC Raider Team, which is made up of 14 cadets this year, compete in competitions, and if qualified, they move on to Nationals in Fort Knox, Kentucky in October. Their first competition was last year, and the team did very well.
“The obstacle course will mostly affect us because it will help us train for more obstacles,” said C/CPT Taven Cox.
He continued, “It will also help us from going in blind like we did at our prior competitions. After we train with our own obstacles then it will always boost the confidence of the Raiders as well just because they will be more comfortable with an obstacle course. “
This obstacle course could be ready as soon as the upcoming 2025-2026 school year.
