ROTC prepares cadets for 'world after high school'

Max McGuire-Jenkins was "super, super shy" before joining Cape Girardeau Central High School's Air Force Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps.

"I've definitely come out of my shell a lot," McGuire-Jenkins said. "Just the fact that I knew I could help my community and get to meet so many new people and learn new experiences."

The AFJROTC program just finished up its first academic year at the Cape Girardeau high school during which, at its peak, there were 83 cadets in the program, according to Master Sgt. Frank McMahon III, an aerospace science instructor with the program.

As Col. Michael Goodin, senior aerospace science instructor with the AFJROTC program, and McMahon have previously noted in a letter to the cadets and the cadets' parents/guardians, the program is not used for military recruitment, but is a way to help cadets build skills for success.

McMahon said one of the biggest things he has noticed students picking up from the program is "soft skills" such as shaking someone's hand and looking them in the eye.

Cape Central Air Force Junior ROTC cadets Ethan Glenn, first row facing forward, and Austin LaRose, behind Glenn, stand for inspection as a cadet, whose name was not able to be used, marks on a sheet during an AFJROTC class April 24 at Cape Central High School in Cape Girardeau.

"We want to put them in a situation where they are highly encouraged to do some public speaking," McMahon said. "At the beginning of the year, it was you could just see the fear of like death on their face and now they're like, 'Hey, I really enjoy this.'"

Walking through the halls of the high school, students not in the program can easily spot the cadets on Wednesdays as they wear their blue uniforms.

During class time, Goodin said cadets learn about aerospace science with such topics as history of aviation and aviation technology. They also have their leadership lab where they learn about professionalism and teamwork as well as practice marching sequences. There is also a physical training portion of the class where cadets take the presidential fitness test at the beginning and end of the school year.

Cadets also had the chance to give back in the form of community service acts such as assisting with the removal of American flags along the Avenue of Flags on Memorial Day evening in Cape County Park North.

Cera Deneke, who will be a junior next year, said two of the reasons she wanted to get into the program was to learn about self defense and how to respect people.

A Cape Central Air Force Junior ROTC cadet holds an American flag while working on the procedure for folding the flag during an AFJROTC class April 24, at Cape Central High School in Cape Girardeau.

"That sounds like two good things that I would need to know anyway," Deneke said. "They teach you a lot of good lessons that you don't think you would normally learn from a high school teacher or from your peers."

For cadets in the program, Goodin said there are opportunities for success and to develop new life skills that help prepare them "to go out into the world after high school and succeed."