Air Force JROTC coming to Cape Central High School

Cape Girardeau Central High School soon will have an Air Force junior reserve officer training corps program, or JROTC, on campus.

Superintendent Neil Glass said the district applied for the program last spring, when then-superintendent Jim Welker initiated the conversation.

"We realized the Air Force didn't have a program in the immediate area, and they were looking to add a program in the state of Missouri, so we put Cape Girardeau's name in the hat," Glass said. "They offered the program to us as of last week."

The program offers officer training to students still in high school, and college scholarships are available for members as well, according to afrotc.com.

Glass said having the program on campus is exciting.

"It's expected to have an enrollment of 100 students by next year, which is huge for those students," Glass said, adding it will provide opportunities in aerospace science and in leadership training.

"The first order of business is to hire two personnel," Glass said.

One will be commissioned and one non-commissioned, he said.

"They will be in charge of the unit," Glass said, and will handle management of the program.

There is a fitness component of the program, as well as leadership training and education requirements, according to the website.

"We're just very excited about the Air Force extending this offer to Cape Girardeau public schools," Glass said. "I just think it opens up a whole new avenue of opportunity for our young folks."

mniederkorn@semissourian.com

(573) 388-3630

Pertinent address:

1000 S. Silver Springs Rd., Cape Girardeau, Mo.