- September 8, 2024
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The Mainland High School Air Force JROTC squadron achieved a number of firsts this year.
According to a press release, Senior Jayda Miller earned a $250,000 Air Force Senior ROTC scholarship to Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. Miller and junior Erik Farkas were also competitively chosen to attend an eight-week summer flight academy worth $26,000 at two colleges.
Both have flown about 40 hours and are close to earning their private pilots’ license.
The academic team of Farkas, Sara Bowers, Adrian Fortier, Journey Smith, and Kenny Girlardo competed against 686 other AFJROTC teams and finished in the top 16. Bowers, Fortier, Smith, and Landon Baliles competed at the finals in Washington D.C. in late June in an all-expense paid trip.
In addition, the press release states that the squadron earned the highest ratings possible during their HQ AFJROTC Inspection in November 2023.
The squadron was also active with a multitude of extracurricular activities. They presented the colors at over 35 events, to include three at the Speedway, and three for the Orlando Magic. The unit, which has 120 cadets, volunteered nearly 4,000 hours of community service.
Five teams competed in four drill meets winning nine trophies and medals. The unit took eight educational field trips around Florida — They visited St Augustine; visited military bases in Tampa, New Smyrna Beach, and Jacksonville; met some of the USAF’s Thunderbirds personnel; took a behind-the-scenes tour of Kennedy Space Center; and met a number of Spruce Creek Fly-In pilots while touring their planes.
In June, Master Sgt. Garthwaite and Maj. Miglioranzi took 12 cadets to The Citadel in Charleston, South Carolina, to attend a week-long Cadet Leadership Course. This is one of the largest CLCs in AFJROTC and is attended by over 300 cadets from 14 high school AJFORTC programs.
