Cadets in Wasatch High School’s JROTC program earned scholarships to become pilots at the Air Force Flight Academy last summer.
Four high school seniors were accepted to the flight academy. Over the summer, they spent eight weeks living on college campuses. They took classes and logged 60 hours of flight time before taking the test to receive their private pilot’s licenses from the Federal Aviation Administration.
On Tuesday evening, JROTC program coordinator Denise Harris told the Wasatch County Board of Education about the students’ work, as the newly certified pilots showed off the flight suits they earned after flying solo for the first time.
“They did essentially two semesters’ worth of work in eight weeks: six to seven days a week, 12-hour days, to get through the program,” Harris said. “All of them got their license.”
JROTC seniors Wyatt Cernyar, Waylon Giese, Jillian Halls and a fourth student who asked only to be called Ben, all passed their FAA exams.
Giese said he took his first solo flight after just 10 days of training in the academy.
“It was just such an amazing experience,” Giese said. “I don’t even know if I can encapsulate it all into words, being a private pilot.”
Harris said she’s proud of her students’ accomplishments and looks forward to the day they take her for a plane ride.
“I’m a proud mama,” she said. “I’m so thrilled.”
She said the program is designed to encourage students to pursue careers in aviation. Students are applying now for next summer’s flight academy.
The board of education also recognized JROTC students for placing second in a national academic bowl championship and honored junior Callie Wade, who earned a scholarship from the Vietnam Veterans of America in a nationwide contest.
Veterans attended the meeting to present Wade with her award.
“I’m very proud… because I think Callie represents the cadet programs in Utah very well academically [and] militarily,” Marine Corps veteran Dennis Holland said. “I personally, as a Marine, would be honored to serve with you if you ever joined the military service.”
About 60 students take part in Wasatch High School’s JROTC program.
