On May 7 at 6pm, the West Brunswick High School JROTC Battalion hosted their JROTC awards ceremony. The JROTC Color Guard presented by, C/CSM Hopkins, C/CPT Carrillo, C/2LT Gomez, and C/CPT Bentitez, posted the colors followed by the pledge of allegiance. After the colors were presented, COL,(Retired) Joseph Calisto opened up the ceremony with an opening speech. With his opening speech he thanked everyone for attending the ceremony and all the support he got over the years as a JROTC senior Army instructor. Following COL Calisto’s speech, C/MAJ Waterbury lead the nights ceremony invocation. After the invocation, C/LTC Griffith lead the battalion in the company mottos. Following the company mottos, 1SG (Retired) Herb Lynch made his opening remarks with his intro to the toast to the flag and the spirt of 76 flag presentation.
Starting the National level awards presentation lead by C/CSM Hopkins goes by the following: Mr Smith-American Legion Award gave the Military Excellence Award to C/CPT Eric Carrillo and the Scholastic Award to C/CPT Isabella Freeman. Next up was Mr.Clark-AMVETS Award presented to C/CPT Kody Torres. Then the Dilworth Family & COL Calisto with the Dilworth Award presented to C/SGT Aiden Hewett. Then COL Calisto with the Daedalian Achievement Award to C/2LT Chris Gomez. Then Ms.Sands with the Daughters of the American Revolution Award presented to C/CSM Hopkins.
Then Mr.Schafer with the Marine Crops League Leadership Award presented to C/SSG Adrain Brouillette. Then Mr.Schafrer & Mr.Boyd with the Marine Corps Community Service Award presented to C/MAJ Julian Linares and C/MAJ Inasia Williams. Then COL Klotsko with the Military Officers Association of America Award presented to C/MAJ Elijah Holderby.Then Mr.Abby with the Military of the Purple Heart Award presented to C/1LT Nick Brown. Then Mr.Albert and COL Calisto with the Sons of the American Revolution Award presented to C/CPT Kevin Llanos.
Then Mr.Johson with the National Sojourners Award presented to C/SGT Tristan Hart. Then Mr.Johnson with the Scottish Rite Award presented to C/MAJ Stephany Waterbury. Then COL Calisto with the Coast Guard Award to C/MAJ Soleda Sanchez. Then with Mrs. Lember with the Daugherty of 1812 Award presented to C/MAJ Ava Tarman and C/MAJ Stephany Waterbury. Then COL Calisto with the Association of the United States Army Award to C/PFC Rylee Trenovich and C/2LT Payton Mays.
Then Ms.Edwards & Ms.Story with the Sherry Kohlway Volunteer Award presented to C/SGM Anthony Tapia. Then Mr.Kevin Kesterson & Team with the Chuck Fletcher Hard Chaser Award presented to C/1SG Aiden Cheek. Then SFC Dan Corbett with the American Military Society Award presented to C/1SG Malachi Coleman. Then Mrs.Judy With the Daughters of American Colonist Award presented to C/MAJ Rylee Withrow. Next up Mr.Jim Milsted and Wayne Weak with the VFW Post 7288 recognize C/LTC Brayden Griffith and C/MAJ Julian Linares with the Annual VFW and VFW Auxiliary scholaridhy award with $2,500 each.
Next up the VFW Post 7288 recognized the following cadence for their award winning 2024 VFW Voice of Democracy Essays: 1st place C/CPT Isabella Freeman with $300,2nd place C/MAJ Lilly Haviland With $200,3rd place C/MAJ Curtis-Dean Bruce with $100, and Honorable Mention to C/LTC Brayden Griffith with $50. Next Mr.Mike Kircher with the Annual Shallotte Kiwanis Scholarships to C/LTC Brayden Griffith and C/MAJ Julian Linares both with $500. Next Mr.Dacid Poeppelmeier with the Southport Sacred Heart Catholic Church Knights of Columbus Scholarship presented C/LTC Brayden Griffith with $1,000. Then C/CSM Hopkins recognized their supporters who are Principal Scott Dalton, Mike Dichiara VFW Post 7288, Dale Smith American Legion Post 503, Mike Kirchner Shallotte Kiwanis, 1SG Retried Herb Lynch.
Next up is the team awards presented by C/CSM Hopkins and C/LTC Brayden Griffith. First up is the Color Guard and their members are Brayden Griffith, Mason Hopkins, Chris Gomez, Rylee Withrow, Eric Carrillo, Ruby Benitez, Tristan Heart, and best overall is Brayden Griffith. Following the team awards next up is the Drill Team and their members are Rylee Withrow, Suleima Sotomayor, Selena Alvarado, Russell Sandoval, Ava Alejandro, Ruby Benitez, Addison Brooks, Payton Mays, Tristan Hart, Kaylee Formduval, Gavin Carlisle, Eric Carrillo, Omar Hernandez, Rylee Trenovich, Jacob Reeves, Brayden Griffith, Inasia Williams, Kristion Wilson, Soleda Sanchez. With the team the best drills were LET 1 Tristan Hart, LET 2 Omar Hernandez, LET 3 Eric Carrillo, LET 4 Mason Hopkins and best overall drill is Eric Carrillo. Next is the Raider Team and their members are Kevin Llanos, Kody Torres, Elijah Spotts, Soleda Sanchez, Malachi Coleman, Konner Torres, Julian Linars, Nickalas Brown, Brayden Griffith, Antonio Sanchez, Riley Townsend, Osman Fuentes, Anthony Tapia, Christian Gutierrez-Alfaro, Joseph Patrick Gutierrez, Ava Tarman, Bryan Lopez, Angel Mendoza. With the team the best raider were LET 1 Bryan Lopez, LET 2 Konner Torres, LET 3 Nick Brown, LET 4 Osman Fuentez and best overall is Julian Linares. Lastly with the teams is the Rifle Team and their members are Lilly Havviland, Gavin Meshaw-Burney, Brayden Griffith, Adrian Brouillette, Stephany Waterbury, Malachi Coleman, Aiden Cheek. With the team the best rifle were LET 2 Aiden Cheek, LET 3 Adrain Brouillette, LET 4 Brayden Griffith and best overall is Adrian Brouillette.
As C/CSM Hopkins reads and C/LTC Brayden Griffith presents the Superior Cadet Awards by LET Levels. LET 1 Tristan Hart and Chloie Milliken. LET 2 Aiden Cheek and Jose Cueuas. LET 3 Ava Tarman and Eric Carrillo. LET 4 Brayden Griffith and Stephan Waterbury. Next is the Best Officer, NCO, and Best First Year Cadets: Best first year cadet-Tristan Hart, Best NCO-Aiden Cheek, Best Officer-Brayden Griffith. Next up is the Cadet Challenge Top Athletes male and females. Starting with the males first place was Antonio Sanchez, second place was Elijah Holderby, third place was Brian Lopez, fourth place was Konner Torres, fifth place was Malachi Coleman. Now for the females first place was Stephany Waterbury, second place was Lilly Haviland, third place was Riley Townsend, fourth place was Isabella Freeman, fifth place was Liz Roblero-Diaz.
As we say goodbye to are old Captains we welcome are new Captains best of luck to all the new Captains for the JROTC Program.
