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A total of 23 Osceola High School Air Force JROTC Cadets were promoted to start the new year. PHOTO/LT. DAVID LATOUR
Osceola High School AFJROTC FL-921 has been engaged in a flurry of activity since the start of the new year.
To start, 23 cadets received promotions during a January ceremony. Starting his advance up the chain, Cadet John Ennis was promoted to Senior Airman. At the top end, Cadet Kitzy Toro achieved the secondhighest Cadet Corps rank of Lieutenant Colonel.
Promotions are achieved through a combination of testing, meeting promotion boards, and academic achievements.
At the Jan. 17 Osceola County School District Board meeting, Cadet Commander Col. Jaireliz Rodriguez presented a check for $600 to District Four School Board member Heather Kahoun to fund a water bottle filling station at Osceola High School. It is hoped that the filling station will reduce the use of disposable plastic water bottles at the school. It’s all part of FL-921’s Operation KEEP OHS GREEN and KLEAN. An early morning installment of the ongoing project Jan. 21 saw the Kowboy unit cadets, along with members of various school clubs cleaning up the campus. Over 40 students volunteered that day.
“Our cadets’ goal is for the school’s custodial staff to not have to pick up trash probably placed there by students,” said Lieutenant Colonel (Retired) David LaTour, Senior Aerospace Science Instructor.
A running total over six weekend events revealed over 1,900 pounds of trash, and over 100 pounds of recyclable material collected.
On Saturday, seven different drill teams from the unit competed against other Central Florida Air Force JROTC units at Timber Creek High School in Orlando.
Finally, on Saturday, the annual Kowboy Round Up Drill Competition hosts eight Central Florida units at OHS for more drill competition. Celebration High School FL-20053 will be there, along with units from as far away as Flagler County and Lake Worth.
