No, it’s not the start of a fable. This summer, two Battle Ground High School Tigers and one Prairie Falcon will attend an eight-week Flight Academy sponsored by the Air Force Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps. This is the first time an AFJROTC cadet from Prairie High School has earned a spot in the training.
“Being accepted into the AFJROTC Flight Academy is surreal,” said Prairie junior Hasan Mohamad. “I am incredibly excited for the flying and educational opportunities, as well as meeting people who share this burning passion. If I could make it from nothing to the Flight Academy in one year, anyone aspiring to do the same could make it too.”
Each year only 250 students across the nation are selected from nearly 1,100 applicants. Since the program began in 2019, ten cadets from Battle Ground High School have completed the certification program. “The flight academy is essentially a $22,000 scholarship applied to one of about 24 universities across the country”, said Lt. Col. Andy Woodrow, the JROTC senior aerospace science instructor at Battle Ground High School. “The best part is there are no obligations for the student except to focus on the flight training during those eight weeks.”
Mohamad will be attending Texas Southern University in Houston for his training. Battle Ground High School senior Lilianna Cooper is matched to Charleston Southern University in South Carolina, while junior Jack McAleer is headed to Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach, Florida.
“Before I joined JROTC, I really didn’t think this was even a possibility,” Cooper said. “I’ve been inspired by my fellow ROTC leaders and I really want to inspire other kids as they go on further in high school.”
“She’s been a source of energy to the program,” said Woodrow. “She’s a role model, definitely, for the younger cadets and her peers, and sets an example for everyone around her.”
McAleer comes from a family with a background in aviation and has already logged a number of hours behind the yoke of private aircraft. “Having this opportunity gives me a new outlook on piloting as a whole, and makes the idea of aviation all the more possible in my mind,” said McAleer. His mom, Kathy, added, “The flight academy will provide a glimpse of what life might look like in a long-term military career or perhaps a career in aviation. I can tell you there has never been anything that Jack has wanted more than this opportunity! I believe this program (JROTC) pushes cadets to achieve more than perhaps they thought possible, which is very exciting.”
JROTC is one of dozens of Career and Technical Education opportunities throughout Battle Ground Public Schools. Visit our website to learn more about career pathways available to students in the district.