Kaley Rodriguez, daughter of Edward and Angi Rodriquez, was recognized as the Warsaw Community High School JROTC DAR Outstanding Female Cadet for the 2021-22 school year.
She was awarded a certificate and bronze medal by Agnes Pruyn Chapman Chapter of the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR).
While in high school, Rodriguez was involved in rugby, swimming, played violin and was a member of Army Guard for two years. Being a part of JROTC helped her work harder in her classes, with physical fitness and at home, according to a news release from the Agnes Pruyn Chapman Chapter. Being a cadet has also helped tame her fear of public speaking.
Her favorite JROTC activities were drill and ceremony and marching to a set tempo.
Rodriguez is at Fort Leonard Wood in the Advanced Individual Training program, which is advanced training for military. She will be attending Ball State University after completion of AIT to study nursing.
Any interested WCHS student may sign up for JROTC. Many classes are offered, the release states. The Warsaw JROTC competes with other high school JROTC programs in Color Guard, a four-member team (two with rifles and two with flags) that conducts a series of maneuvers, movements and marching; Drill has nine members that conduct a series of maneuvers, movements and marching with rifles only.
Raiders is physical fitness oriented in which 10 cadets enter into a series of events that test their fitness and team building skills.
The future for Cadets from JROTC programs is advanced rank and pay after enlistment. Cadets also have a better chance of being selected for a ROTC scholarship, especially with good grades and are actively involved in JROTC. Warsaw is now a nominating source for attending the Army, Navy and Air Force Academies.
Friedrich Josellis, MA, (R), SAI and CSM Jon Mitchell are the sponsors for JROTC at WCHS.
