Gillette, a member of Pine-Richland/Mars Area U.S. Air Force JROTC, was selected from among more than 2,000 cadets from throughout the region who were nominated for the recognition.
Criteria for the award include a cadet’s GPA, Physical Training (PT) score, community service, and unit involvement.
For more information, visit https://pinerichlandjrotc.wordpress.com/.
Cadet of the Year Leadership Award
Gillette, a member of Pine-Richland/Mars Area U.S. Air Force JROTC, was nominate for the award by her instructors. She will receive a ribbon and certificate from regional headquarters.
“There are 125,000+ cadets worldwide and Gillette was selected as one of our top cadets,” says Chief Mike Gasparetto, JROTC instructor. Criteria for the award include a cadet’s GPA, Physical Training (PT) score, community service, and unit involvement.
For more information, visit https://pinerichlandjrotc.wordpress.com/.
JROTC Members Selected for Awards
Several members of Pine-Richland/Mars Area U.S. Air Force JROTC received awards at the program’s annual Awards Banquet, held May 4.
Senior Emmett Bishop received the The Retired Enlisted Association Award & Leadership Award; senior Nate Huerbin, Reserve Organization of America Award & Superior Performance Award; senior Reva Kalbhor, American Legion Scholastic Award, Achievement Award, & Superior Performance Award; senior Stephen Parker, Sons of the Union Veterans of the Civil War Award & Achievement Award; senior Hannah Stewart, Military Order of the Purple Heart Award; junior Thomas Buttyan, Scottish Rite of Freemasonry Award; junior Ryan Galbraith, Daedalian JROTC Award & Outstanding Cadet Award; junior Isabella Gillette, National Society of the United States Daughters of 1812 Award & Leadership Award; junior Abby Hagen, Daughter of the American Revolution Bronze Award & Outstanding Cadet Award; junior Alexander Harrison, Superior Performance Award; junior Jordan Kemigisa, Air Force Sergeants Association Award; junior Amber Lutes, Daughter of the American Revolution Citizenship Award; junior Jack Riggio, The Retired Enlisted Association Award; senior Alanna Shaw, Elks Award; junior Andrew Snyder, Military Order of the Purple Heart Award; junior Dylan Weitzell, Achievement Award & Superior Performance Award; and sophomore Rachel Snyder, National Sojourners Award.
For more information, visit https://pinerichlandjrotc.wordpress.com/news-events/.
American Legion Youth Achievement Awards
Junior Abby Hagen received the General Military Excellence Award; senior Reva Kalbhor, an Academic Excellence Award; and junior Dylan Weitzell, a Scholastic Excellence Award. The students also performed as members of a nine-person color guard.
The awards are presented annually to outstanding cadets, who have demonstrated general military and/or scholastic excellence through leadership, discipline, character and citizenship. Nominees are honored in several categories including academics, athletics and music.
For more information, call (724) 625-4444
East CLC Marine Corps Drill Competition
The Armed Squad, Armed Platoon (commanded by junior Ryan Galbraith), Unarmed Squad, Unarmed Platoon (commanded by junior Isabella Gillette), and Uniform Inspection (commanded by senior Reva Kalbhor) drill teams each earned first place. The Color Guard (commanded by senior Alanna Shaw) took third place.
Other participating students included seniors Emmett Bishop, Nathaniel Huerbin, Stephen Parker and Hannah Stewart; juniors Abby Hagen, Jordan Kemigisa, Amberlyn Lutes and Andrew Snyder; and sophomore Rachel Snyder.
For more information, visit https://pinerichlandjrotc.wordpress.com/.
Tecumseh JROTC Drill Meet
The JROTC’s Varsity Unarmed Drill Teams, commanded by junior Isabella Gillette, earned second place overall (To watch the drill team’s routine, visit www.youtube.com/watch?v=luJqUhq7Y6Q.) The JROTC’s Inspection Team took third place at the event.
Other participating students included seniors Emmett Bishop, Trenton Farley, Nathaniel Huerbin, Reva Kalbhor, Stephen Parker and Alanna Shaw; juniors Thomas Buttyan, Ryan Galbraith, Abby Hagen, Amberlyn Lutes and Andrew Snyder; and sophomore Rachel Snyder.
In addition, cadets visited the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force and Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, where they joined in a flight aboard a C-17 Globemaster III; toured the Combat Arms Training Center and RDIF (Rapid Development Integration Facility); and joined in presentations by the U.S. Air Force Band of Flight and military working dogs.
For more information, visit https://pinerichlandjrotc.wordpress.com/.
JROTC Seeking New Members
The Pine-Richland/Mars Area U.S. Air Force JROTC (Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corp) program is seeking new members for the 2024-2025 School Year
The program, open to Mars Area High School and Pine-Richland High School students (Grades 9-12) and is meant to educate and train cadets in citizenship; to promote community service; and instill personal responsibility, character, and self-discipline.
In the classroom, cadets study culture, management fundamentals, and aerospace science. Students also have the opportunity to join in a variety of extra-curricular activities, including drill competitions, volleyball, rocketry, color guard and more.
Note: JROTC does NOT recruit for U.S. Military services and cadets are never under any obligation to join the military.
For more information, visit https://pinerichlandjrotc.wordpress.com/.
Pennsylvania American Legion Allegheny County Youth Achievement Award Nominees
Mars Area High School juniors Abby Hagen and Dylan Weitzell
The awards are presented annually to outstanding cadets, who have demonstrated general military and/or scholastic excellence through leadership, discipline, character and citizenship. Nominees are honored in several categories including academics, athletics and music.
The cadets will be recognized at the Allegheny County Youth Achievement Awards to be held on Sunday, April 21, at Soldiers & Sailors Memorial Hall & Museum.
For more information, call (724) 625-4444, ext. 1543.
Junior Selected for Flight Academy Program
Weitzell, a member of Pine-Richland/Mars Area U.S. Air Force JROTC, is one of 200 cadets from across the nation chosen for the all-expenses-paid opportunity to join in the eight-week program at a participating university. Upon successful completion of the program, he will be awarded his Private Pilot License (PPL).
The annual scholarship program is a collaborative effort between the aerospace industry and the Air Force to address a national pilot shortage. For more information, visit www.airuniversity.af.edu/Holm-Center/AFJROTC/Display/Article/3154508/flight-academy/.
Bethel Park Veterans Breakfast Club
Cadets, including senior Alanna Shaw, juniors Abby Hagen and Amberlyn Lutes, and sophomore Rachel Snyder, along with Pine-Richland students Tim Ha, Logan Jackson and Chase Lavezoli, presented the Colors and performed the U.S. Flag-Folding Ceremony. Shaw then presented the flag to a 101-year-old veteran, who served with a World War II U.S. Navy construction battalion in Iwo Jima, Japan.
For more information, visit https://veteransbreakfastclub.org
Churchill Veterans Breakfast Club
Cadets, including seniors Emmett Bishop, Nate Huerbin and Reva Kalbhor, along with Pine-Richland students Blake Danik, Erin Kemp, Reagan Kirik and Dominic Martini, presented the Colors and performed the U.S. Flag-Folding Ceremony.
Kalbhor then presented the flag to 102-year-old Julia Parsons, who served as a code breaker in the U.S. Naval Reserve (Women’s Reserve) or WAVES (Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service) during World War II. Parsons worked on breaking the code for the German Enigma machine.
For more information, visit https://veteransbreakfastclub.org.
2023-2023
Student Named JROTC Regional Cadet of the Year
Kalbhor is a third year/junior cadet in the Pine-Richland/Mars Area U.S. Air Force JROTC program. She is one of eight (8) cadets, one from each AFJROTC region, to be selected for the honor.
Cadets are nominated for the honor based upon their overall GPA, community service efforts, cadet-led activities, counselor and instructor recommendations, leadership positions held both in and out of JROTC, and physical training score.
After high school, Kalbhor plans to pursue a degree in aerospace science with a goal to join the U.S. Air Force as a pilot or the U.S. Space Force as space operations officer. This summer, she hopes to expand on her leadership abilities by attending the U.S. Air Force Academy Summer Seminar and the American Legion Auxiliary Girls State event.
At Mars Area High School, Kalbhor is a member of the school’s National Honor Society Chapter. She was recently named to the 2023 Trib Total Media Outstanding Young Citizen Elite Top 10.
In the community, Kalbor works with Pedal2Success Inc., which provides bicycles to underprivileged students around the world, so that they have a way to get to school.
For more information, visit www.pinerichland-afjrotc.com.
Tecumseh JROTC Drill Meet
The JROTC earned third place in the Varsity Armed Drill Team event.
In addition, cadets visited the National Museum of the US. Air Force and Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, where they learned about the history of aviation as well as the base honor guard, security forces, research laboratory, and C-17 flying mission specialties.
For more information, visit www.pinerichland-afjrotc.com.
Parkersburg JROTC Drill Meet
The JROTC Drill Teams earned first place in the JV Unarmed (led by sophomore Bella Gillette) and Varsity Unarmed categories; second place in the Varsity Color Guard (led by junior Alanna Shaw), Varsity Armed Drill Team, JV Armed Drill Team, and Uniform Inspection (led by junior Reva Kalbhor); and third place in the JV Color Guard (led by sophomore Ryan Galbraith) event.
For more information, visit www.pinerichland-afjrotc.com.
McDowell JROTC Drill Meet
Pine-Richland/Mars Area U.S. Air Force JROTC (Junior Reserve Officers Training Corp) Drill Teams took third place overall in the McDowell JROTC Drill Meet, held Feb. 4 at McDowell High School (Erie, Pa.).
The JROTC earned first place in the JV Unarmed, Female Color Guard (led by junior Alanna Shaw), and JV Color Guard (led by sophomore Ryan Galbraith) drill team categories; second place in the Varsity Armed Drill Team event; and third place in the Uniform Inspection, Varsity Color Guard (led by junior Alanna Shaw),Varsity Unarmed, and JV Armed drill team categories.
In individual knockout competition, senior Tyler Brown, junior Trenton Farley and sophomore Erin Kemp placed in the Top 10 of the Varsity event and sophomore Erin Kemp in the JV event.
For more information, visit www.pinerichland-afjrotc.com.
2022-2023
The JROTC earned first place in the Varsity Armed Drill Team category and second place in the Female Color Guard category. In addition, one cadet finished in the Top Ten of the Knockout competition.
The Drill Team has qualified to compete in the Air Force JROTC Open Drill Nationals, to be held on Saturday, March 19, at the Wright State University Nutter Center (Dayton, Ohio).
For more information, visit www.pinerichland-afjrotc.com.
WV State Championship “AFA” AFJROTC Drill Meet
The JROTC earned first place in the Uniform Inspection, Varsity Unarmed Drill Team and JV Unarmed Drill Team categories as well as second place for its JV Armed Drill Team and JV Color Guard (led by sophomore Alanna Shaw). In individual knockout competition, sophomores Nathaniel Huerbin and Tyler Brown earned second and third place, respectively.
Other drill team members include senior Samuel Hagen; junior Madelyn Ostapchenko; sophomores Wyatt Balfour, Trenton Farley, Stephen Parker, Reva Kalbhor and Hannah Stewart; and freshmen Ryan Galbraith, Isabella Gillette, Erin Kemp and Jack Riggio.
For more information, visit www.pinerichland-afjrotc.com.
Pine-Richland JROTC Drill Competition
The JROTC earned first place overall with the Academic Bowl Team, JV Armed Drill Team, Uniform Inspection Team, Varsity Color Guard, Varsity Armed Drill Team and Varsity Unarmed Drill Team taking first place; and the JV Armed Drill Team and JV Color Guard Team (led by sophomore Alanna Shaw), third place. Knockout winners included sophomores Tyler Brown and Reva Kalbhor.
Other drill team members include senior Samuel Hagen; junior Madelyn Ostapchenko; sophomores Wyatt Balfour, Trenton Farley, Nathaniel Huerbin, Stephen Parker and Hannah Stewart; and freshmen Ryan Galbraith, Isabella Gillette, Erin Kemp and Jack Riggio.
For more information, visit www.pinerichland-afjrotc.com.
McDowell JROTC Drill Competition
The JROTC earned second place overall with the JV Armed Drill Team, Varsity Unarmed Drill Team and Female Color Guard Team taking first place; JV Color Guard Team (led by sophomore Alanna Shaw), Varsity Color Guard Tean, JV Unarmed Drill Team and Varsity Armed Drill Team, second place; and the Uniform Inspection Team, third place.
Knockout winners included junior Madelyn Ostapchenko; sophomore Stephen Parker; and freshmen Ryan Galbraith, Erin Kemp and Jack Riggio.
The JROTC will next compete in the Pine-Richland JROTC Drill Competition on Saturday, Dec. 4, at Pine-Richland High School. For more information, visit www.pinerichland.org/Domain/88.