Bolton JROTC students, supporters tout program before vote to continue it at new academy

The question was answered before a debate could begin, but supporters of Bolton High School's U.S. Air Force JROTC program who want it to continue next year still had their say on Tuesday.

After the motion was read at the Rapides Parish School Board's regular meeting Tuesday, Superintendent Jeff Powell announced there would be two JROTC instructors at the new Bolton Academy Academic & Performing Arts Prek-12 Magnet School.

The motion was offered by member Wilton Barrios and sought to have the district fund the JROTC program at Bolton Academy and to approve staffing recommendations for the 2024-25 academic year.

His motion was borne out of a discussion during last month's personnel committee on the district's school staffing for next year. A Bolton parent, Aaron Atwood, questioned whether the board had to vote to shut down Bolton's JROTC or if that could be done by the superintendent or Bolton's administration.

Powell, while saying he supported the JROTC program, said it wasn't fiscally feasible for the district to keep it at Bolton because the cost of two instructors — $275,000 with between $75,000 to $80,000 reimbursed from the federal government — based on the number of students who would continue there.

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Barrios made a motion at the end of the discussion that was forwarded to the full board.

Atwood again was at the meeting to speak in support of the program, as was his son. James Atwood is the squadron commander of the JROTC, thanked all those who have supported it and worked on its behalf.

He said he sees more growth of JROTC students than almost any other program, maybe with the exception of Jobs for America's Graduates (JAG).

"I've seen student just grow into responsible people, disciplined people," he said.

He drew laughter from the board and audience when he teased the previous speaker, Cadet William Seeling, saying he wasn't disciplined before joining the program but was making progress.

Seeling, a junior in his second year with the program, has started two petitions for students and the public in support of it. He said he wished he had been in it from his freshman year and that "just being in the program has made me learn so many lessons that I never would have learned."

The friendships and connections he's made in the program will last far beyond high school, Seeling told the board.

And he said it gives students the opportunity to participate in Civil Air Patrol flights and earn a pilot's license while still in high school.

Aaron Atwood, who was in the JROTC when he was a Bolton student, told board members the first time his daughter flew a plane was with the Civil Air Patrol while a freshman at Bolton. She now is a student at Louisiana State University of Alexandria in its Professional Aviation program.

"They're the only program that gets to do that," he said.

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Powell did say during the meeting that he has talked with Louisiana State University at Alexandria Chancellor Paul Coreil, who reminded him about its Professional Aviation program. LSUA is the primary provider for the academy's dual enrollment program, and Powell said there's been discussion on how JROTC can lead students into that aviation program.

Craig Phillips, commander of the American Legion Post 3, said his group works with the JROTC program for some of their events. He said the program provides students with direction, and he would consider them to be at-risk if it was discontinued.

Air Force veteran Richard Quinney said he was moved to come to the meeting after hearing about the possibility the program might close. He said he contacted all his Air Force friends about it, who were willing to call all the board members if it closed.

He said he provided all board members' telephone numbers to the veterans, except for President Dr. Stephen Chapman since he is his dentist.

"So they know who you are now," he said as people laughed.

He said he met "thousands of airmen" while traveling during his active-duty years and that many of them, like himself, started in JROTC.

Quinney said the program gave him discipline, and he loved being part of it. Honors he earned during his career, like noncommissioned officer of the year, are because of the JROTC.

After public comment closed, the board voted unanimously to fund the program and approve the staffing recommendations. The crowd clapped and cheered.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you," said Phillips.

This article originally appeared on Alexandria Town Talk: 'Thank you': Bolton Academy to have Air Force JROTC after unanimous vote