AHS Cadets Awarded for Unwavering Commitment to Community Service
Posted on 09/01/2023
The Alexander High School JROTC Cougar Battalion recently received donations totaling more than $20,000 from two local organizations in recognition of the impact they make through constant service to others. The Douglas County Community Service Board and the Nichols Center surprised the cadets and Lt. Col. Sharon Collier with the generous donations. Collier is the JROTC Senior Army Instructor for the program.
“The cadets work very hard and spend a lot of their free time helping others in organizations such as Books for Africa, the local food pantry, the Atlanta food pantry, Special Olympics, Habitat for Humanity, Salvation Army, and many veteran support groups to name a few,” said Collier. “We are very proud of our JROTC program.”
The mission of this JROTC program is to motivate young people to be better citizens. “In the AHS Cougar Battalion, we turn students into cadets, and cadets into leaders,” said Collier. “Every cadet is taught a sense of positive self-concept and learns the importance of academics, physical fitness, and serving our community. We strive for each cadet to view others in the community, state, country, and planet as neighbors. We all have a part in supporting them to the best of our capacity. Through hands-on involvement with service organizations, cadets have the opportunity to lead by example,” she added.
According to Collier, the donation will be used to support the program's curriculum requirements in the form of equipment, uniforms, and supplies that will enhance the JROTC experience. The funds will also be used for transportation needs to support field trips and away competitions as well as projects which support community and special events such as formal Cadet Ball and the JROTC Cadet Leadership Challenge held annually at Georgia Military College.