The JROTC Mentor Program kicked off at the beginning of March.

Lieutenant Colonel Mike Farr said he believes the program is a terrific opportunity for both the cadets and young Trojans.

“This is a formal mentoring program where each cadet is paired with elementary school students who volunteered to participate,” he said. “I would like to think these elementary students were looking for a ‘big brother’ or ‘big sister’ to help them navigate through the challenges of school.”

Farr said the creation of the program was a team effort.

“The idea emerged during a collaborative meeting between Master Sergeant McLain, Director of School Improvement Mrs. Karen Wild, and myself,” he said. “We were discussing ways to help our Air Force JROTC cadets connect with younger students, and Mrs. Wild had seen similar projects work in the past and shared those with us.”

There are 19 cadets and 19 CES and CUES students participating in the program. 

“The opportunity to match our youngest Trojans with our high school students is an ideal way to support students,” said Wild. “The CHS JROTC students gain leadership skills and practice instilling a positive influence on the younger mentees who idolize the older Trojans. In turn, the young mentees receive individual attention and support from their JROTC mentors. It is a win for all!”

CUES Principal Stacy Lawler said he is looking forward to seeing how the program evolves.

“Our students look to the older Trojans as role models and we want to utilize this most valuable resource for the greater good of our students,” he said. “We are really excited to see how this partnership grows.”

CUTLINE: Cadet Jesus Sanchez works with Carrollton Upper Elementary School Levis Acosta-Lewis as part of the JROTC Mentor Program.