SALISBURY — The South Rowan High School Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps conducted its annual awards and promotion day recently.

During the close of the presentation, Cadet Dalton Gay of South Rowan was awarded the Medal for Heroism, the highest award given by the U.S. Army JROTC Cadet Command. He was honored for his heroic actions taken in an attempt to save the life of a hit and run victim in January.

Gay was surprised to see his family and South Rowan Principal Dr. Amanda Macon arrive as part of the presentation. Gay’s older brother, Devin, a third-year cadet in the U.S. Army Military Academy, was present via Facetime.

Devin is a former battalion commander of the South Rowan JROTC program and the recipient of the Legion of Valor/Bronze Cross for Achievement, the highest non-life saving award given to an Army JROTC cadet.

Dalton Gay was promoted to the rank of Cadet Lieutenant Colonel and will serve as the JROTC Battalion Commander for the upcoming school year.

Cavalier Cadets attend STEM Academy at SC State University

North Rowan High School Cadets participated in JROTC’s first Science, Technology, Engineering and Math camp at South Carolina State University.

North Rowan High School was one of 45 North and South Carolina high schools that attended. The camp was appropriately named “Camp Bulldog ‘’ after the university’s mascot. The cadets were given a choice between mechanical engineering, chemistry, nuclear/physics, cyber security, electrical engineering and computer science to explore during camp.

All instruction was provided by South Carolina State’s faculty and staff. In addition to the classroom instruction the Cadets were given presentations by Boeing and Savannah River Plant, introduced to drone operations and went on field trips to The Citadel and North Charleston Sewer District. The camp culminated with each STEM group presenting their final projects to their fellow cadets.

South Rowan JROTC experiences Wilmington

Nineteen members of the South Rowan High School Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps program participated in a school-sponsored experience trip to Wilmington in May.

Cadets toured the battleship, USS North Carolina, and the Fort Fisher National Battlefield. Student lodging was provided by the United States Air Force recreational center at Kure Beach.

The purpose of the trip was to familiarize cadets with a sampling of the history and natural resources found in southeastern North Carolina and to celebrate the end of the school year.

Senior cadet and Battalion Commander Celine Terrones said of the travel experience, “What a great time all of us had. We learned a lot, saw many new things, and had fun doing all of this with some of our very best friends.”

RCCC holds completion ceremony for program participants