“Working as the Senior Aerospace Science Instructor for the ROTC unit at Kennewick High School is an extraordinary and fulfilling experience. The students come from all backgrounds to join a unit dedicated to Integrity First, Service Before Self, and Excellence In All We Do. It is amazing to watch the students work so hard to help each other and work as a team to achieve more than they thought possible.”

- Lt.Col. Wichers

Afterschool Activities And Teams

ARMED DRILL

Armed Drill is a unit that exercises routines designated by the officer in command. This is one of the teams who has the chance to participate in Competitions. To be on the Armed Drill Team, you must first know how to march through the Unarmed Drill Team. The Armed Team executes regular drill maneuvers and then adds a few extra steps because as the title references, we march with fake rifles. The rifles are the same weight if not heavier than a real rifle. Armed Drill only performs during assemblies or competition. Almost never do they perform for the community unless requested personally by the person in charge of the event.

Armed Drill does a number of different maneuvers including tosses and spinning, with both one or two hands.

COLOR GUARD

Color Guard is a ceremonial unit who presents or posts the colors for cermonial duty. You will most likely see a color guard at funerals, and national monuments such as Veteran's Day or 9/11. The color guard's purpose is to provide positive image of the Air Force and their unit while paying respect to the fallen solemnly.

Color Guard also presents Colors during the Star Spangled Banner or The National Anthem at football games, and school board meetings (usually postings) and competitions.

UNARMED DRILL

Unarmed Drill Team is very similar to Armed Drill simply because of the routines performed and the manner in which they are performed. The Unarmed Drill Team is a competing way to improve your close order drill as well as marching without carrying a rifle around. This is also one of the teams that goes to competition and performs a given sequence and then an exhibition to show their capability or skill with marching and/or close order drill. Just like Armed Drill, Unarmed Teams don't really go out into the community that much unless requested at any events by name. However, the Unarmed Drill Team has opportunities to show their skill off at school during assemblies and such. Also every year, there is a Veteran day parade and the Color Guard leads the unit through the parade. At this time, either the Armed or Unarmed Drill Team can follow and show the community all they have been working on and honor every person involved with Veterans Day.

PHYSICAL TRAINING

Physical Training (also known as P.T) works out every Tuesday and Thursday after school for two hours and develops the muscle and endurance required to compete in Competitions every year. The P.T commander, Luke Thompson is the team captain and leads the team through several hard exercises and a run a 3 mile out through Kennewick. In our classroom, also donated by supporters, we have weights, 2 lifting racks, and a Power Tower to practice pullups, chin-ups, and dips.

MARKSMANSHIP

Students can learn about safety and discipline with our air rifle marksmanship program. Students shoot pellets at a 10 meter distance at a range set up each day at at Kennewick High School. The program is free an open to all students in the J.R.O.T.C. program. Students travel to local competitions including 5 competitions against other J.R.O.T.C. schools in the Cascade Mountain Drill League.

Kitty Hawk

As part as a requirement of J.R.O.T.C., we have to go through several hours of community service. If you are on the Color Guard Team, they go out for many different events which is considered to be community service as long as you aren't paid and it is for your community. Obviously, you can't go outside and weed at your house and count it towards your community service hours, because while your parents and neighbors may appreciate you having a nice yard, you aren't serving your community. Also for Community Service, you must have an adult sign off on your community service paper to let everyone know that yes, you really were there. This is a great way to also knock out the community service hours required to graduate.

APT

APT, or Awareness Presentation Team is in charge of spreading awareness of the corp and its values to the community, they accomplish this through numerous events scheduled throughout the year. Events mainly consist of going to middle schools and presenting information about the JROTC and the benefits of applying one's self to the corp. Their meetings are held every Monday and Friday

Cyber patriots

Cyber patriots are the team meant for those who want to challenge themselves to cyberspace learning and applying themselves to the such. Competitions are frequent to challenge you and to keep you motivated for the next challenge. Their meetings are held every Wednesday and Thursday 3:30 - 4:15

StellarXplorers

StellarXplorers is a STEM-based program for those who have a keen interest in space and aeronautics. The team is given problems and tasks encountered in modern-day space flight and is expected to complete them within certain timeframes and criteria. StellarXplorers also teaches and utilizes tools that are used in engineering fields such as the STK simulator. StellarXplorers is accessible to everyone and does not require any background experience in mathematics or science to join.