Wasilla High Jr. ROTC program gets obstacle course

WASILLA — Thanks to hard work and legislative funding for Wasilla High School’s Air Force Junior ROTC program, the school now has a basic training-style obstacle course for its cadets.

At a ribbon cutting ceremony on Thursday, Wasilla High Principal Carol Boatman thanked state legislators for providing the financial means to activate a JROTC program at the school five years ago, as well as the many people that contributed to the creation of the six-station obstacle course.

“I’ve had privilege of watching their labor of love become a reality, and there is no doubt they have provided us with an asset that will benefit young, fitness-hungry students for years to come,” Boatman said.

The course — located in one of the former practice fields between the school and Bogard Road — includes hurdles of varying heights, a kind of rope swing, an inverted ladder, monkey bars and more to physically challenge JROTC students like never before.

“What kids’ll do on this is more than anything they’re gonna do inside that building,” said instructor and retired Sr. Master Sgt. James Walker, pointing to the high school.

Wasilla junior Kylee Herrell — one of the shortest girls in her class at just under 5 feet tall — said she joined JROTC to “take risks” and take advantage of “new opportunities,” and was excited about the new option for physical training.

“It’s kind of a confidence course … to see what you can do, instead of limiting yourself,” Herrell said.

“And it’s better than (running) stairs,” added Herrell’s classmate, Sara Sottosanti.

Senior Travis Christman-Strawn said he’s excited to run the course, too, but it’s not just PT that makes the JROTC program what it is.

“It’s very, very different from any of the other classes you can take,” he said.

Walker, who’s been at Wasila since the program started, said his curriculum also consists of academic instruction on the history of flight, space exploration, the physiological effects of flight on humans, and more.

Mat-Su Borough School District Superintendent Gene Stone said Wasilla’s JROTC program attracts more than 100 students every year, and that he hopes to see continued growth.

“We’re just really delighted with how far it has come and the success of it,” he said.

Wasilla’s JROTC program is one of two in the Mat-Su Valley, including Colony High School’s Army JROTC, which retired Col. Ed Strabel started in 1992.

Though young, the Wasilla program has produced a drill team that has placed in the top 3 in all state competitions since its inception, according to Wasilla senior and group commander Matthew Allen. Still, the program hadn’t caught much attention in the media until the obstacle course was completed.

“Were finally starting to get some recognition,” Allen said.

Wasilla JROTC competitions will begin this coming spring, Walker said. In the meantime, cadets will continue to demonstrate their skills at football games and other community events.

Contact reporter Caitlin Skvorc at 352-2266 or caitlin.skvorc@frontiersman.com.