Air Force Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (AFJROTC) has been a long-standing program at Cy Creek. Each year, cadets step up to show their leadership, tenacity, and camaraderie to lift each other up and climb up the ranks. AFJROTC may appear to be a rigid and strict military course, but it has provided its cadets much more than structure.

“It’s taught me more leadership skills,” sophomore Peyton Thuma said. “It’s taught me how to communicate, and overall it’s just taught me to have more fun.”

Senior Elijah Perry began his time in AFJROTC as a freshman. Cadets like Perry, regardless of whether or not they intend to enter the military after high school, are better prepared for the world.

“I’ve gained a lot more confidence,” Perry said. “Freshman year, I was a complete wallflower, but after sophomore year, I learned that I just needed to be confident in myself and step up.”

Throughout the four years in the program, cadets are moved up in the ranks to give them more responsibility to look after newer cadets.

“You have to step up into leadership positions,” Perry said. “We’ve had the largest number of cadets so far.”

AFJROTC also offers a multitude of activities including a Christmas party, marksmanship, honor guard, Military Ball, armed exhibition, and 30-step drill. This doesn’t even scratch the surface of the community service cadets perform. Each year, cadets are taken on a field trip to Galveston for a beach clean-up, and at school they also do a campus clean-up.

“The first year of AFJROTC was honestly the best year of my life,” sophomore Annette Montoya said. “I had a bunch of volunteer opportunities. We went on many field trips, and I’ve learned so much about the military. Joining AFJROTC has definitely opened my eyes to the military, and I really do think the military is my number one option after high school.”

These activities pale in comparison to the bonds cadets make over the years.

“There’s so much camaraderie in AFJROTC,” Perry said. “It’s like a family.”