Mountaineer Cadet Officer Leadership School teaches JROTC members how they can better serve their communities

ATHENS, WV (WVNS) – Concord University hosted a weeklong JROTC leadership school to prepare high schoolers to better serve their communities.

JROTC programs from Pennsylvania, Ohio, West Virginia, Virginia, and Tennessee gathered at Concord University for Mountaineer Cadet Officer Leadership School during the week of June 18, 2024.

These programs attended academic classes, took part drill sequences, participated in a rope bridge competition, and attended a hands-on topography class.

Group Commander Fate Williams said, “Coming into this camp, I did not have a good idea of what leadership was. I did not have an idea what fellowship was, but getting into this camp really makes you break out of your shell to work with other people and you get to see how other people communicate – how other people work.”

Master Sergeant Doug Burhams told 59News, “That is important for us to make our world a little bit better by having these young people going out and leading each other and learning how to be better citizens and getting out in the work force and being better people for doing that.”

Burhams also spoke about what makes these cadets exceptional. “They could have done anything they wanted to do for the rest of the summer, but they chose to be here,” said Burhams. “They chose to come here and learn about leadership and learn how to be better citizens and to help their units when they go back.”

The leadership school ends on June 23, 2024 at 10 A.M. with a parade at Callaghan Stadium on the Concord University campus.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WVNS.