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Dedication: East Lee County High dedicates Junior ROTC facilities

By Staff | Dec 17, 2014

MEL TOADVINE JROTC student Alex Tony relaxes after his climbing the more than 50 feet rock wall after ceremonies dedicating new ROTC facilities at East Lee County High School.

Without shivering in morning temperatures of around 58 degrees, ROTC cadets and a group of around 50 visitors watched as the new East Lee Leadership Academy (ELLA) was dedicated on the grounds of the school at Thomas Sherwin Avenue South.

During the program at 9 a.m. sharp on Dec. 12, the ELLA recently completed outdoor training center was open and showing the public the new facility and the activities that cadets go through there under the direction of Lt. Col. Barry C. Dickerson, and others.

“We have a bright and talented bunch of young people here at the academy, Dickerson said looking over the group proudly. Standing off to one side of an undercover training area was a group, a little larger than a platoon of ROTC cadets, representing the larger group of 600 who are members of the ROTC program.

“They’re in classes and these young people are representing all of our ROTC students,” he said. Off to the side were other instructors who help Dickerson with instruction which includes marching, marksmanship, climbing rock walls and propelling from almost 60 feet in the air off the recently built rappel tower and more.

While there were demonstrations, one Lee County school system employee laughed and said she thought she might like to try the high rope course line which would take her travelling high in the air down what they call the zip line.

MEL TOADVINE A group larger than a platoon of cadets from East Lee County High School stand by as ceremonies dedicating new ROTC facilities took place on Dec. 12. The young men and women represented some 600 ROTC cadets at the school.

Without hesitation, Ami Desamours, an assistant superintendent of budget and finance, climbed the tall rappel tower by steps and took off on the high zip line and traveled more than 100 feet, laughing all the way.

On the ground, educators and friends cheered her on along with other visitors to the dedication.

School Principal Brian Mangan even propelled himself off the rappel tower, landing and laughing, and surprising himself that he could still do something like that.

Student Cadet Lt. Col. Hannah Peterson, a senior at East Lee County High School, stood tall at the beginning of the dedication ceremony and introduced visitors to the Junior ROTC program and talked about how it instilled confidence and the school’s cadets.

“We learn and follow the seven Army values which include leadership, duty, respect, selflessness service, honor, integrity, and personal courage,” she said.

MEL TOADVINE Ribbon cutting ceremonies were held on Dec. 12 dedicating the new East Lee Leadership Academy at East Lee County High School.

Cadet Alex Tony, a senior at East Lee demonstrated the skills demanded by climbing a 53-foot rock, being given encouragement from the crowd below.

Several members from the school board office attended. Dr. Nancy Graham, county superintendent of school, who had been expected to take part in the program did not show up.

Other speakers at the dedication included Principal Brian Mangan, Thomas Madigan, LTC (ret), who is JROTC director of instruction for Lee County Schools. Graham had been schooled to speak, too, in the cold morning air.

Spokesman Dickerson said about a quarter of the 600 students who take Junior ROTC go into the military after high school graduation.

“But while we teach our cadets many military subjects and put them through training like they would see in the military, they may go to college or get a job. Those subjects are useful for life and the cadets often learn the skills taught in JROTC by other teachers in their different courses of study,” Dickerson said.

MEL TOADVINE Ami Desamours, an assistant superintendent in the Lee County school system, is shown riding on the “zip line” which stretches more than 100 feet from atop the high rappel tower at the Junior ROTC facility.

He said the East Lee County High School Junior ROTC program was the largest in Lee County especially when actual cadets are counted. Off the sides of the covered area where the services were held were displays of trophies and awards the cadets have won over time.

The building with the new inside shooting range and the rappel tower were constructed over the course of the past two years by One Source Construction Co. in Fort Myers. George Chauvin, who represented the firm was on hand for the ceremony and said he had started the construction of the tower building in July of 2013.

The program lasted for about an hour and included hot coffee and refreshments. Then cadets in golf carts transported visitors back to their cars in front of the school.

MEL TOADVINE Students who pellet rifles inside the new building which houses a shooting range. It can also be used as a classroom.

Dedication: East Lee County High dedicates Junior ROTC facilities

By Staff | Dec 17, 2014

MEL TOADVINE JROTC student Alex Tony relaxes after his climbing the more than 50 feet rock wall after ceremonies dedicating new ROTC facilities at East Lee County High School.

Without shivering in morning temperatures of around 58 degrees, ROTC cadets and a group of around 50 visitors watched as the new East Lee Leadership Academy (ELLA) was dedicated on the grounds of the school at Thomas Sherwin Avenue South.

During the program at 9 a.m. sharp on Dec. 12, the ELLA recently completed outdoor training center was open and showing the public the new facility and the activities that cadets go through there under the direction of Lt. Col. Barry C. Dickerson, and others.

“We have a bright and talented bunch of young people here at the academy, Dickerson said looking over the group proudly. Standing off to one side of an undercover training area was a group, a little larger than a platoon of ROTC cadets, representing the larger group of 600 who are members of the ROTC program.

“They’re in classes and these young people are representing all of our ROTC students,” he said. Off to the side were other instructors who help Dickerson with instruction which includes marching, marksmanship, climbing rock walls and propelling from almost 60 feet in the air off the recently built rappel tower and more.

While there were demonstrations, one Lee County school system employee laughed and said she thought she might like to try the high rope course line which would take her travelling high in the air down what they call the zip line.

MEL TOADVINE A group larger than a platoon of cadets from East Lee County High School stand by as ceremonies dedicating new ROTC facilities took place on Dec. 12. The young men and women represented some 600 ROTC cadets at the school.

Without hesitation, Ami Desamours, an assistant superintendent of budget and finance, climbed the tall rappel tower by steps and took off on the high zip line and traveled more than 100 feet, laughing all the way.

On the ground, educators and friends cheered her on along with other visitors to the dedication.

School Principal Brian Mangan even propelled himself off the rappel tower, landing and laughing, and surprising himself that he could still do something like that.

Student Cadet Lt. Col. Hannah Peterson, a senior at East Lee County High School, stood tall at the beginning of the dedication ceremony and introduced visitors to the Junior ROTC program and talked about how it instilled confidence and the school’s cadets.

“We learn and follow the seven Army values which include leadership, duty, respect, selflessness service, honor, integrity, and personal courage,” she said.

MEL TOADVINE Ribbon cutting ceremonies were held on Dec. 12 dedicating the new East Lee Leadership Academy at East Lee County High School.

Cadet Alex Tony, a senior at East Lee demonstrated the skills demanded by climbing a 53-foot rock, being given encouragement from the crowd below.

Several members from the school board office attended. Dr. Nancy Graham, county superintendent of school, who had been expected to take part in the program did not show up.

Other speakers at the dedication included Principal Brian Mangan, Thomas Madigan, LTC (ret), who is JROTC director of instruction for Lee County Schools. Graham had been schooled to speak, too, in the cold morning air.

Spokesman Dickerson said about a quarter of the 600 students who take Junior ROTC go into the military after high school graduation.

“But while we teach our cadets many military subjects and put them through training like they would see in the military, they may go to college or get a job. Those subjects are useful for life and the cadets often learn the skills taught in JROTC by other teachers in their different courses of study,” Dickerson said.

MEL TOADVINE Ami Desamours, an assistant superintendent in the Lee County school system, is shown riding on the “zip line” which stretches more than 100 feet from atop the high rappel tower at the Junior ROTC facility.

He said the East Lee County High School Junior ROTC program was the largest in Lee County especially when actual cadets are counted. Off the sides of the covered area where the services were held were displays of trophies and awards the cadets have won over time.

The building with the new inside shooting range and the rappel tower were constructed over the course of the past two years by One Source Construction Co. in Fort Myers. George Chauvin, who represented the firm was on hand for the ceremony and said he had started the construction of the tower building in July of 2013.

The program lasted for about an hour and included hot coffee and refreshments. Then cadets in golf carts transported visitors back to their cars in front of the school.

MEL TOADVINE Students who pellet rifles inside the new building which houses a shooting range. It can also be used as a classroom.