EVSC JROTC

There’s just something different about graduation week. The packed gyms and football fields, families yelling your name from the crowd like they’re front row at a concert 😂, classmates trying not to trip walking across the stage, and that moment when you finally receive your diploma after 4 years of alarms you ignored, homework you waited until the last second to do, early mornings, late nights, stress, laughs, and memories you’ll never forget.

It’s the closing of one chapter and the beginning of another. A moment where you realize… “Dang, we actually made it.”

Over the last few days, so many students across the EVSC community got to experience that feeling, and honestly, it’s been pretty emotional watching it all unfold.

For me personally, it hit a little harder watching 5 of my JROTC Cadets wear their uniform for the last time. Seems like just yesterday they were walking out of my classroom yelling “Bye T!” or “See ya tomorrow SGT T!” while also somehow leaving a trail of snack wrappers, water bottles, and absolute chaos behind them 😂.

Well… tomorrow is officially here, y’all.

And no, you won’t be seeing me Monday. Mostly because it’s summer break and ya girl needs a vacation 😎… but also because YOU DID IT. You graduated.

You showed your family, your friends, your instructors, and yourselves that all the hard work paid off. The long nights studying, balancing sports, jobs, family responsibilities, friendships, heartbreaks, growing pains, and everything life threw at you over the last four years led to this moment.

As an instructor, people think we just teach and move on to the next group of students, but truthfully, y’all leave an impact on us too. Watching you grow into young adults ready to take on the world has been one of the best part of this job. Seeing confidence built, friendships formed, leaders step up, and goals accomplished… that stuff means something.

This week also marks one full year since I retired from the U.S. Army after 20 years in uniform. Never in a million years did I think retirement would lead me into a high school classroom, hearing “Hey SFC T!” 400 times a day 😂, but honestly, this past year has been one of the wildest, funniest, most rewarding experiences of my life.

So here’s to my 1-year retirement anniversary 🍻
Here’s to my 5 graduating Cadets 🎓
And here’s to every graduate from Bosse, Central, Harrison, North, Reitz, and all EVSC schools celebrating this week.

Be proud of yourselves. Seriously. You earned this moment. Go chase your dreams, work hard, make mistakes, learn from them, stay humble, and never forget where you came from. The world is officially yours now. Now go enjoy summer before life starts sending emails instead of homework 😂.
See y’all next school year… and at JCLC 😎🇺🇸

🇭🇹 ❤️ 💙 Today, our EVSC JROTC family proudly celebrated Haitian Flag Day alongside some incredible Cadets who bring so much pride, culture, strength, and personality into our classroom every single day.
A huge shoutout to Wade, Schaiflore, Mallayah, Guerdine, Myrlanda, and graduating senior Rytshlyne for sharing this special day with us and allowing us to celebrate the rich history and spirit of Haiti together. 🇭🇹 ❤️💙

❤️💙 One of the best parts of JROTC is learning that leadership comes from every background, every story, and every culture. These Cadets represent resilience, pride, hard work, and the kind of energy that makes our program stronger. Watching them celebrate their heritage today reminded all of us how important it is to honor where we come from while continuing to build where we’re going. What makes JROTC special is not just the uniforms, ranks, or competitions, it’s the people. Different backgrounds, different stories, different journeys… all coming together as one team. Today was a reminder that culture, heritage, and pride deserve to be celebrated loudly and proudly. Their positivity, strength, and leadership continue to leave a mark on this program every day. ❤️💙

And for our senior, Rytshlyne, what an awesome way to celebrate your final week as a Cadet. Thank you for the example you’ve set for younger Cadets. You’ve represented your culture, your family, and this program with pride, and we couldn’t be prouder of you as you prepare to graduate. We are proud of the leader you’ve become and excited for everything ahead of you. 🎓👏

Today wasn’t just about flags and pictures… it was about family, culture, laughter, music, pride, and making memories together. ❤️💙

One year ago, I walked into this classroom as a substitute teacher thinking, “Only 9 more weeks of dealing with these kids.” Fast forward to today… somehow I retired from the Army at 40 years old (easy on the old jokes Demarius and Kayden 😂) and found myself right where I’m supposed to be… teaching and mentoring some incredible young men and women through Army JROTC.

Honestly, I never imagined this would be my next chapter in life, but I wouldn’t change this decision for anything.

To this year’s graduating EVSC JROTC Cadets, watching you grow this school year has been one of the most rewarding experiences I’ve had in my career. I’ve watched you overcome obstacles, make life-changing decisions, fight through academic struggles, personal battles, self-doubt, and moments where life probably felt heavier than it should for someone your age. But through it all… you adapted, you learned, and you kept moving forward.

That’s what makes me proud.

Over the last four years, you’ve been given the basic tools to succeed outside these school walls, leadership, discipline, teamwork, accountability, resilience, and confidence. Now it’s your turn to take those tools, sharpen them, and build something meaningful with your lives.

Do not settle for less than what you’re capable of.

Take chances. Chase goals that scare you a little. Fail sometimes. Learn from it. Grow from it. Keep pushing forward. The world is going to test you, but I truly believe every one of you is capable of doing great things.

And no matter where life takes you, college, the workforce, the military, trade schools, or somewhere you haven’t even figured out yet, know that your instructors are proud of you and will always be rooting for you.

Thank you for the laughs, the headaches, the sarcasm, the endless stories, and the memories this year. You all made this “retired Army chick turned high school teacher” realize she found a new purpose.

Class of 2026… go make your mark. 🇺🇸🎓

4th Quarter Service Project = COMPLETE ✅🧹💪

Today our EVSC JROTC Cadets went full “dumpster archaeology” under the bleachers and let me tell you… I’m pretty sure we uncovered items from multiple sports seasons, three forgotten civilizations, and at least one mystery smell nobody wants to claim. 😂

But in all seriousness, I couldn’t be more proud of this group. These Cadets got down and dirty hauling out junk, organizing equipment, cleaning years of buildup, and turning the area into a secure, clean, and functional space for our outdoor training and Raiders equipment.

What started as “just cleaning under the bleachers” turned into something much bigger:
✔️ Better security for our program equipment
✔️ Cleaner appearance for the school
✔️ Easier access for maintenance staff
✔️ More organized space for other athletic teams

The hustle, teamwork, and pride these Cadets showed today put smiles on a lot of faces, including mine. Watching them work hard without complaining (well… mostly without complaining 😅) reminded me exactly why this program matters.

Proud Instructor moment for sure. Outstanding work, Cadets. Y’all earned a shower, a nap, and probably a tetanus update. 😂🇺🇸 #😂🇺🇸

What an amazing day for EVSC JROTC!

Today we had the honor of attending the Kiwanis & Wayne Weller Awards Ceremony at Epworth Community Church, followed by the EVSC Opt-In Signing Day at the Old National Events Plaza.

I want to give a huge shoutout to Cadets Ace Wilson, Jacilyn Basham, and Atley Osborne for being recognized today. Watching these Cadets earn awards and take major steps toward their futures is one of those moments that reminds us why we pour so much into this program.

As an Instructor, this is the kind of day that hits you right in the feels. Seeing the hard work, leadership, growth, and dedication pay off makes us beyond proud.

I’m not crying… you’re crying. 😂

To Ace, Jacilyn, and Atley, thank you for representing EVSC JROTC with professionalism, character, and pride. Your future is incredibly bright, and today was just another example of the amazing things ahead for each of you.

Keep leading from the front!

Today the EVSC JROTC Cadets officially became CPR certified! 🚑❤️

So if anyone faints from too much homework, too many stairs, or hearing how much prom costs this year… we’ve got you covered.

Huge shoutout to all of our Cadets for taking the training seriously, learning lifesaving skills, and proving they can save lives just as easily as they can survive school lunches.

We are proud of this group for stepping up, staying focused, and becoming even more prepared leaders for our school and community.

Also, if you see Cadets randomly counting “1, 2, 3, 4…” in the hallway tomorrow, don’t panic… they’re probably just making sure they remember the chest compression rhythm. 😂

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🦩🚨 WHAT THE FLOCK?! 🚨🦩

You mind your business… wake up… sip your coffee… open the blinds…

…and BAM.

Your yard looks like it lost a fight with a tropical bird convention. 🌴🤣

That’s right the EVSC JROTC Flamingo Unit is officially on patrol and ready to deploy 15–30 highly trained, hot pink operatives to a lawn near you.

Here’s the damage:
🦩 15 Flamingos (A Flock) – $25
🦩🦩 30 Flamingos (A Full Flamboyance 👀) – $40
🕵️‍♀️ Wanna know who did it? – $5
🚨 Early extraction team – $15
🛡️ Anti-Retaliation Insurance (because revenge is real) – $30

They’ll “nest” for 2–4 days, judging the neighborhood and asserting pink dominance. A letter will explain why your grass has been invaded.

All proceeds go to support our EVSC JROTC cadets building leaders, teamwork, discipline… and apparently running covert flamingo operations.

So ask yourself:
Who needs a little pink chaos in their life? Your neighbors, your friends, your boss, no one is safe from the pink flamingo secret society!!!

Don’t wait. Flock first. Regret nothing. 🦩🔥