Citrus County School District

"Where learning is the expectation and caring is the commitment."

ROTC (Reserve Officer’s Training corps) is a program Citrus Highschool provides to students of all classes. ROTC gives students an opportunity to develop leadership skills, gain discipline, and find potential military careers.

Let’s get into the significance of ROTC in high school and how our school’s 50th anniversary is a cause for celebration!

CHS’s ROTC program is run by Sargent brown who has been teaching it for 7 years now, and our cornel gray who has been teaching for 6 years, this year being his first year joining our high school. This program offers a structured curriculum that combines classroom instruction, physical fitness training, and leadership. (Senior Trevor Watson) shares that while being involved, he became “more healthy and fit than ever” Students enrolled in ROTC learn valuable skills such as teamwork, time management, and problem solving. These skills aren’t only beneficial for military/navy careers but also for the students’ futures and how they may deal with future encounters. Sergeant brown says, “it’s all about prepping them for their future, we have helped students that were falling behind in other classes, taught them lessons, and really try and guide them into the right direction weather they enlist in the military or not.” (Senior Angel Duff) says that being involved “will help you with real life situations and how to overcome problems.”

ROTC programs also provide students with opportunities for personal growth and self-awareness. (Senior Alex Boles) shares that “sergeant has been almost like a work father to me, he has given me great advice and guides me into the right direction for my life, he really helped me out a lot.” The strict and structured environment and hard-core training help instill qualities such as responsibility and integrity. (A former citrus alumni) shares that she “still uses the helpful yet simple survival methods” that she picked up during her former high school years in ROTC, from “hurricane prep to “financial advice and budgeting”, this class seems to teach it all! It also offers many scholarships for students looking to continue their education while also serving their country. Cornel gray shares that “having students who participate gives them the ability and freedom to work with the students one on one helping them personally and helping them grow” Which is great for students who don’t focus on big groups.

Either way Sergent Brown and Cornel Gray have done a lot for their students, from teaching them how to become ready for life, to just creating bonds, this class is welcoming to all.

Our 50th anniversary, this is a huge milestone for our school and for the students who gave their dedication and commitment to ROTC. You are all greatly appreciated, and we are all proud!

Preparing for Tomorrow with FFA
Lillian Shaw, Student Writer -

The Future Farmers of America [FFA] is a hands-on program teaching students about agriculture and becoming the “leaders of tomorrow.” It offers many opportunities and lets students take charge of various leadership roles and activities.

FFA allows students to actively participate in agriculture, including judging in competitions, helping to care for livestock, and representing the agricultural community in events.

“I do livestock judging, poultry judging, and public speaking; we give speeches in competitions. I’m also the chapter president, so I’ve been doing a lot of volunteer work,” said FFA president Morgan Fischer.

However, the program is not exclusively about agriculture. FFA also helps its members by building numerous social skills needed to succeed in different future workspaces.

“FFA is not just cows and animals. It benefits you in leadership skills and public speaking opportunities and helps you find a career path that you’ll like,” said junior Jacob Young.

These skills are developed by joining in on the conferences and events that FFA participates in. By speaking in front of large groups of people, students can build their public speaking skills and confidence, making it easier to talk to new people and make speeches.

“You get to meet new people and learn leadership development skills so that you can speak in public better,” said junior Parker Fortier.

To join the program, students must participate in the agriculture course and in the club's meetings.

“You should join FFA because it will help you in the future. It’ll give you leadership opportunities, teamwork abilities, and overall help your personal growth,” said senior Elizabeth Schiller.