When you think of organizations that are great for young men and women, normally the first ones you think of are the Scouts or Boys and Girls Clubs; groups like that. There is another group however that does great good for young men and women today and that is the JROTC, a.k.a. Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps.

Many schools have them across America, and Crest High School in Cleveland County is one such school blessed to have an Air Force JROTC class, taught by retired Air Force Master Sgt. John Davis. He said Crest's program was established in 1994, and is in its 28th year.

Said MSgt. Davis, "The person behind getting JROTC at Crest was Dr. George Litton. He was Principal and a leader in the Cleveland County school board many years. The first instructors were officer Lieutenant Colonel Hicks and noncommissioned officer, Master Sergeant Rick Smiley."

There are currently 80 students registered in the class for the year, said Davis, with their activities centered around the Cadet goals established each year by the group staff cadets. There are three (3) impact areas: Community Impact Goals; School Impact Goals; and Cadet Impact Goals which are central to the growth of the students and the program, noted Davis.

Some of the things the Cadets do, said Davis, include, but aren't limited to: hold a can food drive each quarter; raising/lowering the US flag in the mornings and in the afternoons each school day at Shelby and Crest High School's for community service hours; being honor guards and presenting colors at sporting events, parades, and memorial services, throughout the year; and sponsoring/running blood donation drives each year.

In addition to having team-building trips to various events and places, they make annual trips to local military base airshows or attend orienteering meets in the local area each month.

"We also take part in air rifle/marksmanship meets in the area (fall and spring); science, technology, engineering and math teams in the fall and spring; and have Academic Bowl/Quiz Bowl teams that compete in the fall and spring," he said, adding, "Each year, 20 to 30 cadets take orientation flights with the local Civil Air Patrol at the Cleveland County Airport. Flights are paid for by the Air Force."

While the students aren't pushed to join the military, there are real-world goals and jobs they are prepared to look into.

Said MSgt. Davis, "Personally, I tell the Cadets our goal is to have them develop a plan for after graduation. Either college, work, further schooling in college or trade schools, but they must have a plan. Whatever they go into after high school, we want them to be leaders. No matter where they go. Leadership qualities are invaluable."

All JROTC units are required to have one retired Officer and one retired NCO on staff to run the program, said Davis, who added, "Currently, I am the only (JROTC) instructor at Crest. The second position has been advertised for over a year with only two applicants so far. The former retired NCO from Crest High School, now retired twice, helps me out on Mondays and Tuesdays so I can get more work done. He is Senior Mas-ter Sergeant (retired) Doyle Neason."

Davis is originally from Gastonia and graduated from Ashbrook High School, attended Western Carolina University, and graduated with a degree in music education. He taught instrumental music for three years in Gaston County, auditioned for the Air Force band in 1988, and worked until 2012 when he retired from the Air Force. He met his wife, Shauna, in Texas "...while stationed there with the Air Force band" and they have three children, Tyler, Lilly and Sophie. He has two stepsons, Frank and Andrew, and most recently two granddaughters, Lydia and Hazel.

His preferred lesson/learning style is simple, he said.

"I'm required to use classroom textbook lessons, but I really prefer hands-on activities. especially when you get to build rockets and launch them on campus, or fly quad 'copters and fixed-wing model aircraft."

Lastly, it is to be noted the class's Mission statement is: "Develop citizens of character dedicated to serving their nation and community."

Their Goals: "Instill values of citizenship, service to the United States, personal responsibility, and sense of accomplishment;" and finally, their Core Values are: "Integrity First, Service Before Self, and Excellence in All We Do."

To learn more about MSgt. Davis and Crest's JROTC program, visit https://sites.google.com/a/clevelandcountyschools.org/crest-high-school-afjrotc/.