New Kent schools to explore possibility of Air Force ROTC

By Andre Jones | September 12, 2013 12:50 pm

New Kent superintendent of schools Rick Richardson admitted after Monday night’s school board meeting that he wanted the school systems to have two things before his retirement. The first is the recently opened Bridging Communities Career and Technical Center (BCCTC). Now, his second one is not far off the horizon; an ROTC program.

New Kent school board members received a presentation from Atlee’s Junior Air Force ROTC instructor LT. Col. Charles R. Schmetzer at its monthly meeting. Board members listened emphatically of the success of Atlee’s program and the possibilities it can bring to New Kent.

“I have had a lot of students graduate from my program and now they are living their dreams,” said Schmetzer.

If an Air Force ROTC plan is implemented, it would fall right into place with the government STEM academy program that BCCTC has been recognized for.

“Talks about bringing the program have gotten serious over the last few years,” said Richardson after the meeting. “It’s going to come down to it as a budgetary issue.”

Richardson, who admitted his background for an Air Force ROTC is based on his personal experiences growing up in a military family, statistically improves student performance, a fact supported by Schmetzer’s presentation.

“Our program is 40 percent aerospace, 40 percent leadership education, and 20 percent wellness,” added the retired officer of 20-plus years. “It wouldn’t take a lot to establish a program in the high school and the program is a joint effort between the schools and the Air Force.”

With a projected 900 students in the high school, ten percent (or 90 students), would need to enroll to establish the program. That minimal number does not have to be met during the first year of the program.

Currently, there are more 121,000 cadets among 870 programs of Air Force ROTC. In Virginia, there are 36 programs, and New Kent may become the next one.

“If we get the program, I want it to excel,” said Richardson, after being asked if he wants the program to be as successful and active as Charles City’s Army ROTC program. “This is something they beat us to the punch to.”