Kingsley NJROTC Cadets Excel at Summer Leadership Academies

Kingsley Area Schools
2 hours ago
5 min read

Kingsley NJROTC has had a busy summer participating in three different leadership academies across the country, including the Sailing Leadership Academy in Delavan, Wisconsin, the Naval Leadership Academy at Camp Atterbury in Indiana, and the Fort Custer Leadership Academy in Battle Creek, Michigan.

In addition to attending three leadership academies, our cadets have dedicated countless hours to community service. They volunteer every weekend at a local horse rescue and have worked every home Traverse City Pit Spitters game this season. Their professionalism and work ethic impressed the staff so much that several cadets were given additional responsibilities.

The Stag Battalion has also proudly served as Color Guard at several community parades, with our final event of the summer being the National Cherry Festival Parade on July 11.

Whether at leadership camps, community service events, or public ceremonies, our cadets continue to represent Kingsley High School and the Stag Battalion with pride, professionalism, and excellence. We could not be more proud of them!

Sailing Leadership Academy

The NJROTC Sailing Leadership Academy brought together 35 cadets from ten different states, including six cadets from the Stag Battalion.

Throughout the academy, cadets were challenged to work as a team with students from across the country while developing their leadership, communication, and sailing skills.

Training began at the Delavan Lake Yacht Club in Wisconsin, where cadets received instruction from Naval Commanders and experienced sailing instructors. They learned the fundamentals of sailing aboard Flying Scot sailboats and concluded their training at Delavan with a competitive regatta.

The final two days of the academy provided an even greater challenge as cadets sailed larger 30-foot vessels and a 42-foot yacht alongside members of the Chicago Yacht Club.

These experiences allowed cadets to apply their leadership and teamwork skills in real-world sailing environments.

At the graduation ceremony, Cadet Addison Unterbrink was awarded the Meritorious Achievement Medal in recognition of her courage, integrity, and leadership demonstrated throughout the academy. Her accomplishment reflects the high standards and character of the Kingsley NJROTC Stag Battalion.

Kingsley NJROTC Cadets Attend Naval Leadership Academy

The second summer leadership opportunity for Kingsley NJROTC was the Naval Leadership Academy held at Camp Atterbury, Indiana. Kingsley proudly sent four cadets to participate in this prestigious program.

The Naval Leadership Academy is designed to develop and empower student leaders, preparing them to return to their schools with the confidence, knowledge, and skills needed to lead their units effectively. During the week-long academy, our cadets trained alongside more than 200 NJROTC cadets from across the nation.

Cadets participated in leadership development, drill and ceremonies, team-building exercises, obstacle courses, physical training, and academic instruction. Throughout the academy, they were challenged to demonstrate teamwork, discipline, and leadership while working with cadets from diverse backgrounds.

At the graduation ceremony, Cadet Andrew Gilde was recognized for his outstanding performance, earning a place in the Top Ten Academically and the Top Ten Overall Graduates of the academy. This achievement reflects his dedication, work ethic, and commitment to excellence.

Additionally, Cadets Logan Swinehart and Colin Wysocki played key roles in helping their company earn the distinction of Top Company of the Camp, an honor awarded to the unit that demonstrated superior performance, teamwork, and leadership throughout the academy.

Kingsley NJROTC Cadets Excel at Fort Custer Leadership Camp

The final summer leadership opportunity took 18 Kingsley NJROTC cadets to Fort Custer in Battle Creek, Michigan, where they trained alongside more than 300 Army JROTC cadets from across the state. Throughout the week, our cadets challenged themselves to step outside their comfort zones, overcome fears, and demonstrate the leadership skills they have developed throughout the year.

Cadets participated in a variety of demanding events, including land navigation, obstacle courses, a rappel tower, one-rope bridge, marksmanship, river rafting, and drill and ceremonies.

Kingsley cadets consistently stood out among their peers, with many earning and maintaining leadership positions throughout the camp.

Lillian Fishman broke the camp marksmanship speed record with an impressive time of 39 seconds and used skills she developed at Sailing Academy to help secure first place in the river rafting competition.

During the graduation ceremony, Cadet Hailey Holmes was selected to sing the National Anthem, a prestigious honor that reflected her talent and professionalism.

Cadets Maycie Belanger, Lizzy Widrig, and Jackson Lovendusky were chosen from among all camp participants to carry the colors during the graduation ceremony, an honor reserved for cadets who exemplify excellence and leadership.

Additional individual awards included:

Cadet Keaton Wooley – Top First-Year Cadet, Delta Company
Cadet Colin Wysocki – Top Cadet, Alpha Company and Second Overall Cadet of the Entire Camp

Team success was equally impressive. Cadets Avery Fest, Jeremiah Stalker, Skyler Steel, Keeshawn Gathers, and Colin Wysocki helped lead Alpha Company to the distinction of Top Company of the Camp.

Perhaps the greatest compliment came from the camp's Army instructors and commanders, who consistently praised Kingsley NJROTC cadets for their professionalism, discipline, leadership, and willingness to take on every challenge placed before them. Throughout the week, our cadets earned a reputation for being respectful, motivated, and fearless.

The accomplishments of these young men and women are a testament to their hard work, character, and commitment to excellence. The Kingsley NJROTC Stag Battalion continues to demonstrate that leadership, teamwork, and perseverance can achieve remarkable results both in and out of the classroom.

A special thank you goes out to Colonel Taylor for his dedication, mentorship, and countless hours spent supporting our cadets at JCLC. His leadership, guidance, and commitment to developing young leaders played a significant role in the success of our cadets throughout the camp. We are grateful for his hard work and continued support of the Kingsley NJROTC Stag Battalion.

About the KHS NJROTC

Kingsley High School NJROTC was inaugurated in fall of 2024 and is the first unit in Michigan north of Flint. Having an NJRTOC in Kingsley has been a dream years in the making for teacher Kristen Bauer, who was instrumental in bringing the program to the district.

Instructor GySgt. Mathew Barr spent 15 years in the Marines and was deployed to 40+ countries and brings a wealth of knowledge to the class. The curriculum is based in naval science but includes topics like history, strategy, navigation, astronomy, engineering, military tactics, marine robotics, and more.

Students are active throughout the community, serving as color guard in regional parades, ceremonies, and events; volunteering with local organizations, and attending leadership events throughout the region.

The program, entering its third year, has already made waves throughout the region:

Kingsley's program consistently earns distinguished marks from Naval Base Great Lakes area manager Master Gunnery Sergeant Jason Rampa and other military leaders and veterans.
The unit was the only JROTC program in the state of Michigan selected to march in the 2026 National Memorial Day Parade in Washington, DC.