Summer camp at SC State combines leadership, STEM training for JROTC cadets

The JROTC Cadet Leadership Challenge blends military leadership development with hands-on STEM experiences for nearly 300 high school students.

ORANGEBURG, S.C. —South Carolina State University is hosting a leadership-focused summer camp for JROTC cadets that includes STEM learning experiences designed to build technical skills alongside leadership. 

The U.S. Army JROTC program includes its JROTC Cadet Leadership Challenge, a summer leadership camp designed to develop cadets’ leadership, teamwork, discipline and physical fitness.

The camp also integrates hands-on instruction and activities in science, technology, engineering and math to help young cadets develop critical thinking, problem-solving and real-world application skills.

Approximately 300 JROTC cadets from 34 high schools across South Carolina and North Carolina converged on SC State the week of June 8-13 for the camp, which is in its fifth year at the university.

The schools are part of the 4th Brigade JROTC, which includes students from across the Carolinas, Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, Delaware and Washington, D.C.

The students were immersed in hands-on STEM activities in the following seven modules: model rockets; chemistry; electrical engineering; energy generation; Internet of Things; visual programming; and modern manufacturing.

 “They’re really learning and growing as young people into the type of people that we would be proud to call our military leaders of the future, but this camp is a little different because it’s got that STEM focus, as well,” said SC State physics instructor Dr. Jennifer Cash.

“ROTC came to SC State with the idea of developing a STEM camp both because we’re an HBCU, but also because we have a nuclear program, we have the cybersecurity program and we’re really building our research type activities,” she said. 

“Rather than just having drill and archery and swimming and marching, students get these intensive times in the STEM modules. That includes basic instruction time, doing experiments, building things. Then they have to prepare a presentation to tell cadets that were in other modules what they did and what they learned,” Cash said.

Instructors, JROTC students share camp experiences

Hunter Silvey, 15, a JROTC student from Dorman High School in Spartanburg, S.C., said he learned about the basics of electrical circuitry. 

“We learned the different types of energy and what different terms mean. We learned the difference between velocity and speed, how circuits work, as well as the difference between a dry cell and a wet cell in a battery,” he said. 

Silvey said the JROTC camp was more than just learning drill techniques, but it also gives him the ability to make new friends and develop character.

“I believe ROTC’s main goal is to make people better citizens, help them be able to follow instructions and treat others as if they’re human beings. In a worldly society, I believe this camp is good for discipline and developing social skills,” he said.

Julianys Torres, 16, a student at Lexington Senior High School in Lexington, N.C., was among the new friends Silvey said he met during the camp.

“I just met her here, and we’re good friends already. So it just sets an example,” Silvey said.

Torres said the camp had been fun for her, especially getting to participate in hands-on activities.

 “I like the activities more, honestly, since I’m more of a hands-on learner,” she said.

Torres said she is interested in carpentry, noting that her mother builds homes and that she could help her with the business by sharpening her own skills.

 She said the camp helps boost her confidence and social skills.

“I feel like you can get a lot out of it. You get that boost that you need. You’re able to talk to people more easily. It builds your communication skills,” Torres said.

 Aniyah Jacquez, 15, and Lydia Forbes, 16, are students at West Johnston High School in Benson, N.C.

“We learn leadership in the camp, how to practice teamwork with everybody and how to exercise independence. I think everyone here is pretty cool,” Jacquez said.

 “They’re lenient, but they’re not overly strict. They let us learn for ourselves, but they definitely correct you if you make some mistakes, which is good,” she said. 

Forbes said, “My experience has been pretty fun, but what I like most about the camp is getting to talk to new people. I like going out to different places and meeting new people and making new friends.”

“I also like the different commands whenever we walk in formation. I haven’t learned some of that stuff yet because it’s my first year in JROTC. I’ve been learning new stuff. I like the additive manufacturing information. I like the 3D printing stuff,” she said.

Warren Ritter, a laboratory specialist II at SC State, was an instructor in the modern manufacturing module, which explored the high-tech techniques used in the field today.

“It’s interesting. I’ve found out that the students are pretty attentive. It’s shocking to find out some of the things that they’re learning for the first time but, overall, it’s been a pretty encouraging experience with them. They seem to be catching on,” Ritter said.

“We’re showing them how manufacturing or producing products has evolved from the Stone Age, where you were hitting two rocks together to now, where we’re actually using machinery, manual CNC and 3D printing to produce these particular products now,” he said. 

Col. James Davis, a JROTC instructor at J.L. Mann Academy in Greenville, was supervising a platoon of approximately 25 cadets during the camp.

“The biggest advantage is the academic prowess that they get from it. That keeps students involved in ROTC other than just the drill aspect, but it allows them to follow on what they can do at the (U.S.) Department of Defense and with the civilian sector,” Davis said. 

“These are actual hands-on applications that they experience, and they present what they learn,” he said.

Cadets also got a chance to go to the 20,000-square-foot ICAN Innovation Center in Columbia. A hub for creativity and technology that blends hands-on discovery with advanced tools, the center showcases virtual reality and robotics labs, 3D design and printing studios, medical and science simulation suites and interactive learning spaces.

SC State ROTC staff, camp leaders tout benefits

 Lt. Col. (Ret.) Anthony Watson is the recruiting operations officer for the SC State Army ROTC Bulldog Battalion.

“One of the key things that I think is part of this camp is having our college students talk to them during a college panel. The students can ask my ROTC students questions about living on campus, going to class, interworking with ROTC and whatever else is going on on campus,” Watson said.

Command Sgt. Maj. Annie Walker, a member of the Army’s leadership team at the camp, said the camp helps the cadets discover and tap into their full potential.

“Many of them may not get the opportunity to speak in front of a large group of people and/or lead at their potential schools. When they get here, everybody is given the opportunity to lead at one level or another,” Walker said.

“Then they’re also evaluated. They get that evaluation in their hand. Before they go back to their school, they’re briefed on how they have done and what they can improve on. They take that back, and then they begin to be the leaders of their JROTC programs when they go back,” she said.

Col. Jonathan Robinson, camp commandant, said the cadets got the experience of living in the dorms at SC State, where they also ate meals in the university cafeteria.

“The camp also builds on their leadership and character. They’re building relationships while they’re here, they’re being responsible. They have to learn time management, meet new people and learn how to be a team player,” Robinson said.

“They might be the top person back at their school’s JROTC program, but here they have to learn how to follow. So they learn how to lead and follow. It also puts some of them out of their comfort zone and gets their confidence up,” he said.

Cash, who instructed students in making their own model rockets, said she could see growth in some of the individual cadets.

 “They’re working as a team, they’re communicating with each other well, they’re helping out. I see that growth from day to day. Then by the end of the week, they love rockets, and I love doing it with them,” she said. 

“They’re engaged, they’re growing and they’re learning. They get a lot out of it, but our faculty are also just so encouraged to see this. It just reminds us what is possible and what they can accomplish,” Cash said.

A graduation ceremony is set for the cadets on Saturday, June 13.