The Cadets of Navy JROTC at Sebastian River High School recently received a generous donation from the Navy League, Treasure Coast Council. The Navy JROTC team was observed in their team practice by CAPT (Ret.) Peter Petrelis and Mr. Jay Rinchak to see the technology that was purchased with the funds donated. The two gentlemen were excited to see how the cadets worked with the computers and the wonderful training advancement opportunity the donation provided.
Two thousand dollars were donated to the Navy JROTC unit to give them the opportunity to enjoy a better experience flying drones or planes. The five upgraded computers were purchased with the money donated, amounting to about four hundred dollars spent on each computer. Having such technology and training techniques available will improve the cadets’ skills for future team competitions and life skills. The two gentlemen were impressed by the level of technology and admired the skills the cadets had attained in a short period. Mr. Petrelis was especially pleased with the all-in-one design, which integrates the computer and monitor into one unit.
“I can’t wait to see the future of these students, especially when they start to compete in national competitions/levels.” stated Mr. Petrelis.
Mr. Rinchak issued glowing praise of the cadets and their hard work.
Peter Petrelis (left) and Jay Rinchak (right) inspect the computers purchased with the donated STEM funds. The computers run flight simulator and cyber security training software for the Navy JROTC program at Sebastian River High School.
Navy League members present “the big check” to the cadets and staff of SRHS Navy JROTC (from left: CDR (Ret.) Peter Bissonnette, CAPT (Ret.) Peter Petrelis (Treasure Coast Navy League Youth Programs Coordinator), Cadet Davi Moraes, Cadet Gabriel Herman, Cadet Abigail Ortiz, Cadet William Franklin, Ms. Leslie Fuller (SRHS Bookkeeper), Mr. Jay Rinchak (Treasure Coast Navy League President).
SRHS NJROTC Cadets Jacob Denning (seated left) and Mike Beaucejour (seated right) demonstrate flight simulator and Cyber Patriot software to Jay Rinchak (far left) and Peter Petrelis (far right)
“It is amazing to see how the students have been able to adapt to the technology and the way it works alongside the controllers and systems. It is a huge deal not only for us personally but also for the Treasure Coast Council and National Navy League,” said Mr. Rinchak.
“The cadets and I truly appreciate the support of the local Navy League,” said CDR Bissonnette, Sebastian’s Senior Naval Science Instructor. “Without their support, and the support of our other local community members and organizations, we would not be able to offer these opportunities.”
Not only did the two gentlemen learn something during this practice day, but the cadets did as well. They learned that in this modern world, they have more opportunities than Mr. Rinchak and Mr. Petrelis did in their school days. “Back in the day,” as the gentleman explained, they never had the opportunity to use simulation software. When training, they always used real devices to practice with because such technology did not exist. If they were to crash their equipment, it would be damaged and most likely unrepairable.
In this modern world, students use technology to practice before they use real equipment. When they want to practice flying, they start by using a simulator. In the simulation environment, they can make a mistake and crash with no real loss.
With the click of a button, they can restart the process and keep on with their practice, making the training process much easier and more enjoyable. Both Mr. Rinchack and Mr. Petrelis were pleased with the results of the donation. To them, it was a great opportunity for the local and national Navy League to be able to support the students and a worthwhile investment in the future of our country.
To learn more about SRHS Navy JROTC unit or to partner with the unit for events and volunteer activities, contact CDR Peter Bissonnette by email at snsi@srhs.us, by phone at 772-564-4413, or by visiting the unit website, njrotc.srhs.us.