SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS — These high school seniors have been awarded fouryear army ROTC scholarships. Pictured from left are Scott Aschenbrenner, Ayshia Flies, Samantha Rodriguez, Jaime Beal, Justin Valadez, and Jon English. Not pictured is Sergio Rodriguez. (Photo by Erika Hernandez) Seven Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps cadets have received four-year Army ROTC scholarships.

The H.M. 2010 King High School seniors are recipients of scholarships worth about $650,000. Within the last nine years a total of $3 million dollars worth of scholarships have been awarded to previous JROTC H.M. King High School graduates.

These students have been guided by Lt. Col. Steven Crites, senior army instructor, in this process of obtaining ROTC army scholarships. The four year scholarships include all tuition, fees, books and a monthly stipend that begins at $350 per month and rises to $500 a month their senior year.

JROTC scholarship recipients are Jon English and Jamie Beal receiving scholarships worth $140,000 each. As national selectees, Jon and Jamie had a choice of many colleges. Both opted to attend St. Mary’s University in San Antonio.

Samantha Rodriguez and her brother Sergio Rodriguez both received ROTC scholarships. Samantha, who received a $140,000 scholarship, will be attending the University of Incarnate Word in San Antonio. Sergio will be attending TAMUK on a $60,000 scholarship. Joining him at TAMUK will be Justin Valadez, who also received a $60,000 scholarship. Attending Texas A&M University in Corpus Christi will be Scott Aschenbrenner and Ayshia Flies. Both received $58,000 ROTC scholarships.

St. Mary’s University, TAMUK, Incarnate Word gave them merit scholarships that cover their room and board. TAMUK awards dorm scholarships.

“This has been our most productive year in the numbers of scholarships awarded, seven in a dollar value of $650,00 in a competitive environment with constrained resources, “Crites said. “The money was tighter this year,” he said.

“One half of our seniors have received the four year scholarships in the JROTC programs received scholarships,” he said. “All seniors who met the qualifying requirements ending up getting a scholarship.”

Crites also assists the students by taking them to the respective universities. The students have the opportunity to speak directly to military science professors.

“Our kids come to these universities well prepared, polished and possessing the military skills and state of physical fitness that college programs are looking for, “ he said.

“In the last nine years, five have earned military commissions and many more will receive their commissions in the next few years to come,” Crites said.

The success of the H.M. King High School JROTC program and college bound students has become well known among universities and colleges in this area. This year representatives from Texas A&M Corpus Christi, University of Texas at Pan American, University of Texas at Brownsville, and Texas A&M University- Kingsville all visited the H.M. King High School specifically to speak to the scholarship eligible students to promote their universities and programs.

“They are trying to get the best of students,” Crites said.

Emilio Castro, KISD superintendent, praised the JROTC scholarship recipients.

“We are very excited about the opportunity that our JROTC students have receiving full scholarships and it is a testament to their hard work and their vision of the future,” Castro said.

Castro praised Lt. Col Crites and Sgt. 1st Class Frank Guerra for their leadership and hard work and commitment to the students.

The KISD superintendent said King High had the largest number of JROTC scholarships in South Texas.

“This speaks volumes, over of the course of time, the JROTC instructors, have brought over $3 million worth of scholarships for the young people in a time when college costs continue to increase,” Castro said. “This is a great gift for our students and their parents.