Earning the NROTC scholarship is an honor not given lightly and one that our own student David Rogers (12) was awarded. The NROTC scholarship is one that financially secures students’ futures by providing full tuition and other financial benefits in exchange for the students commitment to serving in the U.S. Navy or Marine Corps post-graduation. Rogers describes being completely baffled to receive the scholarship, which was awarded to him in the middle of band class by Mrs. Suiter and a Marine recruiter—a visit he was far from expecting—who walked in with a massive check for a total of $180,000!
Roger’s NROTC scholarship—which he received following the full-ride ROTC scholarship—is applicable to any school of his choice. Because of the total support it provides, Rogers can confidently lean into his future without the burden of financial complications limiting his education. Pivoting from high school, Rogers has many options open to him upon graduation. His number one school is the Coast Guard Academy, boasting its own full-ride scholarship, but in preparation for different possible scenarios, Rogers’s close second is the University of Notre Dame that he would attend if not admitted to USCGA. “The University of Notre Dame is a very expensive Catholic private school, so as you can imagine, the scholarship will be a massive help with tuition, room and board, etc. In addition, it’ll give me a secure job after college,” explained Rogers.
Rogers’s future with ROTC began with him considering the future and finding he was unsure of the route he wanted to take coming out of high school. Around this time Rogers was beginning to get more active in his faith as a Christian and discovered through this exploratory process that whatever confusion he might experience over the future, he was certain his path was rooted in serving others. “Serving not only family and friends, but also my community and, on a larger scale, the nation and world. I hope I’ve been good to my friends and family so far, and I know I’ve done well in the community as an Eagle Scout and public servant. With that in mind, I think someone of my skill set and character is really suited for public service at a national level, in the form of the military,” expressed Rogers. A journey that began with a deeper dive into Christianity, Rogers came to cement his values as a person who serves others and identified his position in the world. Ever dedicated, Rogers made his goal to serve in the highest capacity, which for him looks like the work of a future Coast Guard, Army, or Marines officer. Rogers expressed that his experience in ROTC only reinforced in his mind his sense of identity and the role he saw himself filling in the world at large.
“It is a testament to his hard work that he’s one of only four contestants that were selected in the entirety of WA state,” stated Sgt. Laurention Benitez. Roger’s dedication to a role as someone who is in service of the people has come back to grant him the recognition he deserves. High school is a highly formative time in the process of young people examining themselves within the bigger picture. In receiving this scholarship, Rogers’s future is supported by the people who have had the pleasure of witnessing one student’s commitment and passion. This is only the beginning of Rogers’s ambitions and the groundwork for a lifetime of doing what he believes in.