GRAFENWOEHR, Germany -- School has let out and many teenagers kick off the summer sleeping in, lounging on the couch and endless hours on electronics. Nearly 130 Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (JROTC) cadets decided to do the exact opposite and sign up for 05:30 a.m. wake ups, long days in the heat and surrendering their cellphones.
Welcome to Cadet Leadership Challenge, held June 19-25, hosted at the Grafenwoehr Training area. Every year cadets from Department of Defense of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) Europe high school's take on the challenge to improve their leadership skills, boast their confidence, and make new friends. Participants represent Ansbach; Aviano; Baumholder; Hohenfels; Lakenheath; Naples; SHAPE; Stuttgart; Vicenza; Vilseck and Wiesbaden High School.
Lt. Col. (Ret) Norman Matzke, senior Army instructor at Stuttgart High School, said the week-long training builds leadership skills they can take back to their schools to help improve their program.
"Many of these cadets will serve in the military and this will boost their confidence immeasurably. Even if they don't continue on to serve, most of their parents are in the military so they get a feel for what they do," Matzke said.
The week-long events include land navigation, canoeing and a Leader's Reaction Course. Today's challenge is to negotiate a 54-foot rappel tower.
"It challenges many of them to trust their equipment, trust the training they received from 7th Army Training Command instructors, and trust themselves to step off that tower and rappel down that wall," said Matzke.
Fifteen-year-old Kenyata Clark, a cadet from Stuttgart High School almost had second thoughts as she turned to step off the tower.
"I wasn't nervous with the height, I was nervous about everything that could happen. What if I swallowed and choked on my gum, or I were to slip and my boot would fall off," she said.
For the record, Clark made it down the wall without choking on her gum and boots intact, in fact, she gained confidence and one heck of a memory. The daughter of an airborne paratrooper, she can't wait to share her experience with her father.
"I've been grateful for the opportunity to experience what he has experienced," said Clark.
Wearing dual hats as Rappel Safety Officer and Senior Rappel Master, you may have given Master Sgt. Michael Deleon a third hat as a motivator.
Deleon, assigned to 7th Army Training Command encouraged many of the cadets to do exactly what they came here for: to challenge themselves.
"Many will say they're afraid of heights, in reality many are afraid of falling. You need to learn how to overcome obstacles in your life and this is a small step in helping you overcome those obstacles that you'll face in the future," Deleon said. "It's different when you're up there."
The Cadet Leadership Challenge will wrap up Sunday with a graduation in Grafenwoehr.
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