ROCKFORD, Ill., -- Hundreds of students from Auburn High School tested their physical fitness and mental acuity against an Army challenge during "Pathway to Success" Sept. 13. The interactive fitness promotion filled the school's gym with multiple activities to ensure students captured a vision of success colored with the Army's uniform.
"Pathway to Success was a concentrated effort to make a lasting impression among young adults," said Lt. Col. Frank P. O'Donnell, Milwaukee Recruiting Battalion commander. "The opportunities we afforded the students of interacting with Soldiers within the context of pursuing excellence and fitness will shape their hopes for the future."
The event represented the battalion's second iteration of a fitness promotion launched in April. Students took on physical fitness challenges from drill sergeants; and mental and team obstacles from other noncommissioned officers. Student athletes tried to keep up with professional wrestlers from the Army's World Class Athlete Program or tested their skills in football and basketball activities.
Students curious about the Army's combat medics learned first-hand what equipment they use and carry on a mission. College-driven students discovered "March 2 Success" or spoke with an ROTC officer from Northern Illinois University.
Ryan Reinecke, Auburn High School principal, said he was impressed with how the activities engaged both the students' minds and bodies.
"This offers our kids a different look at some of the things available beyond high school. It gives them an opportunity to explore some options and at the same time have some fun while they're doing that," Reinecke said.
Goal-setting is the principal's mantra among students. If Soldiers can instill goals and values then he welcomes their presence within the school.
Tom Newton, assistant principal for athletics, said he was surprised to observe how the students were focused and attentive throughout the day.
"This has been the most organized and meaningful in-class time these kids have had for a long time. You can't imagine the noise that goes on when these (stations) aren't here," said Newton.
He noted how the presence of uniformed Soldiers created an atmosphere of serious opportunities and lively interaction.
"For the students to be able to see the Soldiers, being able to ask the questions, make the connections, and having the Soldiers tell them what they do is fantastic," Newton said.
Both Reinecke and Newton said one of the big draws they observed was the March 2 Success station where students could register for free online ACT test preparation. The course is something Newton said he would now be offering as an alternative classroom activity.
Keiven Russey, a junior, said he knew the Army was about hard work, but he didn't know it paid for college as well as help one get into college via March 2 Success.
"I think this (event) is a good experience because some kids just don't know about these things," Russey said.
Although students and faculty learned new things about the Army, the event was also a learning experience operationally for the leaders and recruiters involved.
The planning process entailed fewer unknowns and a greater sense of the end result given lessons learned from previous iterations in April, said Capt. Matthew Joy, battalion operations officer.
"The key to making this work better was having the recruiting company buy in on this. It's critical that the company participate in the coordination since all the manpower comes from the company level to run it," Joy said.
Loves Park Recruiting Company, which covers the northwestern region of Illinois, assumed the lead role since company personnel were in the best position to communicate with a school within its area of operations.
This event confirmed how this type of operation can be run at the company level with battalion headquarters in a supporting role. According to Joy, even the hardest task, which was finding a willing and open-minded school, was best assumed by company personnel.
"Schools were immediately skeptical of it," Joy said. "But once Auburn High saw that the program provides the students with the motivation to succeed, the tools and means to get into college, and the challenges that encourage teamwork and critical thinking, the more they were willing to work with us."
Pathway to Success stands out among the battalion's engagements with schools. No other event occupies as much of a footprint in terms of space and class time at virtually no cost to the Army. By creatively interweaving academic excellence and athletic achievement into an Army program, the battalion has laid the groundwork for formal recruiting presentations at Auburn High School throughout the school year.
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