Eleven students from the Caddo Magent JROTC program along with fifty other JROTC students across Caddo Parish had the opportunity to attended a fully funded STEM program over the summer. 

Funded by the U.S. Army and in partnership with Mississippi State University Office of Student Leadership and Community Engagement, leader STATE is a week-long summer residential camp that provides high school students in JROTC the opportunity to build their leadership skills and enhance their development in the areas of science, technology, engineering and mathematics – also known as STEM— while improving their physical fitness and gaining exposure to a college environment.

During the summer STEM training program, cadets learned leadership, STEM, and fitness skills, and  ultimately applied those skills during student‐led, team‐based activities. All activities were hands on which means that students are being actively engaged in learning. For example, the glider activity, also known as “Big Mouth Tumbler”, exposed the students to the physics of how the different vectors work with gravity and the force of the air to make the unique gliders fly.  The typical day at Leader State included a 4:45 AM wakeup and 10:30 PM lights‐out. 

In order to participate in leader STATE, the students must be enrolled in JROTC, have a minimum grade point average of 3.0.  Additionally, they must be recommended by their army instructor and have high moral character, as well as a reasonable level of physical fitness.