Cinta-Castillo to Lead S-C JROTC in 2022 – 2023

The Smith-Cotton High School JROTC program held its 18th Annual Tiger Battalion Awards Ceremony on Wednesday, April 6, in the Heckart Performing Arts Center.

Cadet Luisa Cinta-Castillo was promoted to commanding officer for the 2022-23 school year and Masyn Kruse was named the Cadet of the Year..

The national anthem was sung by cadets Jaiden Clark and Leia Goodwin, and the JROTC Cadet Creed was led by Kruse. The results:

Recognition of seniors: Morgan Arnold, Daniel Balke, Isabelle Ballard, Aaron Bilbruck, Nathaniel Bolds, Karmya Bronson, Jaiden Clark, Karmen Davis, Stephanie Estrada, Nikolas Geotz, Leia Goodwin, Kellsea Long, Lukas Miller, Josefina Reyes, Shelbi Smith, Milena Stevens, Raymond Tackett, Adrianna Williams

National Honor Society: Karmya Bronson, Analesia Lorenzo, Stephanie Diaz, Jacob Muin, Draiven Short, Morgan Webb

DRILL TEAM
First-year letter: Faith Barkefelt, Stephanie Diaz, Daniela Gonzalez, John Hall, Masyn Kruse, Anna Lopez, Analesia Lorenzo, Hayden May, Charity McGinnis, Mollie Miner, Corey Owen, Milena Stevens, Adrianna Williams, Kayden Wolfe

Second-year letter: Mia DeGraff, Thomas Gardner (Armed Exhibition Asst. Commander), Jenesis May (Armed Exhibition Commander), Patience McGinnis, Veronica Morelos, Fernanda Nandho, Jeremy Weber

Third- and fourth-year pins: McKenzie Boeschen, Skylar Brines (Armed Commander), Luisa Cinta-Castillo (UnArmed Commander), Lee Hall, Ella Kennedy (Unarmed Exhibition Commander), Raymond Tackett

COLOR GUARD
First-year medal: Stephanie Diaz, Anna Lopez, Analesia Lorenzo, Charity McGinnis, Mollie Miner, Veronica Morelos (Armed CG Commander), Milena Stevens, Jeremy Weber, Adrianna Williams, Kayden Wolfe.

Veteran color guard pin: Skylar Brines, Luisa Cinta-Castillo, Mia DeGraff, Thomas Gardner, Lee Hall (Unarmed CG Commander), Jenesis May, Patience McGinnis

RAIDERS
First-year letters: Shawn Bailey, Keaton Belsha, Sienna Blaisdell, Indiana Ellison, Pedro Gonzalez, Kola Grant, Ayden Haulotte, Brooklyn Hoecker, Hayden Langdon, Jose Lorenzo, Mason Maley, Erick Nandho, Natali Newkirk, Kaylynn Rickerson, Tayisiya Roshchuk, Justin Samotugin, Christian Terriquez-Navarro,  Melany Terriquez-Navarro, Emely Valenzuela,Thomas Gardner, Daniela Gonzalez, Hayden May, Jenesis May.
Second-year medals: Leonid Aguilar, Jameshia Bennett, Adam-Michael Brooks, Dylan Davis, Ellie Fiorino, Parker Hemme, Addisyn Hunt (Commander for the Female Team), Kayden Hunt, Carmen Ventura-Velasquez, Jeremy Weber, Mikayla Wiley.

Congratulations to these cadets.

Third- and fourth-year pins: Morgan Arnold (Commander for Mixed Team), Lyvia Halvorsen, Lizbeth Nandho-Rafael, Josefina Reyes, Isabella Tsurkan, Jonas Wilwohl Isabelle Ballard (Manager)

Academic Team: Jessalyn Ladd (Commander #1), Kevin Trotter, Matias Hernandez, Lillian Kadtke, Indiana Ellison, Addisyn Hunt (Assistant Commander), Natali Newkirk, Lily Ream (Commander #2), Jacob Muin, Brianna Kosifas, Ancelmo Murguia, Madalyn May, Masyn Kruse, Skylar Brines (Assistant Commander #2), Draiven Short

Leadership Team: Veronica Morelos (Commander), CDT Analesia Lorenzo (Asst Commander), CDT Stephanie Diaz, CDT Isabella Tsurkan, CDT Thomas Gardner, CDT Morgan Webb

JROTC Booster Club Scholarships: ($1,000 each) Stephanie Estrada, Leia Goodwin, Adrianna Williams; ($250 each) Kellsea Long, Karmen Davis, Isabelle Ballard, Lukas Miller

Ron Ditzfeld Legacy Scholarship: ($1,000) Jaiden Clark

Dale Blatterman Memorial Scholarship: ($500) Morgan Arnold

Ricky Dickinson Scholarship: ($500) Aaron Bilbruck

University of Central Missouri ROTC Room and Board Scholarship: Jaiden Clark
Missouri Leadership Seminar: Jacob Muin

American Legion Scholastic Excellence Award: Lily Ream

American Legion Military Excellence Award: Luisa Cinta-Castillo

American Legion Boys State: Jonas Wilwohl

American Legion Girls State: (2021) Jaiden Clark, Leia Goodwin; (2022) McKenzie Boeschen, Skylar Brines, Lily Ream, Luisa Cinta-Castillo

American Legion Auxiliary Award for Scholastic Excellence: Jacob Muin

American Legion Auxiliary Award is for Military Excellence: Addisyn Hunt

Missouri Army National Guard Outstanding Citizen Award: Emma Clay, Jordan Crews, Cole Fain, Emma Lane

Senior Army Instructor Leadership Award: Shawn Bailey, Zachariah Bogart, Phillip Chastain, Aaron Dove, Tyler Driskell, Indiana Ellision, Danica Fain, Angel Fragoso,  Logan Grotzinger, Matias Hernandez, Joshua Hoskins, Levi Jones, Brianna Kosifas, Kylar Lamb, Jose Lorenzo, Conner Macek, Mason Maley, Savannah McGinnis, Sydney Pare, Kimberly Perez, Bradley Radu, Jerwin Rebato, Kaylynn Rickerson, Tayisiya Roshchuk, Gabriel Ruiz, Bregan Schutte, Erik Sonnik, Christian Terriquez-Navarro, Rylan Woolery, Camden Youngblood, Angela Campos, Chad Altis, Ayden Haulotte, Alexander Nesbitt, Gregory Osborn, Madison Martin, Emely Valenzeula

Reserve Officer Association Medal: John Hall, Kaiden Hunt, William Phillips, Camden Taylor, Kevin Trotter, Carmen Ventura

Military Order of World Wars Medal: Yenifer Aguirre, Fernanda Nandho, Timothy Boyd, Thomas Gardner, Pedro Gonzalez, Cody Smith

American Veterans of World War II, Korea and Vietnam Award: McKenzie Boeschen
Warrant Officers’ Association Medals: (LET 1) Gimena Aguilar,Faith Barkefelt, Sally Davis;

(LET 2) Mia Degraff, Ellie Fiorino, Draiven Short; (LET 3) Gage Allison, Lyvia Halvorsen, Analesia Lorenzo; (LET 4) Adrianna Williams, Leia Goodwin, Milena Stevens

Non-Commissioned Officers Association Award: Angela Campos, Miloney Kikku, Charity McGinnis, Mollie Miner, Raul Miranda, Ancelmo Murguia, Erick Nandho, Natali Newkirk
Air Force Sergeants Association Award: Patience McGinnis

Military Order of the Purple Heart: Jenesis May, Melany Terriquez-Navarro
Daughters of the American Revolution Award: Maddison Sherwood-Salazar

Sons of the American Revolution Award: Mikayla Wiley, Skylar Brines
Veterans of Foreign Wars Award: Sienna Blaisdell, Kya Boren, Brooklyn Hoecker, Lillian Kadtke, Madalyn May

U.S. Army Recruiting Command Award: Vladimer Tsipan, Juan Ubaldo, Kayden Wolfe

Jewish War Veterans of the United States of America Award: Noah Zuniga, Adammichael Brooks, Riley Smither

Association of the United States Army Award: Amelia Patterson

Military Officers Association Medal: Jessalynn Ladd, Kaiden Smith, Veronica Morelos, Jonas Wilwohl

Scottish Rite of Freemasonry Award: Julie Kuehner, Anna Lopez

Retired Enlisted Association Medal: Leonid Aguilar, Laissa Barillas, Keaton Belsha, Jacob Phillips, Isabella Tsurkan

Order of the Daedalian Award: Madison Bilbruck, Daniela Gonzalez, Hayden May
Special Forces Association JROTC Award of Excellence: Stephanie Diaz

Military Order of Foreign Wars Bronze Academic Medal: Lizbeth Nandho-Rafael, Jeremy Weber

Military Order of Foreign Wars Silver Leadership Medal: Lee Hall, Ella Kennedy
Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War Medal: Justin Samotugin

Superior Cadet Decoration: (LET 1) Masyn Kruse; (LET 2) Thomas Gardner; (LET 3) Luisa Cinta-Castillo; (LET 4) Nikolas Geotz

Legion of Valor Bronze Cross: Leia Goodwin

Cadet of the Month Recognition: September, Mia DeGraff; October, Zane Chandler; November, Maysn Kruse; December, Maddison Sherwood-Salazar; January, Erick Nandho; February, Justin Samotugin; March, Daniela Gonzalez; April, Mollie Miner
Cadet of the Year: Maysn Kruse

Company of the Year: Charlie Company

LEADERSHIP FOR 2022-23
Company commanders: McKenzie Boeschen, Ella Kennedy, Lyvia Halvorsen, Lily Ream, Gage Allison

Company first sergeants: Cody Smith, Melany Terriquez, Veronica Morelos, Jessilynn Ladd, Kaiden Smith

Battalion staff officers
S1: Thomas Gardner
S1 Assistant: Natali Newkirk
S2: Lizbeth Nandho-Rafael
S2 Assistant: Fernanda Nandho
S3: Jenesis May
S3 Assistant: Mollie Miner
S3 Assistant: Juan Ubaldo
S4: Draiven Short
S4 Assistant: Ancelmo Murguia
S5: Stephanie Diaz
S5 Assistant: Masyn Kruse
S6: Mia DeGraff
S6 Assistant: Daniela Gonzalez

Command Sergeant Major: Jeremy Weber

Battalion Executive Officer: Jonas Wilwohl

Deputy Commanding Officer: Analesia Lorenzo

Battalion Deputy Commander for Special Projects: Skylar Brines

Commanding Officer: Luisa Cinta-Castillo

In the photos:

PIC1: Louisa Cinta-Castillo receives an ovation from cadets and families as she is presented as the commanding officer of the Smith-Cotton High JROTC Tiger Battalion for the 2022-23 school year during the program’s awards night Wednesday in the Heckart Performing Arts Center.

PIC2: Freshman Masyn Kruse, right, and Senior Army Instructor Lt. Col. (Ret.) Harry Cunningham display the Cadet of the Year plaque that will bear Kruse’s name.

PIC3: Cadet Amelia Patterson is embraced by her father, veteran Scott Patterson, who presented her with the Association of the United States Army Award. The honor is presented to cadets who have at least a 3.0 academic average in JROTC, have a 2.5 overall grade-point average and demonstrate high qualities of leadership and discipline.

PIC4: Sedalia 200 Superintendent Steve Triplett, left, presents Senior Nikolas Geotz with the Superior Cadet Decoration Award. To be eligible, a cadet must be in the top 10 percent of the class academically and have exhibited outstanding leadership.