Grady Cadets Earn Scholarships to West Point

Two seniors at  have earned scholarships to attend the U.S. Military Academy at West Point in the fall, thanks to their training in the school's Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (JROTC).

Cadet Colonels Michael Barlow, 18, and Rufus Huffman, 17, both said earning the scholarship was their greatest achievement in the JROTC program.

Barlow, who has been in the program since his freshman year, wants to work in army intelligence or the military police. Huffman, who joined the Grady battalion when he was a sophomore, wants to be in the army special forces, especially to teach guerrilla warfare.

Overall, the school excelled in JROTC competitions this year, earning eight out of nine trophies, according to Lt. Col. Eric Johnson. Johnson served in the military for 20 years before he began teaching the Grady JROTC in 2009. He said his main goal with the program is to help students earn scholarships to further their education and pay for tuition.

Huffman said he always wanted to go to college, but “JROTC gave me extra drive, like a tool.” Barlow said JROTC was like a light, revealing to him more job possibilities than he knew about before. “I thought I wanted to be a lawyer, but I would’ve been miserable.”

Barlow earned the position of Brigade Commander when he was a junior, becoming the youngest student in Atlanta Public Schools' history to lead the entire district’s corps of cadets. The next year, Huffman earned the same rank, representing Grady in the Commander’s position two years in a row.

Apart from JROTC, Barlow is also active in the Model United Nations debate team. Last April, he was awarded a visit with President Obama, as one of the top three speakers at the Chase Urban Debate National Championship.

 “We probably won’t get another Barlow," Johnson said. 

Experienced cadets in the Grady JROTC program play a major role in training the lower cadets. Barlow said what makes Grady JROTC unique is that it is completely run by the students, while instructors guide and advise the process. As upperclassmen, Barlow and Huffman have both experienced training and leading the lower cadets, and sometimes students their own age. Barlow said the higher ranking members lead exercises and competitions, create lesson plans and teach.

Huffman said there is a big emphasis on teamwork.

“It gets you ready for so much," he said. "You learn how to deal with different people and different learning styles."

The JROTC curriculum includes finance, health and geography, Johnson said.

Sherri Caldwell, the JROTC’s booster club mom for next year, said the program has had difficulty getting recognition and support from the school in recent years. But she is hopeful for the future.

“The parents are my version of community," Johnson said. 

Barlow said that the JROTC program at Grady has improved since he was a freshman. Last year, about 180 students were members, and this year there are more than 230, according to Johnson.

“Regretfully, I have not experienced the support of the community and school,” Barlow said. He said what the program needs now is more support from the greater community and a better public understanding of what JROTC teaches.

“[JROTC] takes the values and disciplines of the army to teach students to be better citizens," Barlow said. 

Along with training and competing, the JROTC program requires community service work. Cadets often volunteer to tutor students at John Hope Elementary School and annual raise money for the Empty Stocking Fund. During evening events at the school, the cadets are often at the building in uniform to open doors and lead guests to directed areas.

Huffman said he wants everyone to believe that the military can be something other than a last resort. He looks forward to the career path laid out for him through the military, including having a good retirement plan.

“I’m getting paid to go to school,” Huffman said. “I’m going the best possible route.”

At the annual award ceremony held at the school April 12, Barlow earned the DAI (Director of Army Instruction) Distinguished Cadet Award and Huffman earned the American Legion Scholastic Excellence Award. Other high recognitions included Ian Janke, who earned the Brigade Executive Officer’s position, and Christina Durden, who earned the right to wear the Brigade Command Sergeant Major's Rank.

Caldwell plans to reach out to the community for more support next year, aiming towards local businesses and organization.

“We can tell our community we do have something to be proud of," she said.