Roosevelt High School graduate Kelani Vestil is part of the United States Space Force's elite service members. The former JROTC cadet and Engineering & Technologies Academy (ETA) student says his time in the Rocketry Club inspired his decision to pursue an Aerospace Engineering degree in college.
"During my years attending this magnet program, I'd been introduced and taught a lot of amazing STEM classes by some very amazing teachers," said Vestil. "Admittedly, at this point, Space Force was not a thing yet, but in college, I was pursuing an aerospace engineering degree."
During his time at ETA, Vestil was involved in The American Rocketry Challenge (TARC). His passion for rocketry and exploration collided with his commitment to the JROTC program. This combination undoubtedly sent him down a path to the space service branch of the U.S. Armed Forces.
"JROTC, specifically our program, made me particularly excited to join the military," said Vestil. "They always encouraged me to strive to be my best. And a lot of it was very humbling as well. It taught me a lot and gave me a lot of insight on what I wanted to do."
CLICK HERE to learn more about the Roosevelt JROTC program.
