“Serving is important to me. I’ve wanted to do that since I was a little kid.”
Jayden Mirlohi learned how to lead at Madison High School. While he’s still weighing his post-graduation options, wherever he goes he’ll go confidently thanks to his time in the JROTC program.
Jayden’s parents are both in the U.S. Air Force, so he’s always been drawn to military service. He discovered much more than he thought he was capable of when they moved to San Antonio and he joined the Maverick Battalion.
“You definitely learn how to lead people in JROTC,” said Jayden. “I’ve learned how to be a better person, how to genuinely care for others and to have that self confidence you need in life. I’ve learned that being a man means being there for people when they need you.”
Jayden dreams of one day working at Space X so he plans to study electrical engineering in college. When asked which teachers have impacted him the most during his time at Madison, Gregory Willeford and Sgt. Patrick Ysaquirre were the first to come to mind.
“Mr. Willeford is one of those teachers who genuinely cares about his students. He would stay late to help me, always check on me and ask me how I was doing. He pushed me to be a better student,” said Jayden. “Sgt. Ysaquirre just came this year and he’s already made a huge difference. He sat down with me during lunch to help me with college applications, essays and resumes. He’s been there every step of the way. He’s only been here for a year, but he’s become like a father to me and he’s made such an impact.”
JROTC offers students so many opportunities to grow and lead. Jayden took part in Orienteering, Drill, Color Guard and Air Rifle during his time at Madison. With each program, he learned valuable skills such as collaboration and communication that he’ll need for the rest of his life.
Congratulations, Jayden! Good luck to you and the rest of the Class of 2022!
