Gaffney High JROTC students participate in a team-building exercise while attending The Citadel leadership camp on June 6-11. Gaffney High JROTC cadet Jessie Melton got a close look at his future military home while spending a week at The Citadel.

Melton plans to study engineering and hopes to get an Air Force scholarship so he can attend the South Carolina military college when he graduates. He was among several Gaffney High cadets who attended The Citadel summer leadership camp June 6-11.

“It was a good experience. It gives me a good idea of what to expect at The Citadel,” Melton said. “I was a member of the support cadre so I got to see what it was like in a leadership role while getting to know students from other parts of the country.”

After early morning calisthenics, students had a few minutes to wash and get their rooms ready for daily inspections. This was followed by days filled with orienteering, rappelling, military drills and spirited sports competitions in the evening hours.

The days stretched from 5:30 a.m. until 10:30 p.m.

Many cadets were so exhausted that it wasn’t unusual to see a student catching a few winks during morning exercises or breaks.

“I slept whenever I could,” Gaffney High JROTC cadet Bosha Scott said. “It was a very physically demanding camp, but we had learned a lot about teamwork.”

There were cadets from schools in South Carolina, Georgia, North Carolina and other states. Many of the JROTC instructors graduated from The Citadel and return with their cadets to attend the summer leadership school every year.

“I really learned a lot about leadership,” Gaffney High JROTC cadet Hakeem Douglas said. “I look forward to working with the freshmen this year and helping them learn what we know.”