Mitchell Mazzone, an Airman First Class Air Force Junior ROTC cadet at Newark High School has received a scholarship to attend an accredited aviation university participating in a private pilot license training program in the summer of 2021. Mitchell is on the drum line for the Newark High School Marching Band, where he is a member of the band’s leadership team, and participates in jazz, symphonic and pep bands. He is a member of Student Council and Key Club, and is a varsity letterman for the NHS swim team.
Mitchell is one of 230 Air Force Junior ROTC cadets around the world to receive the scholarship from Headquarters Air Force Junior ROTC, Maxwell Air Force Base, Montgomery, AL. More than 1340 cadets applied for the scholarships. There are more than 120,000 high school students enrolled in Air Force Junior ROTC at almost 875 high schools in the U.S and overseas. The scholarship covers transportation, room and board, academics and flight hours required to potentially earn a private pilot license. The scholarship is valued at approximately $22,500.
The Flight Academy Scholarship Program is an Air Force-level initiative in collaboration with the commercial aviation industry to address the national civilian and military pilot shortage. The Flight Academy allows aspiring young aviators to get their Private Pilot’s Certification, at no cost, during an eight-week summer course at partner universities. This incurs no military commitment while providing a college transcript.
The mission of Air Force Junior ROTC is to develop citizens of character dedicated to serving their nation and community, while instilling values of citizenship, service to the United States, personal responsibility and sense of accomplishment.