Coatesville ROTC program to return

CHESTER COUNTY

Military program to make a return

COATESVILLE The Coatesville school board voted last week to bring back the high school Air Force Junior ROTC program that it ended in 2012 due to lack of money.

The program is slated to start next school year. This year, to fill the gap left by the Junior ROTC program, parents and school administrators formed the Joint Service Military Corps, an after-school club that includes all five branches of the military. But they always hoped to get the original program back.

School board member Stu Deets helped do that, but the board didn't need a lot of persuading, he said. Deets found the program would cost the district a maximum of $80,000, about half what the district told parents it needed a few years ago.

"I'm just glad we were successful in getting it back," Deets said.

The plan is to keep both military programs, which offer academic credit. Students can choose to participate in one or both.
- Michaelle Bond