{"id":397719,"date":"2026-09-12T07:26:10","date_gmt":"2026-09-12T07:26:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/397719\/"},"modified":"2026-09-12T07:26:10","modified_gmt":"2026-09-12T07:26:10","slug":"wekiva-afjrotc-honors-25th-anniversary-of-9-11-at-school-flagpole","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/397719\/","title":{"rendered":"Wekiva AFJROTC honors\u00a025th anniversary of 9\/11 at school flagpole"},"content":{"rendered":"

Wekiva High School\u2019s Air Force Junior ROTC\u00a0commemorated the 25th anniversary of 9\/11 at a\u00a0Sept. 11\u00a0ceremony surrounding the school flagpole.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cToday, 25 years later, leaders from Orange County Public School system, Apopka\u2019s mayor and Wekiva High administrative staff took a minute of their time to pay honor and respect to what happened to our nation 25 years ago, to pray for those that gave the ultimate price and be grateful for those that went forward into strange lands to defend America from any more attacks,\u201d said AFJROTC senior instructor and retired\u00a0Col.\u00a0Scott Stewart in an email to The Apopka Chief.\u00a0<\/p>\n

At the ceremony,\u00a0the school band performed the national anthem, and the AFJROTC color guard presented the flags of the United States, Florida,\u00a0the Air\u00a0Force\u00a0and the Space Force. Retiring\u00a0Orange County Public Schools\u00a0Superintendent Maria Vazquez\u00a0also\u00a0shared\u00a0remarks, noting\u00a0her appreciation for the cadets\u2019 dedication and character.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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\u201cEven though you did not experience this firsthand, I see the values born from that tragic day, and they are very much alive in our cadets,\u201d she said. \u201cI see honor,\u00a0duty\u00a0and service in each one of you. That spirit is why keeping each other safe matters so much\u00a0\u2014\u00a0by staying alert, looking out for your classmates, and taking care of our Mustang family every single day.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

Vazquez also commended the color guard\u2019s performances earlier this year.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cOn August 29, you represented our district on national TV at the Daytona International Speedway for the Coke Zero Sugar 400,\u201d she said. \u201cAfter presenting the colors for the Orlando Magic, the mayor\u2019s office, and other high-profile events across our community, you stood before\u00a0100,000 people\u00a0in the stands and four million watching live at home, carrying yourselves with absolute dignity and poise. NASCAR\u2019s officials told us you set a whole new standard of maturity and behavior for high school units nationwide. You made the U.S. Air Force, Wekiva High School, and OCPS\u00a0very proud.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

Cadets Anthony Darwin and Rodosvaldo Mu\u00f1oz III then conducted a 13-fold ceremony for\u00a0the American flag\u00a0before\u00a0Cadet\u00a0Col. Taaliyah Rivers\u00a0presented it to Vazquez for her years of service in public education.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"CadetsPhoto by Sarah Merly Cadets Rodosvaldo Munoz III (left) and Anthony Darwin (right) display the flag presented to Maria Vazquez before beginning the 13 folds.<\/p>\n

\u201cWekiva High School\u2019s AFJROTC program represented our school with tremendous pride and excellence during today\u2019s 25th anniversary commemoration of 9\/11,\u201d said Wekiva\u00a0principal Anthony Russell in a text message to\u00a0the\u00a0Chief. \u201cTheir precision, discipline, professionalism, and attention to detail were\u00a0absolutely superb. I am beyond proud of Colonel Stewart, Master Sergeant Corry, and our outstanding cadets for the leadership, dedication, and excellence they\u00a0demonstrated\u00a0today. They truly embodied what it means to be a Wekiva Mustang.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\" <\/p>\n

Sarah Merly is an editorial assistant and reporter for The Apopka Chief. She joined the Chief in May 2025 after graduating from Patrick Henry College’s journalism program in Washington, D.C., where she served as the layout editor for her school newspaper. In her spare time, Sarah loves serving her local church, visiting Disney, and throwing parties.<\/p>\n

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