A Waterville Jr./Sr. High School student, senior Sam Jones, was awarded a Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps (NROTC) Scholarship worth $180,000 on Dec. 11.
Jones was recognized at an in-school ceremony where remarks were given by U.S. Marine Corps Captain Daniel Stuckart and Sam’s father Tim Jones, who is also a member of the Waterville Board of Education.
The full scholarship covers Jones’ education at a four-year college, where he can choose the focus of his degree, while he is also part of the school’s ROTC program.
To earn the scholarship, Capt. Stuckart said students had to submit an application, which included reviews of grade point average and SAT scores and show they are active in the school community. Applicants also had to complete a USMC fitness test.
“We’re looking for young men and women to be leaders and accept responsibility for others. That’s what we saw in Sam,” said Capt. Stuckart.
As part of the ROTC program, Jones would take part in officer candidate school after his junior year and enter the USMC as a second lieutenant.
Jones was one of 20 students selected for the scholarship out of 95 applicants in the northeast region of the United States. Stuckart said six of those 20 students are from New York State.