A special ceremony was held for Kiera Peterson in the auditorium at GHS on Tuesday. One representative from the 187^th unit, as well as friends, family, and faculty witnessed as Peterson took her oath. Peterson is currently a senior and participates in the Junior Reserve Officer’s Training Corps (JROTC) at GHS. Sponsored by the U.S. Army, this is one of the largest character development and citizenship programs for youth in the world. Colonel Hester oversees the program at GHS. Explaining the importance of the program, Hester said, “ROTC has been in the school for decades, it is a four year program you join as a freshman. Seniority, talent and aptitude go into all of it.” Currently there are 123 students enrolled in the JROTC program at GHS. Colonel Hester spoke highly of Peterson, emphasizing her accomplishments in the short amount of time in the program. Hester explained, “She has been in ROTC a little over 2 years. She is very talented and has a great future.” In regard to the ceremony, Hester added, “We’ve never really had a ceremony like this. This is the first time I have given the oath to a cadet at the school.” This special time not only recognized the student, but also was a learning experience for the other JROTC students. They were given the opportunity to witness an enlistment. Setting an example for her classmates, Peterson said, “I am looking forward to everything. I will graduate in May and will be in basic training for 8 weeks. […] I just decided to go mainly because of my education.” Peterson attends drill this weekend and will join the Civil Engineering Group after graduation in the summer.