Wylie High School’s first Air Force JROTC program will give students a new place to lead, serve and discover what they can accomplish.
On Friday nights, Wylie fans know the familiar rhythm.
The band warms up. The stands fill with purple and gold. The Bulldogs wait beneath the lights for their turn to take the field.
This year, another group will begin writing its own Friday night tradition.
For the first time, Wylie High School Air Force Junior ROTC cadets will train to present the colors during the national anthem. Their steps will be measured, their movements practiced and their responsibility unmistakable. But the few minutes the community sees on the field will represent only a small part of what is taking shape inside the new program.
Wylie High School is preparing to welcome its first AFJROTC class during the 2026-27 school year, creating a historic new leadership opportunity for students.
Leading the program will be Colonel (Retired) Tiffany Feet, the Senior Aerospace Science Instructor, and Senior Master Sergeant (Retired) Joel Remsnyder, the Aerospace Science Instructor. Together, they will help Wylie’s first cadets build something that has never existed here before.
And they want families to understand one important point from the beginning: AFJROTC is not only for students planning to enter the military.
“The mission of JROTC is to build citizens of character,” Feet said. Cadets will study integrity, service and excellence while developing self-discipline, accountability, teamwork, communication and confidence. Those lessons can follow students into the military, college, the workplace or wherever their lives lead next.
“We are in this together as a team,” Remsnyder said. “As a JROTC team – students, parents, teachers and instructors – we are going to build a program that will develop the future leaders we need.”
A Week Built Around Growth
A typical week will include two days of aerospace science instruction, two days of leadership training and one day focused on wellness and physical fitness.
There will be structure and expectations, but Remsnyder added one other item to the schedule.
“We’re gonna have fun while we do it,” he said. “We want students to look forward to participating in JROTC classes and events.”
Drill and color guard will be central parts of the program’s first year. Cadets will learn to move together, communicate clearly and pay attention to details most people in the stands may never notice.
Presenting the colors at football games will eventually become one of their most visible responsibilities. Feet described it as a time-honored JROTC tradition and an opportunity for cadets to serve their school community.
The instructors also hope cadets can find additional ways to contribute at athletic events and major Wylie gatherings. Those roles could grow as students gain experience and the program establishes its place within the school.
“This will take some time to develop and practice,” Remsnyder said. “But having the JROTC cadets present the colors at all major events is the goal. We are excited to bring this new tradition to a school that already has such deep-rooted heritage and faithful fans.”
More than Marching
The color guard may be the first part of AFJROTC that many families see, but opportunities can stretch far beyond the football field.
Depending on student interest, cadets may participate in drill competitions, community service projects, military installation and industry tours, archery, drone competitions and physically demanding Raider events. Those competitions can include endurance runs, obstacle courses, rope bridges and team carries.
Other possibilities include armed drill using ceremonial rifles and saber teams using ceremonial swords. The program’s activities will develop over time as instructors learn what interests Wylie students most.
Some cadets may eventually compete locally, while others could advance to national events with scholarship opportunities.
The goal, however, is not simply to collect trophies.
Remsnyder wants every cadet to become part of something larger, whether through a committee, leadership position, drill team or service project. Feet hopes students will learn to take an idea from its beginning and lead it through completion.
“I can’t wait to see the confidence they develop as they learn they can do things that they previously thought they were not capable of,” Feet said.
Opening New Doors
Students who later choose military service may also gain practical advantages. Qualified AFJROTC graduates may be eligible to enlist at an advanced rank, and their experience can strengthen applications for college ROTC programs, service academies and scholarships.
But the program’s value will not be measured only by how many students choose a military path.
The greater opportunity is helping teenagers learn to speak in front of others, manage projects, work through challenges and discover strengths they may not yet see in themselves.
That vision was at the heart of the community effort that brought AFJROTC to Wylie. During an April gathering at Wylie High School, educators, military representatives and community leaders discussed a program built around leadership, service and belonging. The meeting included conversations about student interest, facilities, instructor support and partnerships with Dyess Air Force Base.
Now, the idea is becoming a classroom, a team and a new tradition.
Feet and Remsnyder know an established program will not appear overnight. The first cadets will help decide what it becomes. They will set expectations, establish traditions and create a path future Bulldogs can follow.
“The sky is the limit for each and every one of them,” Remsnyder said. “I’m excited that I get to guide them and work with them along the way.”
Before long, those students will stand together beneath the stadium lights, carrying the flags before a Wylie football game. The crowd will see a color guard stepping onto the field.
Their instructors will see something more: students learning to lead, serve and stand a little taller than they did before.
For Wylie High School, it is a new program and a historic first. For the cadets who choose to join, it may be the beginning of discovering just how far they can go.