Hillcrest teacher’s JROTC support goes sky high with Golden Knights skydiving team
Hillcrest Marketing Teacher Amanda Larsen took a huge jump in support of the Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps (JROTC), skydiving with the U.S. Army Parachute Team known as the Golden Knights at Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC) Cadet Basic and Advanced Camps at Fort Knox, Kentucky.
“I want the students at Hillcrest to get comfortable being uncomfortable,” said Larsen about why she agreed to this experience. “There are a lot of times in life when we are faced with opportunities that could be really good for us, but because they make us step just outside of our comfort zone, we pass on them. I want to lead by example and show students that sometimes going just outside of our comfort zone can lead to really great things and incredible experiences we would have otherwise missed out on.”
JROTC is a High School Level Leadership and Citizenship Development Program operated by the U.S. Army Cadet Command. This once-in-a-lifetime, all expenses paid opportunity for Larsen came from a "Center of Influence" (COI) program that brings administrators and teachers at the high school level to various JROTC events to help educate them on how the programs positively influence both their schools and communities.
While at the camp, Larsen was shown all of the training that college level ROTC students go through in order to earn their commission as US Army Officers upon graduation. She also learned about many opportunities that are offered to JROTC students to help them build leadership and citizenship skills.
“It was inspiring to witness the mutual support among cadets,” said Larsen. “Many of them faced physical and mental challenges, but their peers consistently motivated them, often helping them find a renewed sense of determination and energy.”
The chance to skydive with the Golden Knights was a bonus thrill that made the experience all the more special. According to the U.S. Army website, the Golden Knights is a combination of expert teams and soldiers brought together by their love of skydiving. This includes parachute teams, aircraft pilots and those who handle jump logistics behind the scenes.
“I normally really like the feeling of being in control of myself and what is going on around me,” said Larsen. “This experience made me nervous because I knew up in the air I would have little to no control over what was going on. At the same time, it was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity I could not pass up!”
Larsen also had the opportunity to share meals with the cadets, providing additional time for conversation and reflection. When she asked what they would want high school students to understand about ROTC, a common theme emerged: a strong sense of belonging.
“The cadets emphasized the importance of the community they’ve built—a network that fosters accountability, growth and resilience,” said Larsen. “Overall, the experience offered powerful insights into the values, leadership development and camaraderie fostered within the ROTC program. The jump with the Golden Knights was just a highlight at the end of the overall experience.”
Larsen was nominated for this program because of her already shown support to the Hillcrest JROTC program. Senior Army JROTC Instructor Clinton Davis began working with Larsen to provide her marketing classes with a project to help build a plan to increase JROTC recruiting.
“Ms. Larsen is a major supporter of our program and does everything that she can to promote us and help us grow,” said Davis. “Our program continues to build leaders and citizens that will be future leaders in Springfield, the state of Missouri, and the nation.”
Larsen also served as a chaperone at the Junior Cadet Leadership Challenge (JCLC) in early June of this year. In that event, the Hillcrest JROTC Cadets met up with 450 cadets from JROTC programs across the Midwest at Missouri Military Academy in Mexico, Missouri. While there, the cadets did land navigation, first aid, drill and ceremony, water survival skills, rappelling and numerous other events. Larsen also volunteered to go off of the rappelling tower while she was there.
Hillcrest Assistant Principal Kristina Proctor is slated to go to Fort Knox in October to watch JROTC Raider Nationals and learn more about what Cadet Command offers. If they qualify, the Hillcrest Raider team will also attend the event. Last year the team placed twelfth overall in Raider Nationals, with a fourth place in the one rope bridge competition and a fifth place in the 5k run competition.