Legislator Vows to Keep Coventry ROTC Program Alive

COVENTRY, RI—As the future of the Coventry Reserve Officers Training Corps program at Coventry High School hangs in the balance, state Rep. Sherry Roberts said last week that she refuses to abandon her efforts to save the program.

The program's longtime U.S. Air Force sponsor is dropping its sponsorship at the end of the year and Roberts said that she has been working to guide the program into a transition into a Navy National Defense Defense Cadet Corps program in the fall.

Unfortunately, Roberts said, the application has been placed on hold due to budget issues in Washington, though she continues to keep in touch with Navy officials to let them know how important the JROTC program is for students in Coventry.

"I’m continuing our dialogue and strongly advocating bringing this incredible program to Coventry," she said.

Students were told last year that their program was being ended due to a lack of enrollment. Since then, Roberts said she has been working with parents and students to find an alternative program and the push toward the Navy program had been received warmly by local Navy leaders until the transition was placed on hold.

"In his letter to the school superintendent our Navy liaison said Coventry has not been told it cannot have a program; however the school is caught up in a budget deficit battle at a federal level along with 23 other high school programs,” Roberts said. “Being that the JROTC program is slated to end on June 30 of this year, I will continue to advocate for a smooth transition of our Coventry cadet's acceptance into the Navy program without disruption. This program is far too important to just let it dissipate.”