Elite Eagles program grads recognized

Pea Ridge Elementary School students who completed the Elite Eagles education and good citizenship requirements were recognized with awards and wings during a May 22 ceremony in Milton. [Special to Gatehouse Media Florida]

MILTON — Pea Ridge Elementary School and Naval Air Station Whiting Field Helicopter Training Squadron 18 held an award ceremony recognizing Elite Eagles fifth graders recently at the school.

HT-18 personnel developed the Elite Eagles program to commend the students for obtaining excellent grades and exhibiting good citizenship characteristics. They also conducted classroom sessions following each grading period and coordinated a field trip to Whiting Field. 

A winging ceremony is held at the end of each school year for the students, who must achieve a 95-100 grade point average on all subjects at the end of the nine weeks.

Elite Eagle students listed below received an award and were in two branches, the U.S. Navy and the U.S. Marine Corps. Those who achieved lieutenant and captain status received wings as well.

U.S. Navy: Lt. Brianna Ehly; Lt. Noelle Hartman; Lt. Rilee Marshman; Lt. Caleb Wheeler; Lt. j.g. Elish BC; Lt. j.g. Ciara Michulka; Lt. j.g. Caleb Nelson; Ensign Esteban Barrera; Ensign Brody Crider; Ensign Chloe Gongwer; Ensign Charlotte Hatch; Ensign Oliver Keene; Ensign Zoe Mann; Lt. j.g. Hunter Miller; and Ensign Eden Newby. 

U.S. Marine Corps: Capt. Rowan McKnight, 1st. Lt. Cera Crawford, 1st Lt. Randy Enfinger, 1st Lt. Kenslie Knors, 1st Lt. Bailey McDonald, 2nd Lt. Blaine Davis, 2nd Lt. McKenzie Everett, 2nd Lt. Joseph Gallant, 2nd Lt. Isabel Puno, and 2nd Lt. Emery Sutton.

The ceremony included the introduction of program commanding officers, a presentation of colors by the Pace High School NJROTC Color Guard, the Pledge of Allegiance (also in American Sign Language), and the National Anthem. 

This article originally appeared on Santa Rosa Press Gazette: Elite Eagles program grads recognized