This Las Vegas student wants to save his high school’s JROTC program
When Elias Salas, 16, found out the junior ROTC program at Silverado High School would be cut, he was crushed.
Salas, a junior who hopes to join the National Guard upon graduation, said that over the past three years in the program, he has developed leadership, financial and social skills. But in February, he received an email from the school that it would be the last year of the program because of budget constraints.
“All the hard work that I made will be going down the drain, as well as all the friends that I made,” Salas said. “It won’t give other students the option to have this experience as well.”
In addition to JROTC, the email from Assistant Principal Bianca Lutchen also said that Silverado would be cutting industrial maintenance, theater and dance electives.
Salas and others in the program have spoken at Clark County School Board meetings and advocated for JROTC to be saved. But so far, he said, little has been done. On Friday, he created a petition, which was approaching 250 signatures as of Wednesday afternoon.
“JROTC at Silverado is more than just a class. It’s a place where students grow into leaders. It teaches discipline, responsibility, teamwork, and service,” the petition reads.
The petition also had more than 20 comments praising the power of the junior ROTC program.
“Taking this program away from people will lead to major problems in the community and in their lives. As a JROTC Cadet, I couldn’t picture myself at the place where I am currently standing today if it wasn’t for JROTC,” one commenter wrote.
The petition calls on the Clark County School Board to take action to save the program.
“Taking this program away would erase a powerful source of growth, leadership, and belonging from our school — and it would stop future students from building those same unforgettable experiences,” the petition reads. “Help us keep this program alive—not just for those of us here now, but for every future cadet who deserves the chance to grow, lead, and make their own memories.”
Contact Katie Futterman at kfutterman@reviewjournal.com. Follow @ktfutts on X and @katiefutterman.bsky.social.