Gonzales students sign up to serve their country

Gonzales High School kicked off a new signing day tradition for their seniors Wednesday, Feb. 8 at the Apache Gym.

Seven Gonzales seniors signed and chose where they want to go after they graduate from GHS; four students signed to commit to the United States Army (Ryan McGehee, Johnathan Weare, Marrissa Trice and Miguel Ramos-Romero), one for the United States Marines (Diego Ovalle), one for the United States Navy (Raphael Ferch), and one committed to play college softball (Kylee Watson).

GHS Principal John Basha and GISD Superintendent Dr. Elmer Avellaneda wanted to do something different than a traditional athletic signing day, but to showcase other signings from the military, trade schools and more.

“So a traditional sports signing, usually our student athletes are signing to go play a college sport, and usually their major is probably undecided,” Basha said.

“Whereas in a military signing, their students have already signed and committed to the military branch and they've already chosen their occupation based on the contract that they're signing,” Basha added.

Four of the signees signed to join the Army and are excited for the next chapter after graduation. 

“I put in a lot of hard work. I've only been in the RTC for two years. I'm already the second highest rank. I've put in a lot of work to get where I am,” McGehee said. 

“I think we're really excited to go and have a new family and meet new people and have fun and live our lives,” Trice said. 

Weare said he was pretty excited to enlist in the Army. It is something that was looking forward when he was little.

Weare added that he always wanted to join the military, but he was encouraged by his NJROTC instructor, Curtis StPierre, who is a retired Army sergeant, because of his experiences.

Ramos-Romero was excited, too, and has been working hard since he was little to get where he is at. 

“It was a dream that I always wanted to do when I was a little kid. I worked for very hard. I did a lot of sports — cross country, powerlifting, track and stuff. So I'm prepared for ready to go take on the Army,” Ramos-Romero said. 

StPierre have known these military signees since they were freshman, and four of them were under him for the NJROTC program. 

“This is my first full class from freshmen to seniors. So with them, it's kind of bittersweet, seeing them all join the army and just to follow their dreams and be in the military,” StPierre said. 

Even though Ferch and Ovalle weren’t in his class, he got to know them during his time at the high school.

When the program started, StPierre recalls his four cadets started off as freshman or sophomores. 

“When I first got them, they were just goofy, undisciplined freshmen, and each year, they've all stepped up and taken on more responsibility every year, Basically, it's the whole command staff that is going so I'm proud of each and every one of them, seeing them grow and seeing them become young men and women,” StPierre said. 

StPierre had advice for all six military signees. 

“It's going to be difficult during training, but as long as you can focus on the enterprise, it'll be a breeze and basic training will be the easiest, most exciting, fun experience that you'll ever have,” StPierre said.