Hoover High’s Gibson named JROTC Regional Instructor of Year

Master Sgt. Grant Gibson, an instructor in the Air Force Junior ROTC program at Hoover High School, was recently honored as the Aerospace Science Instructor of the Year for Region 8.

Gibson was one of 18 instructors to receive the award this year out of about 2,000 instructors nationally, said Jason Gaston, the spokesman for Hoover City Schools.

The Junior ROTC (Reserve Officers Training Corps) program at Hoover High School is just in its third year and recently was recognized as the best one in Alabama.

Gibson said the award was not because of what he and Col. Chris Moulton, the program director, have done, but because of the support from the school board, Superintendent Kathy Murphy, the administration at Hoover High School and, most importantly, the students at Hoover High who decided to get involved in the program.

“They take it on, and they amaze us every single day,” Gibson said. “Even in the pandemic, they’re still amazing us.”

The Junior ROTC program is designed to educate and train high school students in citizenship, promote community service, and instill personal responsibility, character and self-discipline.

The program includes classroom education in air and space fundamentals, hands-on learning opportunities and challenging extracurricular activities, but cadets have no obligation to join the military.