Five top-performing Iowa high school seniors have been awarded National Navy Reserve Officers Training Corps scholarships. These scholarships, known by the ISU NROTC as the “FAB Five,” pay for tuition, books and other items associated with earning a degree beginning this fall. Each scholarship totals $180,000.
Captain Ricks Polk, Commanding Officer, and Commander Harry Statia, Executive Officer, crisscrossed the state to hand-deliver the scholarships last month. Award recipients include Anastastia King of Marshalltown, Kaj Johnson of Waterloo, Garrett Rowe of Waukee, George “Jake” Swenka of Tiffin, and Jeffery Lloyd of Polk City.
Each year, nearly 1,100 NROTC scholarships are presented nationwide by more than 160 schools and universities.
“They are the future of our service, carrying on the traditions of those that have proudly served from the 50 states, its territories and several foreign nations around the world,” Captain Polk said.
Added Commander Statia, “Anybody who doubts the ability of America’s youth today just has to attend an Iowa graduating class awards ceremony and see for themselves the metal that America’s youth is made up of. This is what makes our country great and our military strong.”