𝐍𝐞𝐰 𝐒𝐄𝐇𝐒 𝐉𝐑𝐎𝐓𝐂 𝐨𝐛𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐜𝐥𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐞 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐬 𝐨𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐜𝐫𝐨𝐬𝐬 𝐄𝐥𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐲

A new training facility at Stanhope Elmore High School is creating opportunities for students to develop leadership skills, prepare for competition and challenge themselves while adding a community resource with the potential to attract regional events and strengthen partnerships across Elmore County.

The Stanhope Elmore High School Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (JROTC) obstacle course is now complete, featuring a series of physical challenges and a roughly 50-foot rappel tower. The facility gives cadets and Raider team members a dedicated space for hands-on training while supporting teamwork, problem-solving, confidence and leadership development.

The project was celebrated with a ribbon cutting Oct. 9 and represents a collaborative investment by the City of Millbrook, Elmore County Commission and Elmore County Board of Education. Together, the partners helped bring a facility to the community that supports student development while creating opportunities for broader public use.

Elmore County Public Schools Superintendent Richard Dennis said the course provides a unique resource for students and gives the school system an opportunity to host JROTC competitions locally.

“I think it’s the only one of its kind in the state currently, so it’s going to be a great asset to us because we’ll be able to bring all the competitions to us at Elmore County, specifically in Millbrook,” Dennis said.

The facility expands training opportunities for cadets while giving Raider teams a dedicated place to prepare for competition. Students also gain practical experience navigating challenges that require communication, adaptability and cooperation, skills that can carry into future careers, military service and community leadership.

Dennis said the course can help students overcome personal challenges while learning to work together toward a common goal.

“I think it’s a great opportunity to teach students to overcome, number one, just individual fears they might have on an obstacle of that nature,” Dennis said. “At the same time, it teaches them to work together and cooperate to achieve a goal.”

Principal Wes Dunsieth praised the JROTC instructors and students for their work in building a program that continues to create new opportunities at Stanhope Elmore High School.

“When they first talked about getting an obstacle course down here, I was thinking something small and minor. This is not what I was expected,” Dunsieth said. “This is something great to have and add to our Stanhope Elmore campus.”

The course is already generating excitement among students, particularly the Raider team members who will use the facility to prepare for competition. Kindley said the students are eager to get started, giving the program another resource to build on its competitive success.

Beyond student training, the facility creates opportunities for regional competitions, first-responder exercises and team-building activities for businesses and community organizations. Its versatility allows the investment to serve purposes beyond the school grounds, connecting education, public safety and other community partners through shared use.

Elmore County Commission Chairman Bart Mercer said the commission viewed the project as a quality-of-life investment because of its potential to serve students, residents and visitors.

“The County Commission has been excited about being part of this project because it’s going to serve so many people in our community,” Mercer said. “We’ll be able to use this facility to serve our students and citizens while hosting competitions that bring people to Elmore County from across Alabama and the Southeast.”

Hosting events locally can also provide an economic benefit by bringing visiting teams, families and supporters into the area to eat, shop and spend time in the community. Dennis said the ability to host state competitions gives local teams a home-field advantage while allowing Elmore County to welcome visitors who might otherwise travel elsewhere.

The obstacle course adds to the resources available to students while creating another destination for regional events and community partnerships. Through collaboration among local government and education leaders, the project demonstrates how investments in student opportunities can also support a community’s broader quality of life and economic vitality.

With the facility complete, SEHS JROTC has a new place to train and compete, while Elmore County gains another asset capable of bringing people together and creating opportunities that extend beyond the classroom.