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Floresville Junior ROTC cadets share flag etiquette with elementary students



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Floresville High School Air Force Junior ROTC Instructor Randy Taylor and several ROTC cadets teach flag etiquette to students at Floresville South Elementary School. COURTESY/Floresville ISD

Floresville High School Air Force Junior ROTC Instructor Randy Taylor and several ROTC cadets teach flag etiquette to students at Floresville South Elementary School. COURTESY/Floresville ISD

When you see the flags flying at schools, you don’t generally think about who put them up or how they did it. In the Floresville Independent School District (ISD), retired U.S. Air Force Senior Master Sgt. Randy Taylor, ROTC instructor, and Junior ROTC cadets Cody Campbell, Braxton Moses, and James McNulty not only think about it, but recently taught the proper flag folding, raising, and lowering techniques to Floresville North and South Elementary School students.

“We had a great experience working with the elementary students,” Taylor said about visiting the campuses. “They were so excited to learn how to properly put up and take down the flags.

District Superintendent Jason Gilstrap is grateful to Taylor and the cadets for taking the time to teach these important skills. As a student growing up, he was routinely a part of raising the flag at school and Friday night football games.

“It is exciting to have students learn the proper way to raise, lower, and fold our flag,” Gilstrap said. “It is great to see our JROTC students teaching younger students.”

Floresville ISD Superintendent Jason Gilstrap assists Air Force Junior ROTC Cadet James McNulty in demonstrating how to properly fold a U.S. flag, during a recent visit to Floresville North Elementary School to teach flag etiquette. COURTESY/Floresville ISD

Floresville ISD Superintendent Jason Gilstrap assists Air Force Junior ROTC Cadet James McNulty in demonstrating how to properly fold a U.S. flag, during a recent visit to Floresville North Elementary School to teach flag etiquette. COURTESY/Floresville ISD

The flag has an important place in Gilstrap’s upbringing.

“Both of my grandfathers served in World War II and instilled in our family the importance of honoring the flag,” the superintendent explained.

For Taylor and the cadets, it was also a perfect opportunity to provide a community service and introduce the younger students to the Floresville High School Junior ROTC program.

“Our cadets are really community- minded, so they were obviously thrilled at the opportunity to teach what they hope will be the next generation of AFJROTC cadets,” Taylor said.

Kim Cathey is the communications specialist and public information officer for the Floresville ISD.