Marjory Stoneman Douglas Student Wins JROTC ‘Cadet of the Year’
May 23, 2017 • By Matt Rothman[caption id="attachment_16963" align="alignnone" width="800"] Cadet Lieutenant Colonel Michael Cassell[/caption]
By: Matt Rothman
For the second year in a row, the top cadet in Broward County was awarded to a student at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High school.
Cadet Lieutenant Colonel Michael Cassell was awarded the Junior Reserve Officer’s Training Corps Cadet of the Year at a ceremony on May 12. Selected as the top cadet from local high schools, he was evaluated on his academic performance, demonstrated leadership, community service, and school involvement as well as participation in JROTC.
The partnership between the JROTC and the United States Department of Defense and Broward County Public Schools is in its 44th year and has involved more than 100,000 JROTC Cadets.
Runner-up includes Cadet Lieutenant Colonel Nicholas Sarris from West Broward High School, who was honored as well as five other distinguished cadets: Cadet Major Amanda Alvarez, South Broward High School; Cadet Lieutenant Colonel Jonathan Levin, Pompano Beach High School - and Coral Springs resident; Cadet Lieutenant Colonel Haleema Irfan, Hollywood Hills High School Military Academy; Cadet Captain Theoni Chitty, Coral Glades High School; and Cadet Commander Slade Yester, Cooper City High School.
Also, six candidates from the Broward County Public Schools middle schools were honored for their achievements. As part of the Pass in Review, Cadets and JROTC Programs all received awards for several categories.
Marjory Stoneman Douglas is a Broward County Public School serving students in both Coral Springs and Parkland.
Author Profile

- Matt Rothman
- Matt Rothman is a 2018 graduate from Florida Gulf Coast University receiving his bachelor’s degree in journalism and then graduated from the University of Florida as a graduate student. He also works for the Mohave Valley Daily News in Bullhead City, Arizona covering high school sports.
Related
NewsOctober 1, 2025Coral Glades Football Team Late Touchdown Lifts Jaguars to Win
NewsSeptember 29, 2025Coral Glades Golf Stars Shine as Gibbs, Glynn, and Peeler Lead the Way
NewsSeptember 28, 2025Coral Springs Charter Beats J.P. Taravella in Rivalry Matchup
NewsSeptember 20, 2025High School Football Week 5 Recap: Panthers Roll, Weather Delays Jaguars