Battle Ground Public Schools

Battle Ground High School JROTC cadet earns a chance to get his wings

Dec. 15, 2022

Battle Ground High School junior AFJROTC cadet Jacob Peay is one of only 200 students worldwide chosen to receive a fully paid scholarship to attend Air Force Flight Academy this summer.

This is the fifth consecutive year Battle Ground High School’s Air Force Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps program has had a student selected to attend the academy. 

“I felt like, if anyone deserves it, it is Jacob,” said JROTC instructor retired Lt. Col.  Andrew Woodrow. “Out of all the kids who filled out the application, he was the one I noticed always had a book open and was taking advantage of every opportunity to study for the test.”

Peay said he learned about his selection on a chaotic afternoon when he was late to class due to a dental emergency. When Peay walked in, Woodrow called him to the front of the class, where he expected to get a ribbing for showing up late. “‘By the way, since you’ve finally arrived,’” Woodrow recalls saying, “‘you’ve been selected for the Air Force Flight Academy.’”

“I’m very excited,” Jacob said. “It’s really cool that I’ll be able to actually fly while I’m still in high school.”

The eight-week program, completed over the summer, includes 40 to 60 hours of flight time, including a solo flight. It’s an intensive course covering what would usually take six to eight months to complete. “Every day is full time, usually seven days a week,” Woodrow said. “That’s usually made up of time in class, time in the gym and a lot of time on an airplane.”

Peay said it has long been a goal of his to attend the Naval Academy, and he’s hopeful his experience this summer will help him get there. 

“We’re very proud of him,” added Jacob’s mom, Julie Peay. “He put in a lot of work to get a high score on the exam (for this scholarship). It’s a great opportunity, so we’re very proud of that.”

The next several weeks will be a whirlwind of selecting where to go, getting a special kind of physical done and booking flights, all of which will be fully paid for by the Air Force. When he returns, Peay will likely have his pilot’s license. Asked if she would get in an airplane piloted by her son, Julie Peay hesitated a moment before answering, “Yes.”

“He’s just barely driving a car right now,” she added, “so it’s a little scary to think about.”

Jacob said he’s also hopeful the experience will make him a better leader within the BGHS JROTC program next year when he’s a senior.

“I’m looking forward to sharing what I’ve learned with everyone else,” he said, “and maybe inspiring some other people to try and do this as well.”