Neosho High School AFJROTC candidates are gearing up for the annual Military Ball, slated for 7 p.m. Friday at the Lampo Building.
The event is open to all ROTC cadets and their dates in good standing order. And RSVP is required. It is considered a black coat and tie affair — no blue jeans.
“The most significant event at the ball is the coronation and that is where our prince and princess who are selected by their peers are coordinated and then our king and queen of the ball are chosen by faculty members here at the high school and not Chief (Ron Gilbert) or I,” said Major Bryce Langley, senior aerospace science instructor of the Neosho High School AFJROTC program.
The princess candidates are Twila Tatom, Anissa Morris, Tiffany Friend, Jennifer Beaver and Elizabeth Severs. The prince candidates are Isaiah Isom, Joshua Phillips, Grant Thomas, Robert Friend and Jacob Wiley.
Queen candidates are Teressa Summers, Tara Newcomb, Karissa Wiley, Hannah Bowers, Kelly Fields and Victoria Marrs, while king candidates are Nicholas Wells, Dakota Patterson, Brandon Barnes, Dusty Sprenger, Justin Boyd and Matt Smith.
The crowning of the royalty will be held around 8 p.m.
The local cadet group has invited other high school ROTC cadets to attend.
“This is another occasion to give the kids some insight on military tradition, customs and courtesy,” he said. ”It also gives us a chance to invite the other schools, other ROTC programs in Southwest Missouri are. It builds camaraderie. We expect cadets and staff from Monett, McDonald County, Webb City, Joplin and Nevada.”
There will be hors d’oeuvres from Tammy Fugett and her catering, along with music.
“We will also have the promenade service where they (cadets and their dates) will be able to walk under sabers,” Langley said. “That gives everybody an opportunity for everybody to go through and get a photo op, something for their scrapbook.”
