Independence AFJROTC Cadets in the MILLION DOLLAR SCHOLARSHIP CLUB. As graduation season has come and gone, three seniors are heading out to the next phase or chapter in their lives. The Senior AFJROTC cadets of Independence high school have garnered over $5.8 million dollars in scholarship money this year. The unit had three stand out cadets who have earned over $1 million in scholarship dollars respectively.

Cadet Lily Todd ($1.2 Million in scholarship offers) will attend Duke University on a J-100 Character-in-Leadership scholarship. Cadet Todd is currently attending Perdue university this summer to obtain her private pilot’s license paid for by the US Air Force before starting Duke university this Fall. She had offers from the US Air Force Academy, US Military Academy (West Point), and North Carolina State University.

Cadet Luke Von Kaenel gathered $1.2 Million in scholarship offers. He will attend UNC Charlotte on an academic scholarship. He had full ride scholarship offers from over 15 colleges and universities across the nation.

Cadet Berine Rucic was tops with over $2.2 Million dollars in scholarships. She obtained offers from over 18 colleges and universities. She will attend UNC Charlotte on an academic scholarship. She had offers from Yale, Princeton, Pennsylvania, Columbia, and Dartmouth University. UNC Charlotte was the only university who offered tuition scholarships through completion of her master’s degree.

The Mint Hill Times would like to congratulate these outstanding student cadets and wish them good luck along with much success in their future endeavors.