Oak Ridge High School Navy Junior ROTC Cadet Commanding Officer Sasha Umansky was recognized as the Oak Ridge Student Athlete of the Week in a small ceremony at the high school. During the ceremony, Cadet Umansky was presented with the Legion of Valor Bronze Cross for Achievement by Mr. James Drewery, Commander of American Legion Post 112 in Oliver Springs, TN.
Of the 470,000 JROTC cadets in all branches of service across the nation, fewer than 80 receive the Legion of Valor Bronze Cross for Achievement. This equates to being in the top 0.02 percent of all Cadets across the country. The award is given annually to cadets who demonstrate exceptional achievement of scholastic excellence in military and academic subjects, leadership, and physical fitness. Cadet Umansky was recommended for this prestigious award by Commander Keith Klemm and Chief Ryan Nicholls for her superb leadership as the Wildcat Battalion Commanding Officer.
The Legion of Valor traces its roots back to 1890, when veterans created an organization to promote patriotism, belief in the United States Constitution, and civil liberties. Members of the Legion are all recipients of the nationās highest military awards for heroism, the Medal of Honor, the Distinguished Service Cross, Navy Cross and the Air Force Cross. In 1951, the Bronze Cross for Achievement was established for the cadets from the Reserved Officers Training Corps.
In addition to the Bronze Cross for Achievement award, Cadet Umansky was recognized as the Navy Junior ROTC Area 9 Top Junior for the 2021-2022 school year and presented with the Cadet Achievement Ribbon. The Wildcat Battalionās new Senior Naval Science Instructor, LtCol Kirk Williams, made the presentation to her during the ceremony.
The ceremony was attended by Dr. Bruce Borchers, Oak Ridge Schools Superintendent, Mr. Keys Fillauer, Chairman of the Oak Ridge School Board, Mr. Drayton Hawkins, Oak Ridge High School Principal, Dr. Bruce Lay, Executive Director of School Leadership, Dr. Holly Cross, Director of Oak Ridge Schools CCTE, Mr. Russ Wise, Senior Class Principal, Mr. Joey Moseley, Photography Teacher at Oak Ridge High School, Anton and Maria Umansky, Sashaās parents, along with several of her fellow NJROTC cadets.
Cadet Umansky currently maintains a 4.05 GPA on a 4.0 scale. She is an All-American cheerleader and the captain of the varsity cheerleading team, student council president, senior class president, member of the National Honor Society, and the Cadet Commander of the Navy Junior ROTC Wildcat Battalion. This past summer, she also participated in the USAF AIM HIGH Flight Academy, the United States Coast Guard Academy summer seminar, and served as the Navy Junior ROTC Area 9 Leadership Academy Battalion Commander.
Upon graduation from high school, Cadet Umansky is planning to attend one of the military academies and then upon graduation being commissioned as an Ensign or Second Lieutenant into one of the branches of service.
LtCol Williams and Chief Nicholls would like to thank the Oak Ridge School Board and School Administrators for the unparalleled support, as well as the Navy Junior ROTC Area 9 Manager, Commander Merv Dial, for recognizing the exceptional cadet leadership displayed by Cadet Commander Umansky.
