Antilles High School Cadet Earns Two National JROTC Honors
Antilles High School JROTC Cadet Brigade Commander Hiram Zeno received two prestigious national awards Oct. 23, becoming the only cadet in Puerto Rico to earn both honors in recognition of his leadership, determination and commitment.
The awards highlight Zeno’s individual excellence as well as contributions from fellow cadets who supported his development throughout his JROTC career.
Zeno was selected for the Sons of the American Revolution Medal after competing among top JROTC cadets from the 6th Brigade, which spans Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, Louisiana, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.
The medal, presented by the National Society of the Sons of the American Revolution, promotes the “citizen-soldier” ideal embodied by Revolutionary War Minutemen. It recognizes cadets for superior leadership, military bearing and overall excellence, with selections made by the unit’s commanding officer.
LTC (Ret.) Carlos Rivera, the JROTC senior Army instructor at Antilles High School, presented the award to Zeno.
Zeno also received the Legion of Valor Bronze Cross for Achievement, described as the highest decoration a JROTC cadet can earn. Established in 1951 by the Legion of Valor of the United States, it honors cadets for exceptional performance, dependability, character, military discipline and leadership.
The award is given annually to a limited number of cadets demonstrating outstanding scholarship, leadership in ROTC, school and community activities, and strong citizenship traits. It is bestowed on just a select few out of roughly 300,000 JROTC cadets across 1,732 high schools in the Army, Navy and Air Force programs nationwide.
Antilles High School Principal Niels Mateo presented the Legion of Valor award during a ceremony attended by JROTC cadet staff and Zeno’s parents.
“Pirates lead the way! Hoaaaa!” Rivera said in a statement congratulating Zeno on the accomplishments.
