Mixed among Egg Harbor Township High School’s approximate 570 graduates tomorrow will be 11 military-bound students who will be wearing distinguishing color-coded honor cords — each representing the military branch they will be joining – in addition to their traditional caps and gowns.
Red cords represent the Marines, green cords represent the Army and Army National Guard, navy cords represent the Navy, and royal blue cords represent the Air Force. Following is a list of the graduates and the military branch in which they are enlisted: Kyle Chen (U.S. Air Force); Riley Eberwine, Brisa Gonzalez Ramirez, and Manuel Ocasio (Air National Guard); Syeda Nabila (U.S. Navy); Harry Guenther (U.S. Coast Guard); Israel Major (U.S. Army); and Blaze Monks and Peter Duran (U.S. Marines). Additionally, Joshua (Kanoa) Lee will attend the United States Coast Guard Academy in New London, CT; and Antonio Lowery will attend the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, CO. The five U.S. Military Academies prepare students to become officers while providing them with a free undergraduate degree in exchange for military service. The Admission process to these academies is extensive and very competitive.
Kayla V. Nguyen, named EHTHS Class of 2024 Valedictorian for having the highest grade point average, will attend University of Pennsylvania in the fall. Salutatorian Ranajoy Gupta will study Electrical and Computer Engineering at Princeton University. The outdoor commencement ceremony will begin at 5:10 pm, Thursday, June 20, 2024 at Silver Eagle Stadium at Bruce Wohlrab Athletic Complex at EHTHS.
The Military Honor Cord program is led by EHTHS Guidance Counselor Raymond Santiago, who also acts as the high school’s military coordinator. He maintains contact with local military recruiters throughout the year and is responsible for scheduling the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB) test, a timed, multi-aptitude exam developed by the Department of Defense for students interested in joining the military.
For more information, please contact Santiago at (609) 653-0100 x1627 or via email to santiagr@eht.k12.nj.us.
