Cadets rally to save Wayne H.S. JROTC

HUBER HEIGHTS, Ohio (WDTN) - Junior ROTC Cadets attending Wayne High School in Huber Heights are losing their program but they're not going down without a fight.

Officials tell 2 News this is one of the largest ROTC programs in the Dayton Region with 145 Cadets.

Their program was cut last month when the school board was forced to trim the budget by $6.4 million .

Because the Junior ROTC program is instructional, by law it can not be run with pay to play fees.

The school board said it could stay if cadets could self-fund the program which meant coming up with $145,000.

Since the announced cuts, parents and cadets have banned together to form the Huber Heights Cadet Foundation.

As of February 8, 2013 , the Huber Heights Cadet Foundation has raised about $2500 toward its $145,000 goal.

Now that the Foundation has it's 501 (c)(3) tax deductible status, members hope to get more corporate donations.

In the meantime there is an all day fundraiser planned for Wednesday, Feb. 27 at Buffalo Wild Wings on Waynetowne Boulevard.

Officials have said that if the program is canceled this year it can't just be restarted next year.

The Air Force would have to re-certify their program which, we're told takes about ten years.