Congratulations to the Webster Parish School Board for having two of its principals chosen for a once-in-lifetime opportunity.
Dr. Becky Wilson, principal at Minden High School, and Mr. Nathan Richardson, principal at Webster Jr. High, were chosen to represent educators in Louisiana at a tandem skydive jump with the U.S. Army’s Golden Knights.
Forty community leaders from around Louisiana were chosen for this opportunity.
Dr. Wilson explained, “I am thankful for Captain Edwin Medina, U.S. Army Recruiting Company of Shreveport, for nominating me for this amazing opportunity. I was shocked when he announced that I was selected. The breathtaking experience was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that I will never forget.”
The jump happened at the Louisiana Regional Airport in Gonzales on September 6, 2023. The jump took place at 12,500 feet with community leaders experiencing the jump at 120 miles per hour. Based at Fort Liberty, North Carolina, the Golden Knights has four units, one of which focuses on conducting tandem parachute jumps across the United States. As Army ambassadors, the Golden Knights engage the public in support of recruiting.
Hosted by the Baton Rouge Recruiting Battalion, who conduct continuous recruiting operations across Louisiana, Mississippi, and western Tennessee, this unique event provides community leaders, many of whom may have little knowledge of Soldiers and the Army, the opportunity to personally interact with Soldiers.
The Golden Knights are one of only three Department of Defense-sanctioned aerial demonstration teams. The tandem section is known for taking community leaders, soldiers, celebrities and heads of state on jumps. Minden High School works closely with U. S. Army through their Army Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (JROTC).
Wilson stated, “Minden High School has a phenomenal JROTC program. We see firsthand the value in this program and how our students learn leadership skills and discipline. Under the leadership of Master Sergeant Larkin and Major Hammonds, our students are being prepared for the rest of their lives. We are proud to see MHS students enlisting in the Armed Services.”
