ALTON - The Alton High School Junior ROTC will share information about how to respectfully fly and retire a U.S. flag at an upcoming event.
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At 6 p.m. on Thursday, May 21, 2026, at Alton High School, students will explain how to take care of the flag. They will also accept flags that are no longer in use and properly dispose of them. Lexi, a JROTC member, shared that the event is a great way to learn more about the American flag and how to care for it.
“This event will be about flying a U.S. flag,” she said. “It’s a great way to show honor to our amazing country and to the men and women who gave the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom.”
Katie Rosenbeck, the JROTC advisor, explained that a local organization recently gifted the JROTC “a very generous donation” with the request that it be used for “something veteran-specific in our community.” Rosenbeck and her cadets searched for an opportunity to utilize the money for community service, which led them to the idea to host the flag event.
They will be supplying new flags to those in attendance while supplies last. Rosenbeck hopes the community will come out and show their support for the JROTC. The event is also a way to encourage more people to display the flag.
“We figured, maybe it would be a good chance for us to use the funds to buy these replacement flags for people and put them out in the community, get some nice-looking flags flying for Memorial Day, and give my cadets an opportunity to educate themselves and the public on the proper way to display and care and dispose of the flag,” she said. “We’d be happy to get more flags out in the local community.”
Rosenbeck, who served in the Air Force, also noted that owning and flying a flag is an important responsibility. She acknowledged that most people have the best intentions, but she feels that improperly displaying or retiring the flag “kind of shows disrespect.” The JROTC hopes their event helps people avoid this.
“As a veteran, I just really want people to show their pride in the country, show their support for our troops, honor the 250th birthday of our country. I just really want them to educate themselves and make sure that you’re properly handling that flag,” she said. “I always say that owning a flag is a privilege because you have to take care of it. It’s not just an item like a potted plant that you put outside of your house for the summer. This is something that you fly long-term. There’s a little bit of responsibility that comes with that.”
Rosenbeck and Lexi agree that JROTC is more than “that quote-unquote ‘military class.’” The goal of the program is to promote leadership in a “military format.”
The cadets wear their uniforms once a week and participate in activities around town, including the upcoming Sunset Ceremony at Alton National Cemetery on Memorial Day, the Halloween parade, and Wreaths Across America. Out of uniform, the cadets give back in other ways, from food and clothing drives to adopting veterans who have no other family.
For the cadets, this sense of community is valuable. They enjoy the service and the relationships they develop.
“My favorite part of the program is the overall friendship that you build, because you build friendships within the program, but those friendships continue outside of the program,” Lexi said. “Once the school day is over, you go home, and maybe you hang out with one of the cadets you met in the program, and you end up being really good friends with them.”
The JROTC invites incoming freshmen and other AHS students to come out and see what their program is all about from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on May 22. Students will learn more about what JROTC is and the work they do.
But first, Rosenbeck and Lexi hope to see a big crowd at their flag event on May 21. They encourage people to reach out to Rosenbeck at krosenbeck@altonschools.org with any questions.
“As the instructor, if I say it’s the best program at Alton High School, I might be a little biased. But I’m not ashamed to say that,” Rosenbeck added. “I have some of the best students at the school in the program.”
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