Since mid-August, 22 Jefferson City High School students have been learning more about the military and military leadership - with the help of Lincoln University's ROTC program.
With the two-month Military Leadership Class scheduled to end Tuesday - and with the students looking over their shoulders - LU President Kevin Rome, Army Lt. Commander Ray Ferguson and Assistant High School Principal David Wilson on Thursday morning signed an official Memorandum of Understanding, for the two schools and the ROTC to collaborate on the course designed to offer students a glimpse into military life.
"I thought it would be a great way to learn more about the military - what they do and how they do it," said Alex Tharp, 17, a JCHS senior, who thinks he wants to join the Army in the future. "I'm thinking about going to college and going through ROTC in college."
Edmund Cole, 17, a high school junior, wants to pursue a career in U.S. Navy special operations.
He took the class because, "I want to build character in myself and learn how to be a leader."
And the class has been a challenge.
"Some of the leadership training, they just throw you out there, put you in your un-comfort zone and (you have to) just push through it," Cole said.
Before signing the documents, Ferguson told the students, reporters and some faculty from both schools: "The biggest thing is, tomorrow's leaders are already right here. They're right here in this room. We've got good students."
Wilson said: "My hat is off to these students, who have jumped in here and taken off on a little bit of an adventure into the unknown.
"I think it's been worth their while, and we're proud of all of your efforts."
Karen Brickey, the high school's A-Plus and business/academies coordinator, said the pilot program wouldn't have happened without the encouragement and support of Ferguson and his staff.
But the high school was interested, she said, "because, when the high school went into academies, we felt that this was such a great fit for our Global Studies Academy."
Ferguson, a full-time Army officer who heads Lincoln's ROTC program as the university's professor of military science, said the military leadership class was easy to put together, as he and other ROTC leaders teamed up with National Guard captain and high school history teacher Charlie Ledgerwood.
Ledgerwood emphasized that "this is not a military recruiting class. It's a chance to give these kids a chance to work outside the classroom, to get some leadership and get on to a college campus, so they can see" what a college is like.
Ferguson added: "We want to teach them about stress management, physical fitness and just the basics of life, (with) some real world, hands-on training so they can be successful in whatever they do."
Rome told the students: "We know that you will have many choices for colleges - because I know you're going to be prepared to do well.
"And we would welcome you to apply to Lincoln, and continue the relationship with the ROTC - because we need future leaders and we need future leaders in the military, and we know that you are more than prepared to lead this nation."
Senior Rachel Summers, 18, thinks she'll go straight to the Army after next spring's graduation.
"I already had interest in going into the Army, as a medic," she explained. "But I just wanted to take this class, to make sure that's what I wanted to do, or if I wanted to go to college first."
She sees herself pursuing a medical career.
"I love helping people, and I love the biology that goes into being a medic and being in the medical field," Summers said.
Rome said the program is another way to link the university and the community.
He and Ferguson said Lincoln is open to the idea of including more area schools in the program.
With the first class now a success, Ferguson is ready to add a second two-month class to follow the first, "to teach them how to be a teacher, how to be role models and take them to the next level."
And Brickey said the high school already is looking at adding another class in the spring semester, as well as a "Leadership 2" class.
Although it's not designed as a military recruiting program, all 22 students signed up for the first class because they're interested in a possible military career.
And, while Ferguson is an Army officer, his role with the leadership class is to answer students' questions about any of the service branches.
"The biggest thing I'm pitching is college," he said. "My personal thing is, these guys have to choose the path they want to go.
"We just want to make them reach for the stars and not just do basic stuff."