Community leaders, District staff, school board members and cadets gathered Tuesday morning at Choctawhatchee High School to witness the unveiling of the newly renovated aerospace classroom, the product of months of summer work by Lt. Col. Eric Lazenby and his team, funded by a $50,000 Florida Power & Light grant awarded earlier this year.

• The transformation includes a state-of-the-art flight simulator, a 10-foot LED display, university-style lecture hall seating and aviation-themed aesthetic updates to what Col. Lazenby calls “truly world class” facilities for the Air Force ROTC program.

“Our vision is to transform Choctaw High School’s ROTC program into the hub of high school aviation,” Lazenby told the packed classroom of school board members, administrators and cadets during Tuesday’s ribbon-cutting ceremony. “A vision to prepare young men and women, not just to dream about flight, but to actually start them on paths to becoming future pilots, maintainers, aerospace engineers, air traffic controllers, air crews, support personnel and leaders that our nation will depend on.”

Principal Michelle Heck, whose father was an Air Force pilot, said the renovation represents opportunity for students to “learn to dream beyond horizons, to innovate with purpose,  dream beyond horizons to innovate with purpose, and to prepare for careers that will shape the next chapter of aerospace and aeronautics.”

• “This transformation of this classroom would not have been possible without the vision and generosity of Florida Power and Light,” Heck said.

The project addressed what Lazenby described as a critical national shortage of aerospace professionals. He spent the summer alongside Staff Sergeant Corey Meier and his wife Karen installing equipment, assembling furniture and preparing the space.

“To the Cadets – you guys truly inspire me every single day. Your eagerness to learn and youthful energy fuel your boundless future,” Lazenby said. “Most days you guys give me goosebumps, but then there’s some days where you guys give me heart attacks and strokes. But you always remind me why I’m here. You guys are the reason why I love this job.”

The colonel emphasized that ROTC’s core curriculum includes health and wellness, aerospace science, and leadership and character development, with one key lesson standing out.

• “One of the biggest leadership lessons that I like to convey to the students: a leader provides direction. A leader inspires others to act,” he said.

“Our nation faces a critical shortage of pilots, maintainers, aerospace professionals, and every lesson taught here, every hour on that simulator will bring our cadets closer to filling those gaps,” Lazenby said.

Choctawhatchee High School was the only Okaloosa County recipient among 20 schools nationwide to receive FPL’s classroom makeover grants, which were expanded from five to 20 as part of the company’s 100th anniversary celebration.

JT Young, FPL’s general manager for Northwest Florida, said the investment aligns with the company’s commitment to STEM education and community development.

• “We believe we have an obligation also to make investments in our communities, to make investments in our young people,” Young said. “By nurturing these young minds, we’re cultivating that next generation.”

Assistant Superintendent John Spolski, who began his career at the school, said the renovation represents “monumental impact” for aviation and aerospace pathways that begin at the high school level.

“All of these doors and opportunities literally start at the high school level and move on into post-secondary,” Spolski said. 

Lazenby, who joined the teaching profession after a long Air Force career, announced plans to pursue additional grant funding to expand the program further, including going after Triumph Gulf Coast opportunities.

“With continued investment is what fuels progress,” he said.

The program serves over 230 cadets annually and aims to improve STEM proficiency by 25% while increasing the number of students pursuing FAA certifications by 40%.

Superintendent Marcus Chambers said the classroom makeover represents more than equipment.

• “This is more than just a simulator; it’s a gateway to high-skill, high-demand careers and a powerful example of how public-private partnerships can transform student outcomes,” Chambers stated. “Thank you, FPL, for helping us create meaningful pathways to success for our students.”

Lazenby concluded his remarks by addressing the cadets directly: “From those seats, we’re going to take your spark of aviation interests and we’re gonna grow it into a flame. That flame is going to fuel the fires of future aerospace giants. This is all for you. This is your future.”