The Hudson School Board took time during its most recent meeting to recognize a major achievement by the Alvirne High School Air Force Junior ROTC program, an honor the unit has not earned in nearly a decade. According to a memo from Instructor Christian Cole, the program was recently awarded the Distinguished Unit Award for the 2026 academic year, one of the highest distinctions an AFJROTC unit can receive.
“I am writing to inform you that our Air Force Junior ROTC unit has been awarded the Distinguished Unit Award for Academic Year 2026, one of the program’s highest honors,” Cole wrote. “This award reflects the growth and achievements of our Cadet Corps, the mentorship of our instructors, and the support of the school and local community. We haven’t earned a unit award of this level in nearly ten years, so this is a significant accomplishment.”
Superintendent Dr. Dan Moulis said he included Cole’s memo in the Board’s agenda packet because he felt the program deserved public recognition for its work. He noted that the award reflects not only academic and leadership excellence but also the program’s strong connection to the community.
Cole explained that award eligibility is determined by AFJROTC headquarters and is based on a combination of unit assessment results and community service performance. Alvirne’s unit earned an “Exceeds Standards” rating, the highest possible, during its December 2025 assessment. Cadets also completed more than 1,750 community service hours during the rating period, a 25 percent increase over the previous two year average.
“As a cadet-led, cadet-run program, these outcomes reflect our cadets’ leadership and effort, and they deserve most of the credit for this recognition,” Cole wrote.
He also highlighted the principal cadet leadership team responsible for guiding the program throughout the year: Cadet Col. Hannah Fay, Group Commander; Cadet Lt. Col. Gabriel Brandt, Deputy Group Commander; Cadet Maj. Joseph Petrillo, Operations Squadron Commander; Cadet Maj. Tori Vallante, Logistics Squadron Commander; Cadet Maj. Lilly Burchell, Inspector General; and Cadet CMSgt. Lyla Smalley, Senior Enlisted Leader.
Cole emphasized that many other junior and senior cadets served in key staff and support roles, and that the award represents the collective effort of the entire Cadet Corps.
The recognition comes at a time when the district is also seeing positive trends in staffing. During his superintendent’s report, Moulis told the Board that the district has seen a significant increase in job applicants compared to last year.
He said applications for open positions are up by 50 percent, a shift he described as encouraging after several years of hiring challenges. The district’s website and other education-focused job boards remain top sources for applicants, but Moulis noted that the second largest source is now internal referrals from current employees, something he views as a strong sign of staff confidence.
“We’re seeing some great increases in applicants, which is great,” Moulis said.
