By Tom Tolen / news@whmi.com

Last week, over 30 enthusiastic area youths attended a two-day program in the new STEAM Center at Brighton High School.

Organizers invited military representatives from the Army National Guard, Army, Navy, Howell Public Schools Air Force Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps (or JROTC), and a local Marine Corps veteran who is a Brighton High School graduate.

According to John Conely, a Brighton Board of Education member and local businessman who helped organize and provided lunch for the event, the students who attended this first-time program gained valuable insight and information about their country and the American armed services.

If there is enough support, the plan is to build this into a regular program, three times a year, in the future for Brighton students and any students from local area schools. Sign up would be through Brighton Community Education.

Brighton Area Schools Superintendent Matt Outlaw told WHMI the program was an unqualified success and it was great to see so many of students engaged in the program.

Representatives of the various branches of the services who attended and gave valuable time and insight include Howell Army National Guard SFC Richard Dennis, Sgt Sabrina Fillion, U.S. Army SS Peter Copeyon, U.S. Navy HM1 Tyheria Phillipsoden, PO1 Moses Ortiz , SMSgt USAF (Ret.) Ken Reinhart, who is the instructor for the Howell High School Air Force ROTC and his 120 cadets. Also giving invaluable help, according to Conely, were Howell Air Force JROTC students James Teller, Team manager, and Gage Turner of the Drill Team.