ADAMS TWP — Students at Mars High School seeking to be more active in their community will have an additional option beginning next school year.

The Mars School Board approved a cross-town agreement that allows Mars students to participate in Pine-Richland High School’s Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps program.

The program aims to give students a chance to engage in aerospace and leadership studies, while also performing community service, according to instructor Maj. Mike Morrison.

“We try to do as much community service as possible ... and a big portion of that is directly to our district,” he said, adding the group does everything from present colors at sporting events to crowd control.

Over the past seven years, the group has performed more than 13,500 hours of community service.

“I would put our program up against any program anywhere,” Morrison said. “Some schools have 200 cadets in the program. We have 30 to 35. ... But they’re so dedicated and so sharp, when we go places, they’re noticed.”

Shawn Scott, a Pine-Richland teacher, spoke during the public comment portion of the meeting about the impact the group has had on the school. He said while he has no affiliation with the ROTC, he sees the values and virtues being taught on display in the hallways.

“I hear them talk about integrity,” he said. “That’s unusual for a 16-year-old.”

Wes Shipley, Mars superintendent, said officials from Pine-Richland approached Mars about the agreement. He said the program is expected to maintain 100 members and is falling short of hitting that mark.

“They were challenged to come up with a way to meet their 100 students,” he said. “I took it to the board ... and got overwhelming interest, so we’ve moved forward very quickly.”

Mars’ participation in the program is only contingent upon travel, as they must bus students a little over three miles to Pine-Richland each day.

“We’re working with (them) to arrange our schedule so it will be the first period of the day or the last period of the day,” Shipley said. “It is worth the value of busing our students over there.”

J. Dayle Ferguson, board president, said the arrangement would not interfere with the students’ school day or extracurricular activities.

The move is part of new curriculum options at the school for 2018-19, which also include additional technology offerings, a new art course and a Foundations of Communication course that would be a graduation requirement taken by sophomores.