TAMPA, Fla. — A Tampa Bay Area high school celebrated one of their students in a special ceremony on Monday as she gets ready to go to the United States Merchant Marine Academy.
“I’m hoping to go right into the field, and I’ll go into the Naval Reserves, and I hope to someday become a pilot in one of our nation’s ports,” said Jordan Washington of her ultimate goals.
Washington is a senior at Jefferson High School in Tampa and part of the school’s Maritime and Marine Exploration Academy.
“I learned a lot about the women in the field. A lot of them were like, even though it was really hard because there are so few of us, it was really like a family,” said Washington.
On Monday, the school honored her in a ceremony as she starts the next chapter in her life by committing to attend the United States Merchant Marine Academy.
It’s described as one of the country’s premier maritime institutions that produce highly sought-after graduates who serve in the military and the merchant marines.
"I myself am a graduate of the Merchant Marine Academy in Kings Point, NY, so seeing a student from this graduating class at Jefferson is a big deal for me,” said Jere White with the Tampa Bay Maritime Scholarship Foundation.
White said the maritime industry, just like a lot of other industries, is having a problem getting personnel.
“Getting people into the Merchant Marine Academy, as well as the other six state academies, is paramount to ensuring that we have a balance of ship's officers, both deck and engine, to man these vessels and work their way up through the ranks to become chief engineers and masters,” said White.
Though there will be challenges ahead, Washington urged everyone to go for their goals too.
“Even without being in maritime, I think people just need to not be scared to go after what they want,” said Washington. “Even if you think you won’t get in, I think if I never would’ve applied, I wouldn’t have been able to be in the position that I am in today.”
