Statesboro High School alumni and siblings Elle and Van Rhodes are currently in their third and first years at The Citadel in Charleston, South Carolina. Both siblings were JROTC commanders and star athletes in high school and now attend the school on full ride, merit-based scholarships.
Elle, currently in her third year, will be the first female graduate of The Citadel from our area. As a 2022 graduate of Statesboro High, she was a state champion JROTC Raider captain and varsity rifle captain.
She is currently studying to be a forensic scientist and will train to be a counterintelligence officer in the US Army.
Van, a 2024 graduate of Statesboro High, was a varsity Raider and drill captain in JROTC. He was also a captain in swimming, track, and cross country, as well as a standout actor in the drama department.
He just recently completed "Hell Week." During this incredibly difficult week, cadet recruits must endure extreme physical and mental challenges to be allowed into the Corps of Cadets at the school.
He is studying to be a quantum mechanical engineer and will train to be a US Army aviator, with his sights ultimately set on becoming an astronaut.
"They're both great kids and have worked extremely hard to get as far as they have," their dad, Ryan Rhodes, shared.
The Citadel offers a classic military college education for young men and women focused on leadership excellence and academic distinction. The approximately 2,300 members of the South Carolina Corps of Cadets are not required to serve in the military, but about one-third of each class earn commissions to become officers in every branch of US military service.
