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A CH47 Chinook helicopter kicks out dust and leaves as it takes off from the circle drive at State Farm Center one of several times with groups of UI Army ROTC students in an event tied to Military Appreciation Day, At the State Farm Center in Champaign on Nov. 9, 2023.
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A CH47 Chinook helicopter kicks out dust and leaves as it takes off from the circle drive at State Farm Center one of several times with groups of UI Army ROTC students in an event tied to Military Appreciation Day, At the State Farm Center in Champaign on Nov. 9, 2023.
Robin Scholz/The News-Gazette
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Cadets wait for their turn as a A CH47 Chinook helicopter landed and took off from the circle drive at State Farm Center several times with groups of UI Army ROTC students in an event tied to Military Appreciation Day, At the state Farm Center in Champaign on Nov. 9, 2023.
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University of Illinois graduate pilot CW2 Hager and his co-pilot prepare for the first take-off of a CH47 Chinook helicopter that landed and took off from the circle drive at State Farm Center several times with groups of UI Army ROTC students in an event tied to Military Appreciation Day, At the State Farm Center in Champaign on Nov. 9, 2023.
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Smiles all around as a group of students disembarks from a CH47 Chinook helicopter in the circle driven the State Farm Center after their ride. UI Army ROTC students in an event tied to Military Appreciation Day, At the state Farm Center in Champaign on Nov. 9, 2023.
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Smiles all around as a group of students is welcomed back after disembarking from a CH47 Chinook helicopter in the circle drive at State Farm Center after their ride. UI Army ROTC students in an event tied to Military Appreciation Day, At the state Farm Center in Champaign on Nov. 9, 2023.
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The next group of UI Army ROTC students gets on a CH47 Chinook helicopter for their ride of in an event tied to Military Appreciation Day. At the State Farm Center in Champaign on Nov. 9, 2023.
Robin Scholz/The News-Gazette
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The second take off was much cleaner as A CH47 Chinook helicopter took off from the circle drive at State Farm Center several times with groups of UI Army ROTC students in an event tied to Military Appreciation Day, At the state Farm Center in Champaign on Nov. 9, 2023.
Robin Scholz/The News-Gazette
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A CH47 Chinook helicopter kicks out dust and leaves as it takes off from the circle drive at State Farm Center one of several times with groups of UI Army ROTC students in an event tied to Military Appreciation Day, At the State Farm Center in Champaign on Nov. 9, 2023.
Robin Scholz/The News-Gazette
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PHOTO GALLERY: ROTC students get a new view of campus
On Thursday in Champaign, a CH47 Chinook helicopter landed and took off from the circle drive at State Farm Center several times with groups of UI Army ROTC students in an event tied to Military Appreciation Day.
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A CH47 Chinook helicopter kicks out dust and leaves as it takes off from the circle drive at State Farm Center one of several times with groups of UI Army ROTC students in an event tied to Military Appreciation Day, At the State Farm Center in Champaign on Nov. 9, 2023.
Robin Scholz/The News-Gazette
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A CH47 Chinook helicopter kicks out dust and leaves as it takes off from the circle drive at State Farm Center one of several times with groups of UI Army ROTC students in an event tied to Military Appreciation Day, At the State Farm Center in Champaign on Nov. 9, 2023.
Robin Scholz/The News-Gazette
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Cadets wait for their turn as a A CH47 Chinook helicopter landed and took off from the circle drive at State Farm Center several times with groups of UI Army ROTC students in an event tied to Military Appreciation Day, At the state Farm Center in Champaign on Nov. 9, 2023.
Robin Scholz/The News-Gazette
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University of Illinois graduate pilot CW2 Hager and his co-pilot prepare for the first take-off of a CH47 Chinook helicopter that landed and took off from the circle drive at State Farm Center several times with groups of UI Army ROTC students in an event tied to Military Appreciation Day, At the State Farm Center in Champaign on Nov. 9, 2023.
Robin Scholz/The News-Gazette
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Smiles all around as a group of students disembarks from a CH47 Chinook helicopter in the circle driven the State Farm Center after their ride. UI Army ROTC students in an event tied to Military Appreciation Day, At the state Farm Center in Champaign on Nov. 9, 2023.
Robin Scholz/The News-Gazette
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Smiles all around as a group of students is welcomed back after disembarking from a CH47 Chinook helicopter in the circle drive at State Farm Center after their ride. UI Army ROTC students in an event tied to Military Appreciation Day, At the state Farm Center in Champaign on Nov. 9, 2023.
Robin Scholz/The News-Gazette
Buy Now
The next group of UI Army ROTC students gets on a CH47 Chinook helicopter for their ride of in an event tied to Military Appreciation Day. At the State Farm Center in Champaign on Nov. 9, 2023.
Robin Scholz/The News-Gazette
Buy Now
The second take off was much cleaner as A CH47 Chinook helicopter took off from the circle drive at State Farm Center several times with groups of UI Army ROTC students in an event tied to Military Appreciation Day, At the state Farm Center in Champaign on Nov. 9, 2023.
Robin Scholz/The News-Gazette
Buy Now
A CH47 Chinook helicopter kicks out dust and leaves as it takes off from the circle drive at State Farm Center one of several times with groups of UI Army ROTC students in an event tied to Military Appreciation Day, At the State Farm Center in Champaign on Nov. 9, 2023.
Robin Scholz/The News-Gazette
CHAMPAIGN — The CH47 Chinook helicopter that touched down near the State Farm Center on Thursday may have looked intimidating, but it was a cool experience for ROTC members and high schoolers.
High school students from across the state shadowed University of Illinois ROTC members for a “day in the life” as a cadet.
The Chinook visit may have set expectations a little high, but the students also talked to cadets about what regular training and classes would be like.
“The team bonding is the cool part,” said Rosalinda Lopez of Mendota Township High School.
Sammie Findysz, from William Fremd High School in Palatine, was looking forward to the ROTC open house, where the students might get to see some real weapons.
Of course the students all agreed the best part of the day was seeing the helicopter.
None of the high schoolers were allowed to take a ride — that was reserved for cadets — but they got to explore inside the Chinook while it was grounded and watch it come in and take off.
It’s a powerful machine: The twin blades produced enough wind to clear all the leaves from the State Farm Center lawn, faster than any leaf blower.
Once it landed, cadets and students filed in to look at how everything worked and take some photos.
Most of the students are planning to go to UI and join ROTC there, but few are in high school ROTC programs as many of their schools don’t offer that option in the first place.
Marissa Swierkosz from St. Charles North High School said that she’s been interested in joining the military for a while.
“It runs in the family,” she said.
Normal Community High School’s Lizeth Sandoval said that having her tuition paid for was a big reason to join ROTC.
“Well, it’s for helping people first, but the tuition is a nice bonus,” Sandoval said.
The opportunity to work together with a group is another draw for a number of the students, including Findysz.
“I’ve always been good at academics and sports, but what I really like is being on a team,” she said.
