More than 200 cadets from Rayburn's JROTC program said goodbye to their high anxiety recently in a rappelling exercise conducted with the support of the Pasadena ISD and the Pasadena Fire Department.

The dangling cadets used a half-inch rope to scale a 70-foot summit.

"The reason we take our cadets rappelling is to help jump start their self-confidence," said Cadet Capt. Jessica Muñoz, the commander of Delta Company, "so they can see exactly what they are capable of doing if they only apply themselves and have a little faith and self-discipline."

The cadets have been rappelling twice a year every year since the program started in 2005.

Sam Rayburn ninth-grader Milagro Guzman finds it easy to
reach new heights on a rappelling rope.