Ocala high school student awarded Bronze Cross by Legion of Valor

An Ocala high school student who maintains a 5.0 grade point average and is a National Merit Scholar semifinalist, was just awarded one of the most prestigious medals bestowed to members of the Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps.

Sanjay Karthik received the Legion of Valor’s Bronze Cross during Tuesday night’s regular meeting of the Marion County School Board. The award was presented to Karthik by his teacher, Steven Davis.

“The Legion of Valor of the United States is an organization composed of the Medal of Honor, Distinguished Service Cross, Navy Cross, and Air Force Cross award recipients. Annually, JROTC senior instructors may nominate one cadet from their area,” said Davis, who is the Senior Naval Science Instructor at Vanguard High School.

Davis went on to describe the process by which Karthik was selected, saying the award recognized the student’s “academic excellence in Naval science and academic subjects.”

The Legion of Valor was established in 1960 and was first awarded in 1961. The award is given annually to outstanding junior division, military school division, senior division Reserve Officer Training Corps students and to National Defense Cadet Corps students to encourage achievement of scholastic excellence in both military and academic subjects and to stimulate development of leadership.

Karthik maintains a 5.0 GPA and has been an active member of the Navy JROTC for three years. He now serves as the commanding officer of the Knight’s Battalion, the high school’s JROTC division. In his leadership role, Karthik has been responsible for turning over 200 students into cadets.

“JROTC is more than just a class. It is more than just a feeder into the military. Ultimately, it is a program that fosters that highest level of values within its students,” said Karthik during his remarks. Karthik lead the room in the Pledge of Allegiance before he was surprised by his instructor with the award.

Karthik said that having entered high school during the COVID era, he felt isolated from his school and his peers, and that JROTC helped him connect with others and “challenge” himself.

“Opening the door to the JROTC classroom was like opening the door to challenge and opportunity,” said Karthik, saying he had never held a gun before he joined the group’s air rifle team.

Karthik says that, through his time participating in JROTC, he has been inspired to live a life of “selfless service” to help children, veterans, and others in his community. He says he’s applying to the United States Air Force Academy to take what he’s “learned as a cadet” to serve his country.

“Being nominated is one thing, but, actually being selected for the Legion of Valor Bronze Cross puts you in very elite company,” said Marion County School Board Chair Nancy Thrower after Karthik received the medal. “Thank you for the example that you’re setting, not only for other students and obviously your very proud family, but for the whole community, as to what can happen when you step outside your comfort zone and just do and go where you’re being led.”

Karthik, who is a senior at Vanguard High School and is participating in the International Baccalaureate Program,was one of five Ocala high school students named National Scholar Semifinalists in September.

Earlier this year, one of Karthik’s classmates, Joseph Lavdas, was one of only 28 individuals selected to participate in the U.S. Navy Summer Flight Academy.