Commitment to community, commitment to self

Inside Homewood High School’s JROTC classroom, students are learning discipline, diligence and community awareness every day. 

Retired Air Force Sgt. Vincent Simmons is now in his 10th year teaching the program that has existed at Homewood since the early 1970s. Simmons has seen many faces come and go from his JROTC classes, but the one constant has been his commitment to his students’ enrichment. 

“What we try to do is try to get them involved in things that they wouldn’t normally do,” Simmons said. “The community service is typically things they’ve really enjoyed doing, and wearing the uniform, believe it or not.”

Most days begin either in the classroom or in the field for Simmons and his students, depending on what he believes they need to focus on that day. 

“It could be a focus on how to lead; it could be how to structure and conduct a staff meeting, how to monitor progress on projects, how to plan a project,” Simmons said. 

He and his class recently began a new lesson plan that covers an array of subjects, from the ins and outs of banking to handling stress and practicing public speaking.

A 26-year veteran of the Air Force, Simmons calls his enlistment in 1984 “a life changing decision” and accredits his time in service for helping him grow to be the man he is today. He hopes the same happens for his JROTC students. 

“It puts you on a positive path, and if you’re dedicated enough or mentally strong enough to focus on it, it has a lot of advantages,” Simmons said. “And that’s what we try to do with the kids: to give them a path to grow into men and women.”

The group’s commitment to the community ranges from cleaning up highways to participating in flag-folding ceremonies for Veterans Day at Homewood and Pizitz middle schools, Dawson Family of Faith and in downtown Birmingham.

“They also like helping around the school. It wasn’t that way when I got there, and the kids have just kind of bought into it, and they’ve grown and they actually enjoy it,” Simmons said.

But for Simmons, the best part of the job is reaching his kids. 

“They keep me motivated, I keep them motivated, and I literally feel like it has kind of become my purpose in life, to grow that program and to make it one of the best programs in the state, and we’re well on our way to doing that.”