Zach Flash is a model student, one who represents the very best our school has to offer. Recently this student-scholar has added arguably his most prestigious leadership position to his already long resume of achievements. Flash is North Atlanta’s 2016 JROTC Battalion Commander. In this capacity he leads the 250-strong program, a number which makes the program one of the school’s largest organizations.

North Atlanta JROTC recently won a major award and Flash was part of the effort. In June, Flash and others went to Washington, D.C., to compete in the Junior Leadership and Academic Bowl (JLAB) Championships. Only the top 40 teams in the nation were selected out of 2,000 teams in the country to participate. North Atlanta JROTC cadets placed 12th in the nation. Under the command of Flash, JROTC achieved a 99.6 percent in school inspection during a recent competition, which was the highest rating in school history.

For his own part, Flash received the National Legion of Valor Bronze Cross for Achievement. This award recognizes Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps (JROTC) cadets who demonstrate excellence in military, scholastic, and civic affairs.  Flash is one of only 2 recipients of more than 20,000 cadets in the South East, and one of only 29 cadets in the entire United States who received this prestigious award.

He started his JROTC journey at North Atlanta his freshmen year. Becoming Battalion Commander is the culmination of his efforts. “It’s an honor to take this role and it comes with a lot of responsibility,” Flash said.

Last year as an Executive Officer, he helped lead JROTC to place in the JROTC Leadership and Academic Bowl national competition. The team came 12th out of 2,000 teams competing nationally. Flash said JROTC has an important mission for all of its participants. “It instills the mission to make young people better citizens. And there are a lot of things we learn here that have very practical applications in the real world,” he said.
Aside from JROTC, Flash is in a slew of other student organizations including Students of Excellence and ACE (Ambassadors and Champions of Excellence). He is a punter on the football team and a member of the football leadership team. He serves on North Atlanta’s student-athlete leadership team and is the Rifle Team captain.

For college, Flash hopes to attend the Air Force Academy where he will major in an academic discipline that could lead to a career in the U.S. government’s Foreign Service. Whether he is in a football jersey or a heavily decorated JROTC uniform, Flash is a committed Warrior who influences North Atlanta in great ways, all while leaving an inspiring trail behind him.