Wayne Baker, left, of the Navy League’s Carson City Council, presents a certificate recognizing Navy Junior ROTC cadet Noah Ciminski of Carson City as a recipient of a $500 scholarship. From left are Baker, Ciminski and Lt. Cmdr. Jason Bardin, an instructor with the Carson City JROTC program.
Photo by Steve Ranson.
By Steve Ranson
Wednesday, May 21, 2025
Two students from western Nevada are this year’s recipients of $500 scholarships that were presented on May 7 by the Navy League’s Carson City Council.
Navy League member Wayne Baker introduced each instructor and cadet and presented the scholarship checks along with Donna Brand.
Noah Ciminski, a senior at Carson High School, and Keileene Kato, a senior at Churchill County High School, received their scholarships at the Navy League’s spring meeting.
Ciminski is also a soldier in the Nevada Army National Guard and will attend his basic training at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, this summer. He expressed interest in becoming a combat medic.
“I chose Noah for our scholarship because he’s going into the National Guard,” said retired Lt. Cmdr. Jason Bardin, an instructor with the Carson City JROTC program. “Noah is our master chief of our program.”
Prior to coming to Carson High School late in the year, Bardin was an instructor in the Churchill JROTC program.
Ciminski said the JROTC program has been an important part of his life while attending Carson High School.
“It has changed me in so many ways,” Ciminski said, citing the wearing of uniforms to the haircuts and instructors. “It’s all benefitted me in ways that I couldn’t express in words, but I just want to thank Commander Bardin and the other instructors who aren’t here and everyone in the room for everything they do in this community.”
Ciminski said he would like to attend Western Nevada College with his career goal in law enforcement.
After Ciminski received his scholarship, Bardin gave the Navy League an update on the program and what the cadets have been doing this year. He said the program has almost 300 students, and a new instructor will be on board July 1.
Retired Master Chief James Walker came out of retirement to assist Bardin with the Churchill JRTOC program until a new instructor was hired. Walker had been an instructor at Reed High School in Sparks before retiring and moving to Fallon because his wife has family in the area.
In addition to Walker, Billy Thompson volunteered his time with the program and worked with the students on their leadership skills.
Walker said Kato is one of the best student officers with whom he has instructed.
“She has been truly amazing,” he said of the unit’s commanding officer, who plans to attend WNC and major in nursing.
Likewise, Kato was complimentary of Walker and Thompson for working with the cadets and helping to make the program “even greater than before.”
“I am glad to be part of this unit, and it’s in good hands,” she added.
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