On Friday, April 19, Navy Outreach and Diversity leaders visited Wagner High School in search of high-ability students who have what it takes to excel in high-demand STEM fields, such as nuclear engineering, cryptology, IT and health care.
The Navy shared information about its $180,000 ROTC Scholarship Program, which pays full college tuition for students with exceptional academic and leadership credentials. The main attraction was the Nimitz, a mobile, state-of the-art virtual reality experience that simulates an actual high-speed Navy SEAL mission.
Participants go through a video briefing before strapping on an Oculus Rift headset and a piece of wearable technology called a SubPac (traditionally used by Club DJs) that percusses in real time to the sounds of the mission. Participants navigated the mission using a cutting-edge steering wheel and throttle system that replicate the actual sensation of piloting a high-speed SWCC boat while extracting SEALs. Once finished, participants moved to the debriefing station, where they receive feedback and a performance grade.
“We are extremely excited to spend time at Wagner High School, meeting with exceptional students and faculty, and discussing the great opportunities available in today’s Navy,” says Commander Dominique Jackson, Navy Diversity and Outreach. “It is important for today’s high school students to understand that a Navy STEM career offers an exceptional future.”