TAMPA, FL. – National Navy leaders will visit Tampa’s Thomas Jefferson High School on Friday, March 25 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 also will share information about its $180,000 ROTC Scholarship Program, which pays full college tuition for students with exceptional academic and leadership credentials.
The main attraction will be the Nimitz, a mobile, state-of-the-art virtual reality experience that simulates a high-speed rescue of Navy SEALS under fire.
The visit to Jefferson is part of a week-long Navy blitz of the area, including an engagement at Hillsborough High School and a Sailor Reef Dive and Robotics demonstration at the Florida Aquarium. Also, Navy recruiting leadership will participate in the upcoming Tampa Bay Air Fest.
So, what exactly happens inside the mobile, 18-wheeler, Nimitz virtual reality experience? 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 navigate the mission using a cutting-edge steering wheel and throttle system that replicates the actual sensation of piloting a high-speed SWCC while extracting SEALs.
Once finished, participants move to the debriefing station, where they receive feedback and a performance grade.
“We are extremely excited to spend a day at Jefferson High School, meeting with the exceptional students and faculty, and discussing the great opportunities available in the Navy,” says Captain Ronel Reyes, Director of Navy Diversity and Outreach. “It is important for high school students to understand that a Navy STEM career offers an exceptional future.”
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