Retired Pine-Richland JROTC instructor named state American Legion educator of year
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Chief Michael Gasparetto has been named the 2024 Educator of the Year by the Pennsylvania American Legion.
Gasparetto retired from Pine-Richland School District earlier this month after serving as the district’s JROTC instructor since 20131.
The Pennsylvania American Legion will present Gasparetto with the award on July 19 in Harrisburg at the 105th Annual Department Convention.
Commander Bob Schleiden of Richland American Legion Post 548 facilitated Gasparetto’s nomination for the state recognition.
“We are extremely delighted that Chief Gasparetto was selected for the Educator of the Year award,” said Schleiden. ”There are approximately 500 American Legion posts in the state, and to be selected is an incredible tribute to Chief and to Pine-Richland’s JROTC program.”
Gasparetto joined the U.S. Air Force in 1981, became a recruiter in 1987 and retired in December 2010 before beginning his JROTC teaching career at Pine-Richland the following month.
“Chief Gasparatto helped establish a program at Pine-Richland that provided our students with so many inside and outside of the classroom learning experiences. His devotion to the program and cadets was special,” said Michael Pasquinelli, assistant superintendent for secondary curriculum and instruction. “Perhaps just as important as the learning experiences were the relationship and leadership-building activities that Chief integrated into AFJROTC. Many students found their connection to school through JROTC.”
In his 13 years with Pine-Richland, Gasparetto led groups of students on trips to England, France, Germany, Belgium and Austria on a Band of Brothers WWII Battlefield tour; Vietnam, Cambodia and Thailand; and most recently to Rome and Athens.
Annually, his cadets supported two Honor Flight events welcoming home veterans and planting 2,977 flags outside of Mars Area High School to honor lives lost on Sept. 11, 2001.
Gasparetto coordinated color guards, rifle and saber cordon and flag-folding ceremonies at various events throughout the region, and organized the annual Veterans’ Day assembly at Pine-Richland High School. He held drill practice after school throughout each academic year and took cadets to several drill competitions annually, where they routinely finished in the top three.
“We are excited to continue to build on Chief’s legacy moving forward,” Pasquinelli said. “This honor is well deserved.”