Retired Col. Scott D. Stewart ’99 commands the Air Force Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps Color Guard at Wekiva High School, where he emphasizes discipline through appearance and conduct. His cadets have performed at high-profile venues including NBA playoff games with the Orlando Magic and a National Prayer Breakfast in Apopka, FL, and will perform at the NASCAR Cup Series finale at Daytona International Speedway on August 29.
Stewart’s mission centers on building student confidence and character. “I want them to realize that they can do the impossible,” he says, emphasizing self-respect through daily habits.
From Gas Station to Classroom
Growing up in Berwick, Maine, Stewart worked at his family’s gas station by age five. Education wasn’t prioritized, and he initially pursued law enforcement after watching police dramas. Military service as a law enforcement specialist followed, but unemployment afterward forced him to confront his own limitations. While working at 7-Eleven, he recognized the necessity of formal education.
Stewart earned his bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from Empire State University, which enabled his advancement to captain in the U.S. Army. He went on to earn a master’s degree in emergency disaster management in 2004 and retired in 2022 as commander of the 919th Special Operations Mission Support Group. In 2024, he completed an MBA from UNC Charlotte — graduating alongside his own son.
174 Cadets Strong
At Wekiva High School, Stewart now supervises 174 cadets, roughly 10% of the student body. The color guard has performed at Disney World and veteran ceremonies alike. He secured grants for flight simulators to support aviation career pathways and hosts military recruitment events for his students.
A surprise birthday celebration orchestrated by his colleagues says as much about his impact as any of it — a reminder, his students and staff would say, of just how far discipline, service, and a little bit of impossible can take you.
