A prestigious school sits right in the heart of downtown Roswell.

Since 1891, the New Mexico Military Institute (NMMI) has provided a strong program focused on challenging academics, leadership preparation and character development.

"You learn to get yourself up in the morning. You learn to dress, you learn to clean your room, you learn to organize your time so that your studies are done," said Major General Jerry Grizzle, president and superintendent at NMMI.

The institute is made up of a preparatory high school and junior college, totaling six years of education.

The school is also more than 20 years older than the state of New Mexico.

"It's very common that students will get college credit while they're in high school," Grizzle said. "Since I've been here [the last 14 years], we've had 20 students simultaneously graduate from high school and junior college."

Throughout the school year, cadets are met with a strict schedule, from early-morning formation to late-night study hall.

Like Charles Noel, who academically stands at the top of his class.

"The way you say 'new start' is really what it is. You know, it takes a lot of sacrifice," he said.

The California native said he made his own decision to attend NMMI and hasn't looked back since.

"I just wanted a change in my life. I wasn't really doing anything," he said. "I was just wasting potential, so I decided to make a bold change and come here [my junior year of high school]."

Barbra Guets is a cadet from Brazil.

She said her growth as an adult has been night and day.

"I came here to play volleyball, and also to be part of the school. I think it was interesting for me," Guets said. "I changed a lot. Like my leadership skills, my behavior, everything. It's so better now."

In 2022, both the high school and the graduating class for the institute's junior college averaged a 3.2 GPA.

While Grizzle said some cadets had plans to join the military after graduation, 95% of graduates chose to expand their education even further.

"This past year, we had eight direct entries into all the service academies. We have students in Ivy League schools. We had students really go wherever they want to," he said.

Megan Byers is a proud NMMI alumna.

She attended the school from 2010 to 2016, after falling in love with the campus during a tour.

She grew up with her family at the Mescalero Apache Reservation.

"I had applied, came and did the interview, and got in," Byers said. "It was something I wanted to be a part of."

The alumna now works as a teacher in Hobbs, but she still makes time to visit her old stomping grounds, particularly for big sporting events and celebrations.

"There's so many memories, and you meet people that just stick with you for life. You meet lifelong friends [and] people that become family. The culture here is very inclusive and you learn to support one another," she said.

NMMI is a place Byers hopes everyone can consider and ultimately experience.

For a chance at a better and brighter future.

"I never thought I could get in, and I got in. And six years later, there I was, you know?" Byers said. "It gives you that upper hand in life, that you can be successful no matter what you do."

The institute is already planning to offer more vocational education opportunities, in hopes of filling skilled jobs like plumbers, electricians, and carpenters.

If you or someone you know is interested in applying to the New Mexico Military Institute, visit their website here.