Published: March 06, 2008 08:50 am      

Thunderbird cadets show off campus

Cadets were surprised last week with two famous vistors when Trisha Yearwood and Karri Turner toured the

campus on Feb. 25.

Yearwood spoke to the cadets about the importance of a good education. She knew her family didn’t have the means to support her singing career, so she continued her education in college in case she ever needed it.

Despite not knowing anyone in the singing business, she pursued her dream, but had her education to fall back on if needed.

Yearwood said she hasn’t needed her education yet, but she’s happy she took her parents advice and urged the cadets to do the same.

Turner, who spent nine years as an actress on the television show JAG and is active with the USO, was asked to emcee the National Guard Youth Foundation “Champion” Gala in Washington D.C. on Feb. 26, the same event where her good friend, Yearwood, was asked to perform. The Foundation didn’t know the two were friends.

When the Foundation asked Yearwood to visit the Thunderbird Youth Academy, Turner made a special trip from California to join Yearwood on the tour of

campus.

“Trisha went to Washington D.C. to sing, but wound up telling about our program between every song she sang to the guests,” said Jane Bennett, Oklahoma National Guard Youth Programs Division Executive Assistant. “She was excited about what we do here.”