Spring Branch ISD Featured News

Vilius Bagdzevicius, Class of 2026 at Memorial High School (MHS), is ready to take flight toward a future built on service, leadership and aviation. His goal is to become both a Naval Aviator and a civilian airline pilot, a dream that has followed him since his first flight at just 5 years old.

Flying represents more than a career for Vilius. It is where technical skill, leadership under pressure and service to others come together. Through 22 flight hours, FAA licenses and leading national championship drone teams, he has already proven the dedication it takes to make that dream a reality.

As he prepares for this next chapter, Vilius knows his journey was shaped by resilience. Moving to the United States in February 2023 with only his parents and sister meant starting over completely. Within weeks, he scheduled his first EAA Young Eagles flight, made new friends despite the language barrier and earned the Star Geometry Student Award at Porter High School. It was a defining moment that taught him adaptability is not just surviving change, it is thriving through it.

His experience in Spring Branch Independent School District (SBISD), especially through NJROTC at the Guthrie Center, transformed his high school career. The program gave him a structured environment to build leadership skills and opened doors to remarkable opportunities, including selection for the Commander Naval Air Forces (CNAF) Flight Academy, where he was one of just 28 students selected nationwide.

NJROTC also helped launch his success in drone competition, where he led teams to regional, national and world championship victories. As Executive Officer, managing more than 100 cadets, and as captain of the drone team, Vilius learned leadership is not about a title it's about responsibility, discipline and holding yourself to the highest standards. He also teaches the 14 CFR Part 107 Remote Pilot (Commercial Drone Operator) course, further sharing his passion for aviation with others.

“NJROTC didn’t just teach me discipline it showed me how to turn passion into actual measurable achievement,” he said.

The program also played a major role in helping him earn Naval ROTC and Army ROTC national scholarships, as well as acceptance to the U.S. Naval Academy Preparatory School.

Two people made the greatest impact on his journey. His father, a retired Lithuanian intelligence officer now battling Parkinson’s disease, taught him what true leadership looks like through service, discipline and courage. Watching his father serve his country and face illness with strength inspired Vilius to enlist in the Texas Army National Guard and pursue military aviation.

Another influential mentor was CDR William Breland, senior naval science instructor at the Guthrie Center. As a Naval Aviator himself, Breland nominated and sponsored Vilius for the CNAF Flight Academy and supported his vision for building the competitive and commercial NJROTC drone team. His mentorship helped shape Vilius as both a leader and future aviator.

SBISD gave Vilius the platform to prove that challenges can become opportunities. From founding the Memorial High School Aviation Club to competing on the world stage in Indiana this year, he credits the support of teachers, counselors, staff and peers for helping him succeed.

In the fall, he will attend Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach, Florida, on a full Naval ROTC scholarship to pursue a Bachelor of Science in Aeronautical Science with Flight. Through NROTC, he will commission as a Naval Officer and pursue Naval Aviation while building the qualifications and flight hours needed for a career as a civilian airline pilot.

#SBISDProud