September 29, 2025
Eustis High Senior Jesse Moon Chooses Path of Service in U.S. Marine Corps
By Kyle Coppola
Eustis High Senior Jesse Moon Chooses Path of Service in U.S. Marine Corps
Jesse Moon, a 17-year-old senior from Eustis High School, has decided to pursue a future in the U.S. Marine Corps following his graduation this spring.
Jesse, who has been a member of the school’s ROTC program all four years, says joining the Marines is both a calling and an opportunity to make a difference. He recently completed his Military Entrance Processing Station (MEPS) requirements in Tampa and is preparing to ship out after graduation.
(Jesse is just 17 years old but has already committed to the U.S. Marine Corps after he graduates from Eustis High School in the spring of 2026.)
For Jesse, he wanted to do something bigger than himself.
“I wanted to do something I could make a difference in and keep the country and loved ones safe,” Jesse says.
In addition to ROTC, Jesse has also served on color guard the past two years along with playing for the Eustis High football team for three season. Teachers and coaches describe him as an outstanding student with strong leadership skills.
(Jesse has played high school football and has also been involved with the Eustis High Color Guard.)
He credits his faith, family and mentors for shaping his path. Jesse also looks up to his older brother, Donald, and to his grandfather, Randall Moon, who stepped into the role of a father figure. He also expressed deep gratitude for his mother Heather, who continually pushes him to succeed.
“Some people want recognition,” the family shared in a recent post. “Jesse wanted transformation. Not the kind you get from the classroom or a job.”
(Jesse is part of the AFJROTC.)
Jesse joins so many who choose to serve in the military after high school in Lake & Sumter County.
Kyle Coppola was born in Newton, Massachusetts and received his Bachelor of Fine Arts in Communications from Curry College in 2016. After traveling to Florida on a family vacation, he decided he could not get enough of the warm weather and made the move from snowy Massachusetts to central Florida 8 years ago.
For the last decade Kyle has gained valuable experience in social media content creation, marketing and sales, writing, video production, sports announcing and even broadcasting for local radio stations, such as FM 102.9 in The Villages and FM 91.5 in Massachusetts. Every year he volunteers at The Villages Charter High School as a play-by-play sports announcer for the football games as well as a public address announcer for the basketball games, including the annual Battle at The Villages Tournament.
Outside the office Kyle is a husband and father to two beautiful girls along with their cat. In his spare time he likes to spend time with his family, travel, play golf and swim. He is also a huge sports junkie and even bigger motorsports fan and loves to attend racing events when he can.
