The JROTC program at Atholton High School (also offered at Howard HS & Oakland Mills HS) allows participating students to excel both as a student and a member of the community as well as discover other pathways to a successful future.
Transcript
[Music playing]
[Atholton JRTOC students moving in unison.]
“Drill team. Attention! Dress right, DRESS! Right! Front!”
[Music playing]
(LTC William Reinhart, JROTC Senior Army Instructor at Atholon HS) Well, the mission of the JROTC program is to motivate students to be better citizens. That’s the real easy bottom line mission of what we do here. We do it through a combination of training and hand’s on leadership opportunities for the kids here.
[Uniformed students in formation]
(Robert Stephenson, JROTC Cadet Major at Atholon HS) I joined the program to learn leadership, something I don’t really believe is taught in the regular student world. Leadership is something you need to succeed in life and without it you’re just a follower. Followers aren’t successful and that’s why I joined JROTC.
(Kiralin Francis-Williams, JROTC Cadet Captain at Atholon HS) Originally I really just thought it was something that was fun and interesting to do in high school. That was about 8th grade. And then when I got into the program, I realized the camaraderie and the friendships that I made were very long lasting and of course drill team was amazing, so I decided to stay.
[Students practicing drills]
(LTC William Reinhart) Really what we do with them is hold them accountable. We force them into situations and give them the opportunities to where they can explore their own leadership styles and their own character. Within the program we do that in a military sort of ranked structure throughout the system here.
(Kiralin Francis-Williams) As a freshman, I didn’t really talk to people. I had friends but I really only had a close-knit group of friends and didn’t really venture out of my comfort zone a lot. Now I’m doing everything pretty much, I’m friends with everybody in the program. Everyone in the school. I, um, just the leadership skills that you gain from ROTC are very worthwhile.
(LTC William Reinhart) There is absolutely no obligation for continued service, or any service after the JROTC program. We’re here to try to foster citizenship, pride in the U.S., pride in the community. And developing these nascent character traits that they have at this point. Integrity, honor, discipline, motivation.
(Robert Stephenson) The JROTC puts you above an average student and teaches you how to lead. It teaches you how to act. It teaches you the seven army values… loyalty, duty, respect, selfless service, honor, integrity, and personal courage. Most normal students don’t have that and JROTC puts that into kids.
[Students marching in formation.]
(LTC William Reinhart) The one thing we expect all our students to take away is a little bit more of self-reliance, self-discipline, and forward thinking. They have the future at their doorstep and they should be able to grasp it. And have the tools necessary to take full advantage of whatever career path they choose.
[Music playing]