Cheers and applause burst out of the neat rows of uniformed cadets last night. They hugged. Tears fell.

Transcription

1

2 Annapolis High NJROTC named top unit in nation Elisabeth Hulette - The Capital Brian Stewart, left, posts the flag during the Annapolis High School Navy Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps awards ceremony and changing of the command. By ELISABETH HULETTE, Staff Writer Published May 30, 2008 When students and parents in Annapolis High School's Navy Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps learned they were named the top unit in the nation, they seemed confused. They looked around the room. Then it sank in. Cheers and applause burst out of the neat rows of uniformed cadets last night. They hugged. Tears fell. "There's nothing that can describe this," said Susie Auger, 16, her eyes puffy but her smile wide. "This is the best thing in the world that anybody can ever do." Being No. 1 means Annapolis was the best out of 619 NJROTC units nationwide, said Cmdr. Royal Connell, one of two teachers in the program.

3 The announcement was made last night at the end of an annual NJROTC awards ceremony and change of command, when seniors hand over their titles to younger cadets. NJROTC is a course in school like any other - students take it during the school day and earn academic credit. But the program is more than that, Cmdr. Connell said. It gives students the confidence and support they need to grow and succeed. "They're the greatest kids you ever saw," Cmdr. Connell said. "You find people talking about how awful kids are today, but I don't see that." Only one other county public school has a JROTC program, he said: the Army JROTC at Meade High school. Annapolis High's NJROTC competes with other units every year in meets and evaluations, going head-to-head in academics, athletics, leadership, drills, seamanship and other skills. Annapolis High's unit made an impressive showing in a difficult year, said Theresa Casey, who works in the NJROTC headquarters office in Pensacola, Fla. "The competition was ferocious, because we have so many great units," she said. "It's trying to separate the best from the great." Annapolis's unit stood out because it went above and beyond what it was required to do, particularly in hosting competitions at the school and contributing to the program's national curriculum, she said. Jim Offutt, president of the mid-atlantic region of the Navy League, said last night the unit's student leaders especially stood out this year. "It really had to do with the leadership of the cadets," he said, adding that units driven by adult leadership aren't as impressive as schools where students take the reins. He told the cadets that when Annapolis was chosen for the top spot, a group from Texas argued for half an hour with the NJROTC leaders. "They were stunned they didn't get it. But no, Annapolis got it," he said.

4 Sean Grammick, a rising senior, was named next year's company commander during last night's ceremony. Students learn leadership and confidence from NJROTC, he said. "You go in front of a Marine instructor and he yells in your face and you yell back. It's great," he said. Annie Bukowski, a senior and the outgoing company commander, said the roughly 100 students in the unit are like a family. "We're really close," she said. Several students credited Cmdr. Connell and the other NJROTC teacher, Lt. Cmdr. Bob Baker, with their success. "They're like our dads," said Lena Sutch, 17, a junior. "I don't know where I'd be without them." And Tommi Brown, the unit's fund-raising chair and the parent of a cadet who graduated from the unit in 2005, said NJROTC is more than just a class. For some students, the support they get from the commanders and each other keeps them on track. "Without NJROTC, a lot of these kids wouldn't be going to college. They'd be hanging out with the wrong crowds," she said. "It gives them the ability to choose right."

5 Anne Arundel County Public School website Annapolis High School Naval Junior ROTC Unit Named Best in Nation The Naval Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (NJROTC) unit at Annapolis High School has been named the Navy League s Most Outstanding Unit, besting 600 units across the country to claim the nation s top honor for the school year. The surprise announcement was made Thursday night at the unit s 14th annual change of command ceremony at the school. The trophy is sponsored by the U.S. Navy League and is awarded annually based on the NJROTC area managers evaluations of the overall performances of individual units. Elements of those evaluations include academic performance, community service, and inter-unit competitions in academics, drill, color guard, athletics, and air rifle....read More Annapolis High School Naval Junior ROTC Unit Named Best in Nation

6 This is a great honor for Annapolis High School and especially for this program, Annapolis High School Principal Don Lilley said. We are very proud of these students and of the outstanding way in which they represent our school every day. Annapolis High NJROTC offers a diverse yet balanced mix of activities designed to attract and retain a wide range of cadets. The program, which has approximately 100 cadets this year, serves the school s mission to get students involved in the school and the community, and to help them develop and hone skills that will help them succeed in life. The unit is highly regarded, sets a benchmark for excellence, and continues to produce outstanding young leaders and citizens who serve as excellent role models within the school community and graduate to serve as responsible and productive members of society. It has received Distinguished Unit with Academic Honors recognition from the Commander, Naval Education and Training Command, for the last nine consecutive years. The unit has also consistently been ranked among the top 20 percent of units nationwide. NJROTC is a citizenship program designed to help students to remain in school, graduate, and become responsible citizens, said Cmdr. Royal W. Connell, who is in charge of Annapolis unit. For active cadets, the greatest benefit of the NJROTC program is personal growth and

7 development, and the opportunity to realize untapped potential. Junior ROTC Units for all the military services were authorized by Congress in The Navy has NJROTC units in schools throughout the United States, Guam, Spain, and Italy. Annapolis NJROTC was established in 1993 as the only Navy unit in Anne Arundel County.

8 The students say the ROTC is well respected on campus. CBS Annapolis Navy Jr. ROTC Win National Award ANNAPOLIS, Md. (WJZ) The best Navy Junior ROTC unit is right here in Maryland. Gigi Barnett reports on the students who earned the title. They had plenty hours of community service, good grades and lots of leadership. For months the Navy Junior ROTC unit at Annapolis High School practiced. They worked overtime on drills, they boosted their grades, and completed more than 5,000 hours of community service. The students received two trophies, one for Best Unit in the District and the other for the Number one Unit in the Nation. "We worked really hard to finally make it this far," said Lt. Juliann Durkee. Lt. Commander Annie Burkowski and Lt. Juliann Durkee run the unit. They made a goal of winning the regional award at the beginning of the school year. "Once we decided we wanted to make it really big, we stepped up practices really crazy. We just put in the time to get what we needed and it paid off," said Lt. Juliann Durkee. But they didn't know that they had won the national award too. "I didn't tell them, cause I wanted it to be a secret," said Commander Royal Connell. Commander Royal Connell, kept the secret for a week. He finally told them Thursday night at the unit's award ceremony. "One of the things they have to do is set goals, best in the nation. They were talking about best in the area," said Connell. Students say their reputation on the Annapolis high campus is quite clear, even before their national award. They said they will work to keep it that way. The unit was ranked based on academics, community service, drill team and athletics. ( MMVIII, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)

9