- Cherokee High School
- CHS NJROTC Cadets
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- NJROTC Summer Activities
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NJROTC News Article: Summer Operations
Cherokee’s NJROTC program extends beyond the boundaries of the normal school year. During the summer, the cadets are offered a plethora of trips, events, and other experiences that they can sign up for.
In late June, sixteen cadets take a bus ride up to the New York Military Academy, Cornwall-on-Hudson, New York for a five day trip dedicated to training and leadership building in an Army style environment. The trip is called the Joint Cadet Leadership Challenge, or JCLC. In the four years of JROTC; this is my personal favorite trip. Sure you have to wake up early, exercise before breakfast, training, drill, train, and many other things, but with other things like rafting, rappelling, marksmanship training, and more importantly creating bonds with fellow cadets from around the tri-state area, it is impossible to have a less than amazing time.During July, the two future student Commanders of the JROTC program for the upcoming school year are sent to Leadership Academy/Sail Training or LA/ST at Naval Station Rhode Island where their leadership skills are both honed and tested. Like JCLC, it is in a disciplined military environment to teach basic unit leadership to the future Commanding Officer and Executive Officer of the unit. Where there is discipline there is motivation, where there is motivation there is teamwork, and what better way to make new friends and experience great times then to share it with other equally motivated cadets from around the country. By the time the two cadets return home, they are seasoned leaders ready to take charge of the ROTC here at Cherokee, and lead the way to a prosperous year.
Last but not least is Summer Orientation. All of the incoming cadets are encouraged to attend the week of orientation to get a head start on the JROTC related tasks to come. The orientation is held at Cherokee and is only a few hours per day, but the new recruits learn basic drill, uniform regulations, Naval customs, receive free uniforms, and receive assistance from current cadets from the NS2 class to the NS4 class; not to mention that the older Cadets are the ones that run the show during the week. By completing this orientation, the new recruits receive an early promotion, their first ribbon, and knowledge that will excel them in the program.
If there’s one thing about the ROTC program that will remain consistent after many years, it’s that there is never a shortage of things to do. A student is limited only by themselves. From thrilling trips, to community service events we also commit to over the summer. The Cherokee NJROTC program remains in full throttle throughout the summer, and throughout the year.
Davis Rohrer