Designated Naval Honor School, Program with Distinction 2009-2019
Marine Corps Reserve Association, Region V Best Marine Corps Unit 2010, 2011, 2012, 2014, 2015 and 2016
The Marine Corps Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps program mission is to instill in students in United States secondary educational institutions the values of citizenship, service to the United States, personal responsibility and a sense of accomplishment.
CyberPatriot is the National Youth Cyber Education Program conceived by the Air Force Association (AFA) to inspire high school students toward careers in cybersecurity or other science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines critical to our nation’s future.
At the center of CyberPatriot is the National Youth Cyber Defense Competition. The competition puts teams of high school and middle school students in the position of newly hired IT professionals tasked with managing the network of a small company. In the rounds of competition, teams are given a set of virtual images that represent operating systems and are tasked with finding cybersecurity vulnerabilities within the images and hardening the system while maintaining critical services. Teams compete for the top placement within their state and region, and the top teams in the nation earn all-expenses paid trips to Washington, DC for the National Finals Competition where they can earn national recognition and scholarship money.
There are many benefits of participating on the Academic Team including:
A Marine Corps JROTC unit’s Color Guard is often a very active representative of the unit at pubic events. Whether it’s presenting the American Flag at high school basketball or football games, National Honor Society events, or school board meetings, the MCJROTC Color Guard stands ready to serve its host school. In the community, MCJROTC Color Guards perform at parades, ceremonies, and sporting events.
Marine Corps Junior ROTC Cadets across the nation dedicate countless hours to the closeorder drill. It is written into the MCJROTC curriculum as a means of instilling discipline and esprit de corps, and continues to be one of the finest methods for developing confidence and leadership abilities of Cadets. Units compete at local, state, regional and national Drill Team competitions throughout the year. While fostering a friendly and entertaining environment, these competitions provide MCJROTC Cadets an opportunity to showcase their hours of dedication and tremendous marching skills. Marine Corps JROTC units continue to enjoy success at the annual National High School Drill Team Championships in Daytona Beach, Florida.
Marksmanship is an integral part of the MCJROTC curriculum. With an emphasis on safety, the MCJROTC Marksmanship curriculum allows cadets to develop pride and a sense of accomplishment as they become more proficient with their marksmanship skills. Cadets will shoot the Daisy 853CM, an air rifle specifically designed exclusively for MCJROTC. Cadets will qualify and compete using the Three-Position Air Rifle Shooting standards. Three-Position Air Rifle Shooting is the most popular and fastest growing form of shooting sports competition for youth of high school age or younger. Two different Three-Position Air Rifle events are available. Precision Air Rifle is modeled after Olympic-style shooting and allows the use of specialized target rifles and equipment. Sporter Air Rifle is designed for new competitors or those who desire to compete with a minimum of equipment and expense. In both types of shooting, competitors fire at targets at a distance of 10 meters in three different positions, prone, standing and kneeling. Sporter and precision air rifle classes may also be combined into one “open” class. Three-Position Air Rifle provides young competitors with competitive shooting sports opportunities that can be offered on a wide variety of easily accessible or easily constructed ranges, with equipment that is commonly available at affordable costs.
Marine Corps JROTC Units are afforded the opportunity to participate in marksmanship competitions sponsored by the Civilian Marksmanship Program (CMP).
Justice: Giving reward and punishment according to the merits of the case in question. The ability to administer a system of rewards and punishments impartially and consistently.
Judgement: The ability to weigh facts and possible courses of action in order to make sound decisions.
Dependability: The certainty of proper performance of duty.
Integrity: Uprightness of character and soundness of moral principles. The quality of truthfulness and honesty.
Decisiveness: Ability to make decisions promptly and to announce them in a clear, forceful manner.
Tact: The ability to deal with others in a manner that will maintain good relations and avoid offense. More simply stated, tact is the ability to say and do the right thing at the right time.
Initiative: Taking action in the absence of orders.
Endurance: The mental and physical stamina measured by the ability to withstand pain, fatigue, stress, and hardship.
Bearing: Creating a favorable impression in carriage, appearance, and personal conduct at all times.
Unselfishness: Avoidance of providing for one’s own comfort and personal advancement at the expense of others.
Courage: Courage is a mental quality that recognizes fear of danger or criticism, but enables a Marine to proceed in the face of danger with calmness and firmness.
Knowledge: Understanding of a science or an art. The range of one’s information, including professional knowledge and understanding of your Marines.
Loyalty: The quality of faithfulness to country, Corps, unit, seniors, subordinates and peers.
Enthusiasm: Motivation is Contagious
By understanding the Marine Corps core values of Honor, Courage, and Commitment, you will understand how these ideals help MCJROTC cadets become better citizens.
Honor is the quality that guides Marines to exemplify ethical and moral behavior.
Courage is a mental quality that recognizes fear of danger or criticism, but enables a leader to proceed in the face of it with calmness and firmness. It is a quality of mind that gives leaders control over fear, enabling them to accept responsibility and to act properly in a threatening situation.
Commitment means the dedication to carry out all unit tasks and to serve the values of the country, the MCJROTC, and the unit. Commitment leads to the highest discipline for your unit and yourself.
In addition to these ideals, your values must also be applied to other areas. These might be ideas such as punctuality, truthfulness, and fidelity. You must also value the outer signs of these ideals, such as having good personal hygiene and a spotless uniform. Last, but by no means least important, you must apply your values to friends, family, and fellow cadets.
Growing up with an older brother that went to Catholic High, I knew I wanted to be a part of what he always referred to as “The Brotherhood.” I love that I’m able to explore so many of my interests, from joining Broadcast Journalism and JROTC my freshman year to becoming president of the drama club as a junior. As I get ready for college in two short years, I’m thankful for the opportunities I’ve been given at Catholic High that will help me stand out in the application process.
