Dear Editor:
Dear Editor:
There are plenty of things that make Mount Olive special, especially Mount Olive High School. We have some of the best sports programs in the state, a vast number of extracurricular activities, and overall, an outstanding school environment. But for me personally, and about 80 other students of MOHS, the school's Air Force JROTC program is the best part.
There are many selling points for JROTC programs. The camaraderie between a unit’s members can rarely be matched. At the beginning of the journey through the program, many cadets are complete strangers to each other - but often within the first months, bonds can be created that will last a lifetime.
Sports are another large part of Mount Olive schools and community, and JROTC just couldn’t resist joining in. Our unit has its very own Raider Team which is all about fitness. On the Raider team, cadets train with each other both to better ourselves and to help each other improve. Another great advantage is participating in competitions as a team. We get to test our strength and skills and make friends with cadets from all across the state along the way. But this isn’t the only JROTC extracurricular activity available. We also have Color Guard, Rocketry, and Drill Team. While they all focus on different things, they share a few common goals - to test cadet skills, to compete against other units, and to display what all our hard work goes into.
It’s not only about the cadets and the things we do within our unit that bring us together. It’s also about the community service we perform. We hold events where the entire day is all about giving back to the community. Whether it’s a road or stream cleanup or laying wreaths on the graves of fallen service members, the unit is there to serve. We also hold morale events when the work is done as a way to come together and strengthen the unit.
A JROTC unit is a great addition to any high school. It promotes discipline, integrity, and builds character in young adults while giving back to the community and bringing people together. Therefore, I think other schools and their students would greatly benefit from having JROTC programs. I know I have.
Owen Jeff
Flanders, NJ
