THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, June 10, 1994 TAG: 9406090176
SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON PAGE: 10 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY CHARLENE CASON, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: 940610 LENGTH: Medium
Ford, 16, lives within walking distance of Bayside High, but the school doesn't have a Naval Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps unit. So he got a special waiver to attend Princess Anne High.
{REST} Last month Ford, who is finishing the 11th grade, became commanding officer of Princess Anne's 138-member unit. He relieved Cadet Lt. Cmdr. Jonathan Jenkins, 18, who is graduating this week.
A change of command ceremony, with all the pomp and polish of an active duty Navy command, has been a part of the school's end-of-the-year programs for at least the past 10 years, said retired Capt. Wayne Hatchett, naval science instructor at Princess Anne.
``The NJROTC at Princess Anne has a tradition of being more than just a class,'' he said. ``It's more like a club that meets every day, before and after school. The students form lasting friendships because they have a relationship that's hard to find in any other organization at school.''
At a time when the military is shrinking, the NJROTC unit at Princess Anne is growing. Membership is nearly 10 percent of the student population of 1,800. Retired Capt. Tom McNicholar, assistant naval science instructor, said that one reason the unit has grown over the past six or seven years is the camaraderie that develops.
``The NJROTC provides a sense of belonging and family that a lot of kids don't get in school when the community is so big,'' he said.
The 26-year-old unit at Princess Anne is one of the five oldest, of 300, in the United States. It is a sharp, snap-to group that has won numerous awards, the most recent being third in the nation for overall performance in academics, athletics and drilling in a competition sponsored by the Navy League.
The unit, one of 44 in a five-state area, was presented a Chief of Naval Education and Training award for excellence at the change-of-command ceremony.
``There is no doubt these are our future leaders when they leave school,'' said Cmdr. John Powell, area manager.
The one-hour ceremony, which was held in the school's gym, included ``mustering, dressing and exercising'' the troops. Graduating seniors honored a Naval Academy tradition of tossing their hats in the air. The Atlantic Fleet Ceremonial Band provided spirited renditions of ``Anchors Aweigh'' and the national anthem.
Guest speaker was Rear Adm. Paul D. Moses, commander of the Norfolk Naval Base.
``When I look at these cadets, it's apparent that the students, faculty and parents are doing something right,'' he said. ``These students have completed a rigorous program that will prepare them for the future, regardless of the path they choose.''
About half of all NJROTC students nationwide become members of the armed forces, Moses said.
High school students who participate in NJROTC attend at least one naval science class each day and drill several times each week. They also wear cadet uniforms to school once a week. The Navy provides uniforms, books, rifles and ribbons for the cadets. Students may join the program in the ninth grade, or at any time in high school.
Ford sees the program as a good way to develop leadership skills.
``It takes a lot of time, but it keeps some people out of trouble,'' he said.
Jenkins, who was relieved of his command at the ceremony, said the best part of the program was that it had given him the ability to lead, earned him the respect of others and taught him to be responsible.
``There's really no disadvantage to being in the program, unless the person has something against authority, wearing a uniform and getting a haircut,'' Jenkins said.
by CNB