JROTC from a Cadets perspective

Cadet Caraballo

The Army JROTC program is a leadership course with the mission to motivate young people to become better citizens, the curriculum allows students to build their self-esteem, communication skills, leadership development, and decision-making skills.

Apart from the course, JROTC also provides several teams that reflect military aspects such as the drill team, raiders team, academic team, and the Colorguard which gives a sense of accomplishment, while instilling self-esteem, teamwork, and self-discipline. Cadets are also offered opportunities to compete in several competitions against other schools that test the cadets’ knowledge and skill.

Our cadets are offered the opportunity to partake in community events such as local parades and ceremonies that will grant the required amount of community service hours needed to graduate. The cadets will participate in service-learning projects that teach vital leadership and beneficial skills for their future.

The program hosts multiple in-school events such as blood drives and fundraisers. This gives the cadets a chance to build a better connection with their school and the program. The cadets participating will be able to develop teamwork skills and build their character. Cadets create bonds and friendships that will last throughout the years within the JROTC community.

WHO WE ARE

The Hutch Tech Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps (JROTC) program is Career and Technical Education (CTE) character development course with a mandate to "motivate young people to become better citizens." The curriculum supports core classes including - but not limited to - Civics, History, Government, English, and Technological skills. JROTC cadets are not under any obligation to join the military. Recruitment is not the aim. The program focuses on developing student's self-confidence, maturity, citizenship, and leadership ability.

During the 2021-2022 school year, the Engineer Battalion's Leadership Team won the National Leadership Bowl besting over 1,200 other schools. In addition, the Engineer Battalion received a historic 99% on their JROTC Program Accreditation unit inspection. This eaffirmed the Engineer Battalion's Honor Unit with Distinction or "gold star" status and recognizing it's status within the top 10% of all Army JROTC units in the world. A gold star device is worn on the uniform to symbolize this distinction.

JROTC Curriculum Overview

The JROTC curriculum, fully or partially addresses a number of national academic standards - to include Common Core State Standards (CCSS) - includes course work on leadership, civics, geography and global awareness, health, and wellness, language arts, life skills, and U.S. history. The curriculum is based on the principles of performance-based, learner-centered education and promotes development of core abilities: capacity for life-long learning, communication, responsibility for actions and choices, good citizenship, respectful treatment of others, and critical thinking techniques.

More important than "what" is learned in JROTC is "how" it is learned. Every classroom is equipped with leading edge technologies to teach, assess, and report student progress. Teachers are trained to utilize a range of technologies and develop social/emotional skills, support academic content through gaming and simulations, and promote the role of social media. Thus, students engage in meaningful, purposeful activities that lead them to demonstrate success through a portfolio of accomplishments.

Every learning experience in the curriculum addresses Core Abilities, Program Outcomes, and Course Competencies; building on their developing skills and abilities, which are critical to success in high school and post-secondary career.

Core Abilities

Core Abilities describe the broad, life-long skills that every Cadet needs for success in future life and career endeavors. The core abilities are a result of the goals and values that drive the JROTC program and are built upon the program’s four years through integrating various lesson competencies and skills throughout the JROTC curriculum. The Core Abilities are:

Apply critical thinking techniques
Build your capacity for life-long learning
Communicate using verbal, non-verbal, visual, and written techniques
Do your share as a good citizen in your school, community, country, and the world
Take responsibility for your actions and choices
Treat self and others with respect

Program Outcomes

Program outcomes describe what JROTC Cadets will know and be able to do upon successful completion of the JROTC program. These outcomes also provide documentation for growth and development of the student and program for re-accreditation purposes, school visitors, parents, and the community. As Cadets complete each LET, their journey toward program outcomes will occur; each program outcome is linked to every LET lesson in the curriculum. Evidence of learning can be witnessed through a Cadet’s Portfolio, which will showcase continued development of program outcomes. The JROTC Program Outcomes are:

Act with integrity and personal accountability as you lead others to succeed in a diverse and global workforce
Engage in civic and social concerns in the community, government, and society
Graduate prepared to succeed in post-secondary options and career pathways
Make decisions that promote positive social, emotional, and physical health
Value the role of the military and other service organizations

Course Competencies

Competencies describe discipline-specific measurable and observable skills, knowledge, and attitudes. They are targeted in each lesson of the curriculum. Performance standards (criteria and conditions) provide the specifications for assessing mastery of a competency. Cadets show they have learned competencies by applying them in the completion of assessment tasks that require them to do one or more of the following:

Make a decision
Perform a skill
Perform a service
Solve a problem
Create a product