The Harlingen High School South Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (JROTC) cadets are continuing its tradition for excellence this year.
The HHSS JROTC recently earned the overall unit assessment score of Exceed Standards during their external evaluation this Fall. The score is the highest rating the cadets and instructors could receive.
The rating is based on a series of standards that include categories like presentation and procedures. Students coordinated much of what the evaluators saw, and took charge of ensuring that the program was showcased. This evaluation occurs once every three years, and the program received an Exceeds Standards score during their 2009 evaluation.
“Our part as cadets was the presentation portion, which we gave to the evaluator on the day of our inspection,” said Ashley Morales, junior at HHSS. “We put a lot of work into it. We had to present our goals and how far along they were. We had to show them how we conduct procedures in our program, and how we focus on academics.”
Along with presenting, students had to go through an intense question and answer program. Students had to be prepared to think on their feet, said Major David Casebeer, JROTC instructor at HHSS.
“This rating is their rating,” said Major Casebeer. “The cadets did superbly, and I’m so proud.”
With their high score, the students are also eligible to be named a distinguished unit or distinguished unit with merit. Their rating along with the potentially received distinguished unit with merit title will put the HHSS JROTC program in the top ten percent of JROTC programs in the nation.
HHSS will find out their title later this year.