Ponchatoula High School
Marine Corps JROTC
Marine Instructor - Gunnery Sergeant Dwayne DeRouen
Quick Facts:
- With successful completion of two years of JROTC you earn Health & PE credit.
- Open to incoming Freshmen, Sophomores and Juniors (case by case).
- All uniforms and equipment are provided.
- MCJROTC is a leadership education program with NO obligation for military service.
The Marine Corps Junior ROTC program is conducted at a limited number of high schools and academies in the United States. The MCJROTC program at Ponchatoula High School augments and complements the school’s comprehensive curriculum, which is designed to develop informed and productive citizens. While participation in the MCJROTC program incurs no obligation for future military service, the training will go a long way toward enhancing opportunities in both military and civilian careers.
The focus of the MCJROTC program is Leadership Education. It is designed to instill in high school students a value of citizenship, service to the United States, personal responsibility and a sense of accomplishment. It prepares students for responsible leadership roles while making them aware of their rights, responsibilities, and privileges as American citizens. The program is a stimulus for promoting graduation from high school, and it provides instruction and rewarding opportunities that will benefit the student, community, and nation.
The MCJROTC program at Ponchatoula High School provides students an opportunity to develop their leadership skills, self-confidence, and self-discipline through participation in a variety of activities, both inside and outside the classroom.
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Activities
Drill Competitions
Marine Corps Junior ROTC Cadets across the nation dedicate countless hours to the close order 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. Teams include: Armed Drill Team, Unarmed Drill Team, Color Guard and Exhibition Drill Team. This is a voluntary extra-cirricular opportunity for cadets.
Athletic Competitions
Marksmanship
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.
Color Guard
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. Several Color Guard units have performed at professional sporting events, including the National Football League (NFL), and the National Basketball Association (NBA). This is a voluntary extra-cirricular opportunity for cadets.
Rifle Team
Community Service
Over the years, Marine Corps JROTC Cadets have volunteered countless hours of community service to their surrounding communities. Cadets have volunteered their time to assist food banks, remove litter in the community, visit the elderly and the sick, and in a multitude of other capacities. MCJROTC Cadets conduct community service as a part of their MCJROTC education while contributing to their own development as citizens and leaders in their communities.