JROTC cadets attend Patriotic Education Seminar on East Coast

Eight JROTC cadets from district and county schools recently attended the Patriotic Education Seminar, a week-long event that included visits to two primary cities with significant historical impacts – New York City and Washington, D.C.

Primarily centered on student-to-student teaching techniques, this experience challenges each cadet to research and present on assigned historical sites, monuments and leaders throughout the trip. In group settings, the cadets discuss foundations of national government, policy and leadership, citizenship responsibilities and key American historical events. Most significantly, students are assessed for their own personal leadership qualities, participation and subject knowledge.

“Learning history from a book in the classroom is one thing, but being able to personally experience it through this trip brings so much more meaning and understanding,” said Cadet Yovana Contreras, a Serra High School junior.

This year's attendees included: Marco McCartney, Scripps Ranch HS; Katherine Solchaga, Kearny HS; Sophia Nguyen, Patrick Henry HS; Yovana Contreras, Serra HS; Parker Grubenski, University City HS; Juan Sanchez, Hoover HS; Aylin Curtis, Morse HS and Ahmad Xallen, Coronado HS.

In New York City, the cadets visited the Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island, the Sept. 11 memorial and the United Nations Headquarters. Washington, D.C. was highlighted by visits to the U.S Capitol, the U.S. Supreme Court, the Library of Congress, Arlington National Cemetery, the U.S Holocaust Memorial Museum, the National Archives, all war memorials and several Smithsonian Museums.

This educational trip was sponsored by the San Diego Chapter of the Military Order of the World Wars, a patriotic Veterans Service Organization founded to promote good citizenship, patriotic education, and military and public service.

For more information on the JROTC program, contact Program Manager LTC. David Guzman at dguzman@sandi.net.