The Royal High School Marine Corps Junior ROTC has been designated a Naval Honor School, marking the second year in a row that the MCJROTC at Royal ISD has received this honor.

The selection is based on several criteria, including the number of cadets active in school activities and clubs, the number of community service hours for the unit as a whole and per cadet, the number of organizations assisted by the unit, and scholastic achievements including the number of academic awards and scholarships given to cadets. The units are also measured by participation in public affairs events, community service, drill/color guard team competitions, marksmanship competitions, academic competitions, leadership camps, physical fitness team competitions, and field trips.

Because of this prestigious status, Royal will have the opportunity to send nominations to the U.S. Naval Academy, U.S. Air Force Academy, and the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. The award also provides students who have a desire to join a service academy the significant advantage of earning recommendation letters from their Senior Marine JROTC instructor, who under this award designation carry just as much weight as a letter from a U.S. representative or senator.

Scoring a 96% on a comprehensive inspection of the students, instructors, administration and activities begins the process. Add to that an abundance of community service activities and participation in numerous community/school events and program-related trips, and one begins to see the level of effort required to earn this honor. Five categories are looked at closely for this award: extracurricular activities, scholastic achievement, cadet citizenship, unit participation and unit inspection.

The report details the activities and accomplishments of the JROTC program cadets for their participation in school organizations and sports, community service, color guard, marksmanship, physical fitness test scores and academic honors.

“One of the key areas in the review process is always unit participation,” First Sgt. LaShan Bland said. “We give our cadets the opportunities to be involved on a larger scale not only in the school, but also in the community and we highlight their success (JROTC Awards Day, Marine Corps Cake Cutting ceremony, and this year the Marine Corps Ball). When the kids enjoy what they are doing, they are going to tell their friends and that is when we start seeing the new faces, empowerment, team work, and competitive prowess.”

The fact that many of these endeavors take place on weekends or outside of normal school hours speaks volumes about these students’ dedication and about the leadership by the JROTC instructors. Earning the designation of Naval Honor School brings Royal High School a certificate from the National Marine Corps JROTC director and a plaque to display in the Royal High School JROTC Hallway of Honor. More importantly, the students become eligible to compete for “Honor School” nominations to attend the military service academies.

Bland said cadets are not content to rest on their laurels.

“Please know that our cadets are out there making a difference in our school and the community,” Bland said. “Our students don't just learn about citizenship and leadership. They live it, embrace it, and wear it as a badge of honor. I am very proud of them and their accomplishments. We hope the Royal family will join us in congratulating them on their outstanding achievements and accomplishments. Our JROTC program is about leadership and character development. The camaraderie and family structure of the program makes all the difference as seen by numerous accolades received and our top honor of being award a Naval Honor School for a second straight year.”