Frisco ISD’s Navy National Defense Cadet Corps (NNDCC) based at Lebanon Trail High School is now a Navy Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (NJROTC) and fully funded by the Navy, with members of the NJROTC now having more opportunity and resources for the program.
FISID first received approval for the NNDCC program in late 2020 and according to a district news release, word was that it could take between five and 10 years to be approved as a JROTC program.
It happened in less than four years.
“For our program to be designated a JROTC after only three years is a testament to the excellence that is pervasive in Frisco ISD,” FISD associate deputy superintendent Dr. Wes Cunningham said. “We received this honor because of our students’ consistent performance over time, and in recognition of their success. I believe it sets a high bar for our future students and is another way in which we can meet the needs of our students.”
The transition to a NJROTC program means the Navy is now funding expenses such as uniforms and equipment for the program that was previously paid for by the district or individual members.
Lebanon Trail senior Karina Roberts, has been a part of the program since freshman year and is now Commanding Officer. For Roberts, being a part of the NJROTC has changed her high school experience for the better.
“[NJROTC] gave me the opportunity to make friends based on common experiences,” Roberts said. “Because we are leadership oriented and community service oriented, I got opportunities to lead my peers and to volunteer in the community, which made me more well rounded than I think anything else could have done.”
The NJROTC consists of 10 teams that specialize in a different skill and compete against units at different high schools. The teams include academic, physical training (PT), drill, exhibition drill, color guard, space, robotics, orienteering, and marksmanship.
“Anybody who wants to become a cadet, can join any of those teams and find usually, like, find a place to fit in,” Roberts said. “That’s a good thing I like about our program.”
The NJROTC is structured to mirror the Navy’s chain of command. It functions in a hierarchical system including commanders, officers, and cadets.
“Everybody joins as a cadet with the same rank,” Roberts said. “As we spend more time in the program, if you’re, you know, wearing the uniform correctly, if you’re volunteering, participating, you will earn rank.”
All high school students in FISD are able to apply to the NJROTC but are required to transfer to Lebanon Trail to join the program. Students who join the program are not obliged to enlist after high school.
“We have no commitment,” Roberts said. “But if you do decide to continue in military service, ROTC can help you, especially if you’re enlisting. If you’re enlisting, you could get rank from being just being junior ROTC.”
