SNOHOMISH — Snohomish High’s Marine Corps J-ROTC program has again earned the honor of being ranked among the country’s top 20% of all such programs of the service branch.
It’s its fourth time in the past six years to earn this select achievement.
“The students have definitely earned it,” instructor Capt. Will Lennon (USMC Ret.) said.
The cadets amassed 3,042 hours of community service and participated in 30-plus public events during the 2021-2022 school year. Its students collected 73 academic awards in the year.
The J-ROTC program has about 100 cadets who are a combined unit of Snohomish, Glacier Peak and Monroe high school students. This year’s lead cadet commander is Caiden Bird of Snohomish.
Lennon credits the unit’s success because students are given ownership and responsibility. “They’re not along for the ride, they are driving it.”
Camaraderie, Lennon said, shines at the challenging day camps and team exercises. Physical training and structure are a given.
Lennon emphasizes that J-ROTC is a leadership class, “not a military class,” he said.
Although the students conduct activities in uniforms and have ranks like a paramilitary, he said the program’s motive is to teach leadership, organizational management and model citizenship. Nobody in J-ROTC is obligated to join the military. That’s a misconception people have, he said.
Approximately 15 to 20% of Snohomish’s J-ROTC students enlist, Lennon said.
There were 268 Marine Corps J-ROTC programs in the U.S. at the time of ranking. Being ranked in the top fifth means Snohomish is among the top 54.
The formal distinction of being in the top 20% is to be named a Naval Honor School.
Lennon said “achieving Naval Honor School status allows the Senior Marine Instructor to nominate up to 12 cadets to each of the three service academies.” The three are the U.S. Naval Academy, U.S. Military Academy at West Point, and the U.S. Air Force Academy. "These nominations are considered equal to a nomination from a U.S. representative or senator.”
Lennon said programs get scored based on a unit’s hours of community service, involvement in public events, scholarships earned, number of cadets who enlist in the military, cadet academic achievements, marksmanship competition results, and perfection during drills and color guard presentations.
Snohomish High’s Marine Corps Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps was founded by retired Marine, former teacher, principal and then superintendent Hal Moe in 1967.
