Colts Neck High School’s Navy Junior ROTC Unit has earned recognition as the “Most
Outstanding Unit” in the United States for the 2018-19 school year.
The Freehold Regional High School District announced the honor in a June 4 press release.
The award recognizes Colts Neck as the top unit in the country, a designation the ROTC members earned for outstanding scores in their annual military inspection, school support and community service, according to the press release.
In addition to the national honor, Colts Neck was selected as the NJROTC Area 4 “Most Outstanding NJROTC Unit” for the third time.
The award-winning unit is 191 members strong. This year the unit completed 10,309 hours of services to communities throughout the Freehold Regional High School District. That equates to 55 community service hours per cadet, according to the press release.
In addition, many of the cadets excelled at their academic studies, receiving distinguished awards and scholarship offers. The group’s extracurricular teams have also shined this school year while competing at the national level.
At the 2019 Navy National Academic, Athletic and Drill Championship in Pensacola, Fla., in April, Colts Neck’s NJROTC finished 11th overall with a first place showing in athletics.
At the Navy JROTC Orienteering National Championship in Los Angeles, Calif., in February, Colts Neck finished fifth in the nation.
“We are very proud of our cadets and our instructors. This achievement is the culmination of years of hard work, sacrifice and a commitment to serve the community. Our cadets can take pride in the fact that their countless hours of community service, the 7 a.m. training sessions, and the time spent at competitions have allowed them to be recognized as the best in the country,” Principal Brian Donahue said.
Superintendent of Schools Charles Sampson said, “The recognition of the Colts Neck High School Navy Junior ROTC as the No. 1 program in the nation is a culmination of years of tremendous work by our faculty, student and parent communities. These young men and women embody service, academic excellence and integrity. We are incredibly proud of all of their accomplishments.”
The Freehold Regional High School District’s Navy Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps Magnet Program is a four-year leadership and character development program housed at Colts Neck High School.
The mission of the program is to instill in students the values of citizenship, service to the United States, personal responsibility and a sense of accomplishment, according to the press release.