For decades, the Junior ROTC program at Gloucester High School has generated intense feelings of pride in the community. Now, that program has gained acclaim on the national level as well.
Gloucester's Marine Junior ROTC drill team last weekend captured national titles in a Daytona Beach, Fla., competition for color guard and regulation drill performance, and GHS finished second overall among 56 teams who made it to the event. Some 30 GHS students traveled to the compeition, which was judged by officers from the U.S. Army, Navy, Air Force and Marines.
That performance not only stands as a tribute to the students and their skills — it also speaks volumes for JROTC Coach Richard Muth, who already says he'd like to see Gloucester "win the whole thing" in 2009. It's precisely that kind of can-do attitude, performance and commitment — obviously shared by his students — that conveys the spirit of what today's JROTC is all about.
Our congratulations go out to Muth and to all of the students involved with Gloucester's JROTC progam. All deserve credit for a job well done, for lessons well learned — and for giving us all an even greater reason to celebrate Gloucester pride.
