Shipyard Sailors Give Back To JROTC Students

October 28, 2009
By Katie Vanes
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Katie Vanes
Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard
Public Affairs

Twenty-one Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard Sailors encouraged physical fitness among youths from 10 Oahu high schools Oct. 3 by helping run the Campbell High School JROTC Triathlon. The competitive events, held at the Richardson Pool complex at Naval Station Pearl Harbor, consisted of a 200-meter swim, 1.75-mile run and a hybrid basketball “shot put” activity.

Campbell High School’s Navy JROTC program head Linda Naki arranged the challenging triathlon with collaboration from Chief Machinist’s Mate Michael Salgy, the shipyard’s Partnership in Excellence Program coordinator.

According to Salgy, the number of Sailors volunteering at the three-hour event increased by a third from 2008, and he says is anticipating an even better turnout next year.

“There’s no way we could do these activities without active-duty members,” said Naki, who retired from the Navy as a senior chief in 1998 and has been with the Campbell High School program ever since.

She shared that she has watched students evolve and mature after becoming involved in JROTC.

The support of active duty servicemembers in events like the triathlon gives participating youths guidance and hope for their future career paths, Naki explained.

“It’s rewarding to see students who struggled in high school succeed later with the military and come back accomplished. They are still our ohana, and let us know how they are doing,” she said.

Salgy said volunteering for local high school events creates a mutually beneficial relationship because it helps recruiting purposes while facilitating positive extracurricular opportunities for students.

“Our involvement shows a positive Navy presence,” he said.

The Campbell High School NJROTC program, in addition to fostering potential servicemembers, provides a color guard for Naval Station Pearl Harbor retirement and pinning ceremonies.

JROTC participating schools in the triathlon included host Campbell along with Farrington, Kahuku, Kaiser, Kalaheo, Leilehua, Moanaloa, Punahou, Radford and Roosevelt high schools. Punahou athletes were the champions of the day, with Kalaheo placing second and Campbell third.

The top athlete in the overall competition was Cadet Lorenzo Randolph from Campbell. First-place winners were, for swimming, Cadet Ricky Baes from Moanalua; for running, Cadet Matthew Dodge from Campbell; and for basketball shot put, Cadet Pauliasi Tamale from Moanaloa.

Sailors also volunteered during the quarterly Activity Day Oct. 2 at Aliamanu Middle School. Students enjoyed an afternoon of football, volleyball and basketball, as well as cognitive-stimulating and creative activities such as chess, various arts and crafts, rock band and traditional board games.

“There was something for every student to participate in,” said Salgy. “One of the students was excited because he got to teach a Sailor how to play chess!”