Castle High Ends Marine JROTC
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Del.icio.usCastle High’s Marine Corps JROTC cadets conducted a deactivation ceremony May 9 to formally end the program that began on campus in 1995.
The cadets, some of whom have applied to other schools so they can continue in JROTC, also performed March in Review and Case of Colors ceremonies before parents and faculty.
News of the closure hit some of the kids hard, said Maj. Daryl Laninga, JROTC leadership education program senior instructor.
“The really committed ones are really upset,” he said. “They are kids, and they are resilient, and they recover. Many of them applied for geographic exceptions to go to Kaiser, Kalaheo and Kailua. They like JROTC enough to leave Castle and go to another school so they can take it.”
Castle is not the only school to have lost a JROTC program, which are run by the separate military services and funded by Department of Defense. Budget cuts have forced the closing of many across the country.
“The way money is right now, expansion is out of the question,” said Laninga. “It’s either closing or moving. This year the Navy program lost dozens of schools. Small, underper-forming programs are being closed to save money.”
Castle had been on probation for three years after failing to maintain a minimum JROTC enrollment, he noted, and a clear plan for maintaining it was never implemented. The required count for a school the size of Castle is 100 students. The final number was closer to 73.
“We didn’t take any effective, corrective action. There was no enrollment plan. There were things proposed, but nothing was implemented to correct it.”
Laninga said the closing is a loss for the students who have benefitted from leadership training that also stresses public service, citizenship and personal growth. Last year, for example, CHS cadets placed third in Armed Regulation Drill and second in the Color Guard at the West Point Society Drill Competition. Two of them, James Chew and Leona Kawelo, were singled out for individual recognition for outstanding leadership.
The Marine Corps program will move to Kapolei High School in July.
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