As most seniors are excited for prom and graduation from high school, some are excited for a different kind of graduation. Every year there is a small ceremony for the Pebble Hills, El Dorado and Montwood NJROTC cadets.

The unit got ranked 1st in Area 9 and 3rd in the nation last year. The senior core that helped gain national attention for the unit, will be gathering to say goodbye. All their early Saturday morning trips and late work nights will be coming to an end.

Towards the end of the ceremony the seniors go up one by one and stand in front of the Senior Naval Science Instructor Chief Warren Officer 3 Justo Mendoza to ask permission “to go ashore.” Which is a tradition in the Navy to say goodbye to the sailors who are leaving.

“Seeing other cadets, I knew that one day I would be in their shoes but I never knew it would come so soon,” senior Ashley Alfaro said. “It honestly just made me realize just how much it played in my high school life.”

Alfaro, who is currently the commanding officer of the NJROTC program, will be saying goodbye to the unit she’s been in for 4 years this award’s night.

Not only the seniors are going to be affected with his ceremony. The juniors are also going to learn who the next high-ranking cadets are going to be for the 2018-2019 school year. Some wish they could have another year to learn how to be a better leader.

“The idea of the seniors leaving us this year is terrifying,” junior Zackary Funston said. “And the idea of us now having to do it is kinda scary, because I feel like they have so much more to teach us and I just wish we could still have another year with them.”

Zackary is hoping he will get some sort of leadership position for his senior year. The juniors are the next in line to keep the community services going and they would need to learn how to introduce the program to the incoming freshman as well as teach them drill.

The seniors also give a rose to their parents. To show that the parents were also a big part of the unit. The cadets would need to be at the school by 6:00 a.m. on Saturday mornings not only would the cadets have to wake up early, but also the parents would be the ones driving them to and from the school. The rose is a symbol of gratitude for helping out the unit.

What students feel will be an emotional ceremony, is set . To say goodbye to the seniors but also learn who’s going to be the next Commanding Officer and Executive Officer.  

The award ceremony is going to be held at the Pebble Hill High School theater on May 4.