Kaiden Ciongoli, Media Manager

     Junior Reserve Officer’s Training Corps, or JROTC, is an option for students to join the military and enhance their college resumé.  Up until this year, however, P-T has never had a JROTC program.

    Norwin and P-T have come together to create a joint  program at Norwin High School.

    The Norwin branch focuses on the Airforce, and is currently teaching aerospace history.

    The class is taught by former military personnel Tim Conley and David Sandala. The class currently has over 100 students, including six from P-T.

    This low turnout provides unique challenges, according to P-T JROTC member John Harris.

    “We have only six members [from P-T], so we have to drive ourselves. I am the student representative, so I started JROTC here, and am responsible for getting everything together and keeping the class together for next year,” said Harris.

    P-T is expecting another small JROTC group; PTHS principal Tony Aquilio is very supportive of it.

    “Students are given the opportunity to really grow into leadership with this elective course. They lose a study hall, and they don’t even have to go into the military. It’s an amazing job application and college application booster,” said Aquilio

   A large issue currently put in the path of JROTC members from P-T is that transportation is yet to be provided. This requires students to drive themselves, which can be difficult to coordinate.

    Harris is working with administration to help acquire school-based transportation.

    Overall, JROTC is a program that is staying for next year, but needs more members to acquire their own bussing and other benefits of a class. Aquilio encourages students to join the growing program.