This year, the University City High School Site Governance Team will be voting on whether or not to implement a Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (JROTC) program for the 2012-2013 school year.

According their website, JROTC it is not a tool for the Military to use to recruit teens to join. JROTC is a Federal program sponsored by the United States Armed Forces in High Schoolsacross the US. The program was originally created as part of the National Defense Act of 1916 (jrotcstuff.podbean.com).

In November, the District’s Office of College Career and Technical Education asked Principal Jeff Olivero if he would be interested in having a JROTC program at UC High. Olivero explained that the CCTE approached him because of the numerous phone calls they have received regarding the program, which showed a serious interest.

Math Teacher Tracy Lynn, a member of the Site Governance Committee said, “It is a program that can only do positive things. It installs discipline and they give out scholarships, so it’s really important that we get it.”

Olivero said, “The program provides participating students the opportunity to learn leadership skills, responsibility, citizenship, fitness and a variety of other important life skills.”

Senior Roxanne Galibut stated, “Those of us that are actually interested in entering the Air Force definitely could have used the JROTC like two years ago.”

JROTC can count as a PE credit for students. Students in various PE classes at University City were surveyed about how they felt about having this course as an option, and there was mostly positive feedback, according to Olivero.