The National Marine Corps Junior ROTC Headquarters selected Midway High School MCJROTC as one of its 2023-24 Naval Honor Schools, placing the program among the top 20% of programs nationwide.
"Receiving NHS designation marks Midway MCJROTC as one of the top programs in an extremely competitive seven-state region," Lieutenant Colonel, USMC (Ret.), and Senior Marine Instructor Jake Urban said.
Selection is based on several criteria, including superior performance in an annual inspection, unit enrollment, exemplary cadet citizenship, and scholastic achievement.
"This would not have been possible without the tremendous effort and dedication of the outstanding young cadets who were part of the program last year," Urban said. "But it also reflects strongly upon earlier cadet classes who built the foundation that enabled this distinction."
Midway High School Panther Company is led by Commanding Officer, Cadet First Lieutenant Taylor Haddox; Executive Officer, Cadet Second Lieutenant Sam Wong; and Company First Sergeant, Cadet First Sergeant Lauren Saucedo. Franz Najera, Midway High School class of 2024, served as Panther Company Commander during the 2023-24 school year.
The mission of Midway High School's MCJROTC program is to develop students’ leadership skills while emphasizing the values of citizenship, personal responsibility, and service to country and community.
“The Naval Honor School designation means a lot to me because it shows the cadets’ dedication in and outside the classroom," Haddox said. "The Midway Panther Company has come a long way since my freshman year. I hope to see it grow bigger and better even after I leave."
