nothin Hillhouse JROTC Reboots Camp | New Haven Independent

Hillhouse JROTC Reboots Camp

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After two years of pandemic-induced cancellations, the James Hillhouse High School Army JROTC was back at a leadership camp.

This time, instead of lasting two weeks, the camp was one day long. And it was at Stone’s Ranch Military Reservation in East Lyme instead of Massachusetts.

Still, the cadets in New Haven’s only Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (JROTC) felt more normal than they had in a long time.

I was grateful I was able to come, because I had not been to the week-long camp and this is my last year,” said one Hillhouse senior cadet.

Three JROTC programs from across the state convened at the East Lyme training facility. Cadets from New Britain High School and Waterbury’s Crosby High School met the 14 cadets representing Hillhouse.

The cadets navigated four leadership reaction course” stations. This required the cadets to solve difficult challenges together, like getting all team members and a barrel over an eight-foot wall without touching the ground in front of the wall.

In addition to the reaction course, the cadets climbed a rock wall and completed physical fitness events such as a weight drag and sprint. 

The lunch provided was an MRE (Meal Ready to Eat). It was many of the teenagers’ first MRE, and they enjoyed the novelty of it. The day concluded with a tug of war competition. Despite the Crosby cadets emerging as champions, all the cadets had fun.

Hillhouse Cadet Battalion Commander Cadet Lieutenant Colonel Maldonado reflected that the camp was a great way to wind down her time in JROTC and reflect on everything she has learned. Maldonado will be graduating in June and has already joined the U.S. Army Reserve. She has attended the weeklong camp twice in the past.

The one day camp did a pretty good job giving the cadets a taste of what it’s like,” Maldonado said.

The Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps is a program in thousands of high schools across all states. Hillhouse is the only high school in New Haven with a JROTC program. The JROTC aims to motivate high schoolers to become better citizens.

Lieutenant Colonel (Retired) John Hinrichs and Sergeant First Class (Retired) Lisa Rodriguez are instructors in the Hillhouse Junior ROTC program. Both are combat veterans.

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