Calumet JROTC earns recognition

At Tuesday’s Calumet-Laurium-Keweenaw Board of Education meeting, the group recognized the high school’s JROTC. Major Michael Farley and First Sergeant Mark Powell lead one of the oldest battalions in the nation. The goal of the program is to prepare students for college through physical fitness, academic success, and a focus on new technology. Farley says that many of the cadets are looking to begin their careers in the military, but not all, and the battalion is more inclusive than many outsiders give it credit for. It is accredited every three years, earning Honor Unit with Distinction in its most recent review.

Powell says activities run from before school begins until well into the evening and Farley says up to 100 students are part of the program each year.

Farley says he expects the group to pick up a new challenge soon, one that is in high demand by government and industry alike.

Powell is in charge of the Raider program, starting at 6:30 each morning. Students spend time outside, looking to build strength and agility through various activities. Powell says he has some varsity athletes in the group and the workouts build toward the Arctic Raider competition, which Calumet High School hosts. Because of the unique opportunity to incorporate snow into the challenge, schools send teams from across the Midwest to vie for first place. Calumet finished 2nd and 3rd in the competition, fielding two squads.

The JLAB program, which has two components, will be going to Washington, DC. Both the Leadership and Academic teams have advanced to the National Academic Bowl Championship. That event is slated for June and July. Farley told Keweenaw Report that it has been a goal of his for years to make the cut academically and credits staff, especially math teacher John Croze, for mentoring students.

There is a robotics team, which has two different units. One essentially builds a machine from scratch for a predetermined task. The other challenge uses prefabricated components, but gives students the leeway for design. Farley says it is less constricting than it sounds. His group created three initial sketches for their most recent competition, building two to completion. He says they were remarkably different, even though each was made up of the same building blocks.

Lastly, the JROTC does Color Guard duty, seen most prominently at sporting events. Powell praised the group, especially the one that takes the ice before hockey games, as a skating Color Guard is something he had never seen before settling in the area. Both Farley and Powell grew up out of state, served in the military for lengthy careers, and moved to the Copper Country as adults.