NJROTC Ends 2022-2023 School Year With A Bang

Submitted by Carol A. Clark
on May 4, 2023
- 8:46 am

Topper Company 2023-2024 Staff. Courtesy/NJROTC

By C/ENS Miranda Lopez
Public Affairs Officer
LAHS NJROTC

Los Alamos NJROTC competed April 1 in the New Mexico State JROTC Military Skills Meet at Cibola High School. Topper Company competed in marksmanship, color guard, physical fitness, unit personnel inspection, unarmed regulation drill and, for the first time this year, armed regulation drill. The cadets were eager to show off their skills in competition with other JROTC units from around the state while also taking the opportunity to grow closer as a family.

Team awards included 1st place for armed regulation drill, unit personnel inspection, female color guard, and mixed color guard, with unarmed regulation drill coming in 2nd place and the precision marksmanship team placing 3rd. The male physical fitness team also placed 2nd while the female physical fitness team took 1st place for the 10th time in a row. Topper Company’s physical fitness teams also managed to become back-to-back state champions!

Individual physical fitness awards included 1st place finishes for Rebecca Moss in sprint drag carry, Andrew Johnson for the standing power throw, and Megan Crawford for sprint drag carry. Andrew Johnson placed 2nd in the sprint drag carry with Marissa Meierdierks coming in 3rd. Seth Javernick placed 2nd in the marksmanship precision prone position and 3rd in precision standing with Aspen Jaramillio placing 3rd in precision kneeling and 5th overall in precision aggregate.

“This was our unit’s last drill meet of the 2022-23 school year. It has been amazing to see how much each of our teams have improved and evolved,” said Cadet Joshua Danforth, the armed drill team commander.

C/LTJG Kaitlyn Kuropatwinski said, “This state drill meet was probably the best one I’ve ever been to. It was so scary thinking of how our armed drill team was new, but we got first place! That was some of the best news I’ve ever heard in my life.”

Friday, April 21, Topper Company held its end-of-the year awards and change of command ceremonies at Duane Smith Auditorium with cadets, family and friends, along with LAPS and LAHS officials in attendance. The unit also promoted cadets who passed their most recent advancement exams and acknowledged their departing seniors. The annual change of command ceremony is held to pass on leadership positions to the cadets who have proven their worthiness for the role and is based upon those held by navies throughout the world.

At the ceremony, the position of Command Officer was passed from C/LCDR Emma Drake to C/LCDR Joshua Danforth.

“All you young men and women, I am very proud to be your commander,” C/LCDR Danforth said while addressing the cadets after assuming command. “We have all grown over this year and I hope that we can all work together to be the best that we can be this next year.”

Other new staff members include:

C/LT Jaceena Hornberger, Executive Officer
C/LTJG Hayden Sutton, Operations Officer
C/LTJG Emily Baca, Assistant Operations Officer
C/SCPO Seth Javernick, Command Chief Petty Officer
C/ENS Jackson Blair, Senior Advisor
C/ENS Ana Schmitz, Administration Officer
C/ENS Arthur Yarotski, Training Officer
C/ENS Yuri Perez, Supply Officer
C/PO2 Kaelin Hanson, Assistant Supply Officer
C/ENS Abigail Allen, Junior Supply Officer
C/PO2 Melanie Weekley, Junior Supply Officer
C/PO2 Maya Snowden, Junior Supply Officer
C/PO3 Matthew Haight, Junior Supply Officer
C/ENS Alana Hinojosa, Public Affairs Officer
C/ENS Sofia West, Adjutant
C/ENS Hayden Kim, Technology Officer
C/ENS Natalie Crawford, Drill Locker Officer
C/ENS Kevin Lacy, Armory Officer

To end the year, Los Alamos NJROTC held their annual military ball at Cities of Gold Hotel in Pojoaque. A mix of ceremony, dinner, and dancing, the cadets got to enjoy a celebration of a great year for the program. The 2022-23 cadet staff were officially relieved of their duties as they go on to either play bigger roles in Topper Company or graduating and moving onto the next stages after high school.

Finally, the seniors would like to thank their instructors, Chief Aron Ayers and Petty Officer Matthew Bohlen, for giving this program a whole new meaning as well as making it a rewarding and memorable part of their last year at LAHS.

Senior Recognition. Courtesy/NJROTC