Nease High School’s Navy Junior ROTC takes top honor, named most outstanding in nation

ST JOHNS COUNTY — Nease High School’s Navy Junior ROTC has been named the most outstanding NJROTC unit in the nation.

The program was selected from over 583 NJROTC programs worldwide.

The selection is based on an evaluation of academic achievements, competitions, orientation activities, summer training programs, school service projects, community service activities, extracurricular activities, and annual inspection results.

This isn’t the first time the unit has taken top honors. They were selected as the Most Outstanding NJROTC unit back in 2015, and they placed second in 2021.

“They say it takes a village to feed a child, well in the JROTC world, it takes a community of cadets, parents, school administrators and instructors pulling in the same direction to ascend a program to this height,” said senior naval science instructor Captain Scott LaRochelle who is retiring after eight years leading the program. “Nease NJROTC epitomized a ‘one team, one fight’ unified effort.”