They’re the students who claim to lead by example, the students who wear their uniform with pride. You might’ve seen them walk into class on Thursdays clad in khaki shirts and dress pants, all sorts of garments proudly displayed on their chests. But, who are these students? What do they do?
Kellese Davis, a junior at Cardozo, is one of the many students of the school’s Navy Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps, or NJROTC, program. She often finds herself participating in events for the program and volunteering her time to benefit herself and the people around her. But why does she do these things? What is so special about the NJROTC program? Most of all, how in the world does she manage to juggle her life and the program at the same time?
The NRJOTC program dedicates itself to the basic principles of honor, courage, and commitment. It’s a good way to get a college scholarship and an even better way to meet new people. Cadets in the program often get service hours for doing certain things and participating in certain events.
According to Davis, NJROTC not only gave her an opportunity to do all of the things above, but it also gave her a sense of unity within the school. The members of the NJROTC program are like her family, and the community gave a shy, freshman Davis a way to speak up. The program gave her something to look forward to after school, and for her to gain friends. Eventually, Davis found herself in various leadership roles, and eventually landed in her current rank of Chief Petty Officer.
However, despite having many responsibilities in the program, she does not let NJROTC consume her. “NJROTC isn’t my life,” she explains. “I’m also in the engineering program.” When asked how she was able to balance everything, she shared, “I make sure to have a balanced schedule. Some time to do ROTC, some time for homework, and of course, time for myself.” NJROTC may be something she has devoted countless hours to, but she will never let it consume her. She is a person who has many things going on, and NJROTC is just one of the few things she indulges in.
In the program, she is also the Academic Team Commander, which means that she’s in charge of the academic teams for the NJROTC. The program participates in various competitions, and some of them include academics. That is where Davis comes in, taking charge and making sure the cadets on the team are in tip-top shape.
The most important thing to learn from Davis is this: balance your schedule. Don’t let one thing take over your life, and make sure you surround yourself with people who lift you higher.
