The Michigan City High School (MCHS) Marine Corps Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (MCJROTC) has conducted more than 2600 hours of community service so far this school year. Among the most recent activities has been honoring MCHS basketball players at Senior Night, marching in the Michigan City St. Patrick’s Day Parade, and providing Color Guards for the International Harvesters Collectors Banquet at the Blue Chip Casino and the Indiana High School Athletic Association (IHSAA) Regional Basketball Tournament at MCHS.
“Our cadets are very unselfish,” said Senior Marine Instructor Major Tom McGrath. “They realize that part of our program is contributing to our school district and community. They are eager to answer the call of any request we receive.”
Marine Instructor Master Sergeant Jeff Benak expressed his pride in the motivation of the cadets to support our community. “We teach our cadets to step-up, to be part of the solution, not complain about a problem. I think that we are succeeding in that objective.”
Cadet Captain Paul Tobalt, a four year cadet and the cadet commanding officer, commented on how community service involvement has grown during his time in the program. “In my freshman year, the major would have to beg cadets to do some of these community service activities. Now, we have plenty of cadets, even when it is freezing, like the St. Patrick’s Day Parade. And it makes us feel good when people from other schools at the Regional Basketball Tournament come up and tell us how impressed they are with us.”
The cadets next activities will be their Command Inspection on Wednesday, March 19, and the Drill Team will be competing in a military drill competition on Saturday, March 22, at Concordia High School in Ft. Wayne.