As the year comes to a close, the ROTC students are filled with both joy and sorrow. Our seniors are relieved and the soon-to-be seniors relieve them of their duties and prepare to fill their shoes. The ceremony this year was held on May 21, 2025, hosted by our Master of Ceremonies, and soon-to-be Operations Officer, Chasiti Bobet-Diaz, our soon-to-be Operations Senior Chief Samantha Sanchez, and our soon-to-be Operations Chief Leslie Lopez.
Opening our ceremony with an astonishing recap of this year, our Commanding Officer, Ryan Martin, shared with the audience all of the firsts we have created this year. From Orienteering to Air Rifle, we have created firsts for our unit, making it to the area and national level for almost all of our competition teams. I would like to shout out two teams specifically who really stood out this year. Orienteering, for the first time ever in our NJROTC Unit history, made it to nationals and a team traveled to Alabama to compete. Our very own cadets, William Mattson and Riley Borneman placed 1st and 2nd overall. In addition, our beloved Air Rifle Commander traveled to Alabama to compete in nationals as well, and this has also become a first for our unit.
Following these incredible recollections of the history made this year, the pennants each platoon earned were announced and the platoons were recognized by the audience.
- The Field Day Pennant: 3rd Platoon
- The Esprit De Corp Pennant: 2nd Plat
- The Community Service Pennant: 5th Plat
- The Fitness Pennant: 1st Plat
- The Fundraising Pennant: Alpha Plat
- The Academic Pennant: 4th Plat
In continuation of the ceremony, we had many cadets rank up. From Seaman to Chief, we had 13 cadets complete their PQS (personal qualification system), which consisted of various tasks and a test which led up to the rank they earned tonight. However, the promotions don’t stop here. Following suit with our traditions, we have our meritorious promotions. Meritorious promotions are when the staff decide which NS1 (freshman) cadets have best displayed honor, courage, and commitment to our unit and who have gone above and beyond every day. The first meritorious rank up was to the rank of Petty Officer 2nd Class, the cadets who have earned this promotion are cadets Natalie Aguilar and Tatiana Aguilar. Following this, we promoted two more cadets to the rank of Petty Officer 1st Class, these cadets are cadet Emma Plouffe and cadet Grace Stout-Delgado. For the final two meritorious promotions of the evening, these cadets will be ranked up to Chief Petty Officer, earning their Dress Blues. These cadets have performed outstanding duties this year, becoming deserving of the privilege of chief. Cadets Ethan Cruz and Marjorie Palma have earned the rank of Chief Petty Officer.
NJROTC values not only its core values, but academics, as well. Four cadets, one from each grade level, have earned the ribbon Honor Cadet for maintaining the highest GPA of their grade level. These cadets are the following; NS1 Marjorie Palma, NS2 Riley Borneman, NS3 Danna Hernandez Madrid, and NS4 Arianna Clancy. Similarly to this ribbon, the following cadets have earned the ribbon Distinguished Cadet by maintaining the highest scholastic standing of their grade level. This was awarded to the following cadets: NS1 Henry Naughton, NS2 Lina Silva, NS3 Chasiti Bobet-Diaz, and NS4 Ryan Martin.
Numerous awards were handed out to the cadets who have proven themselves to the unit. Many of these awards are individual awards based on a person’s academics, courage, commitment, honor, charisma, bearing, and improvement. The follow cadets received awards;
- American Legion Scholastic Medal – Arianna Clancy
- American Legion General Military Excel- lence Medal – Liam Ford
- American Veterans JROTC Medal – William Mattson and Kevin Ramos
- George A. Zupko Award – Sofia LaRocca
- Navy League of the United States Youth Medal – Hailey Tierney
- Military Order of the Purple Heart Award – Chasiti Bobet-Diaz
- Military Order of the Red Fox – Joseph Huff
- Marjorie Palma and Danna Hernandez Madrid – Steven Decataur
- Military Order of World Wars – Katherine Chepel
- The Patriotic American Award – Riley Borneman
- Noncommissioned Officers Association Award – Justin Pesantez
- Military Officers Association of America – Derek Miller
- Scottish Rite – Tabitha Nieves
- Order of Daedalians – Samantha Sanchez
Navy JROTC American Liberty Award- Natalie Aguilar, Tatiana Aguilar, Katheryn Almodovar, Geily Alonzo Guerra, Stephen Alonzo Lemus, Jon Antokoletz, Anthony Borja, Grace Campbell, Marcus Castro, Meylin Coronado Cantoral, Ethan Cruz, Cassandra Fox, Michael Lliguin, Osmin Magana, Ariel Marte, Matthew Mejia, Henry Naughton, Marjorie Palma Soto, Justin Pesantez Bermeo, Emma Plouffe, Brooklyn Scott, Grace Stout-Delgado
NJROTC Distinguished Citizen Award- David Arias, Juliet Bryggman, Riley Borneman, Andrea Cobos Morocho, Jonathan Donofrio, Jeannah Dossous, Megan Hennessy, Hannah Krempler, Laura Kurilenko, Sofia LaRocca, Sydni LaRocca, Johann Mojica, Jaslene Vasquez Perez
- Eagle-Eye, Top Shot Award – Sofia LaRocca
- Lord of the Drill Award – Derek Miller
It was after this point in the ceremony when things began to get emotional for the seniors as they received their senior awards and prepared for their final departure on the stage. The senior awards were handed out as the following;
- Principal’s Award – Hannah Krempler
- NJROTC Spirit Award – Kevin Cantoral Madrid
- Honor Courage and Commitment Award – Jeannah Dossous
- Salty Dog Award – Angelo Monroy Blanco
- Fleet Efficiency Award – Skyler Tierney
- Lieutenant Commander John McCloy Award – Synder Portillo Soto
- Top Gun Award – Nick Napolitano
- Admiral Arleigh Burke Award – Ryan Martin
(Author side note: Before I proceed to the end of the ceremony, I want to take a moment and talk about a senior who means the world to me. Despite this being a little biased, I want to talk about my sister, Skyler. I wanna go back to the beginning for a moment. I remember when Skyler was doing her orientation for her Freshman elective options and she kept saying, “I’m not going to join NJROTC” and “I won’t join the military.” I wish that old version of you could see where you are today. I’m really proud of everything you’ve accomplished, despite everything you’ve been through, you did it, and I couldn’t be more proud to call you my sister. You’re the one who kick started my own journey in NJROTC, the one who cracked the shell I had been hiding in for so many years, you’re the one who’s helped me find the person I am today. Skyler, you have left a piece of yourself inside the hearts of every cadet here, you are forever imprinted into this unit. Thank you for encouraging me to be me, for inspiring me to join NJROTC, for cracking my shell, for believing in me, and most of all, for being my sister. I love you Skyler. Good luck in Maine. )
The end of the 2024-2025 Awards Ceremony consisted of the Change of Command Ceremony, where the incoming staff of 2025-2026, led by Danna Hernandez Madrid, relieved the outgoing staff of 2024-2025, led by Ryan Martin. After this momentous ceremony, we announced the incoming staff members of 2025-2026 as well as the students who have reaped the benefits of the military through service and scholarships. T
hey are the following cadets:
- Cadet Lizeth Estrada – Split Training Option – Army National Guard
- Cadet Synder Portillo Soto – Split Training Option – Army National Guard
- Cadet Jacob Stone – Split Training Option – Army National Guard
- Cadet Justin Pesantz – Split Training Option – Army National Guard
- Cadet Aliyah Billar – Split Training Option – Army National Guard
- Cadet Marvin Lopez – Split Training Option – Army National Guard
- Cadet Kevin Cantoral Madrid – United States Coast Guard
- Cadet Nicholas Napoletano – United States Navy
- Cadet Liam Ford – NROTC Marine Corp Option
- Cadet Ryan Martin – AROTC
We wish these cadets safety and luck through their journeys. Now, the seniors departed the unit and walked through the side boys while saluting to the bosun pipe. We wish our seniors good luck on their paths after high school. This concludes our ceremony.
We wish our seniors their final Hoo-Rah!