Navy Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps (NJROTC) cadets attended a leadership academy at Naval Air Station (NAS) Whidbey Island June 21-28.

NJROTC cadets from Alaska, Colorado, California, Nevada, Washington, Oregon and Japan attended the Area 13 Leadership Academy.

Cadets learned orienteering and participated in military drill, classes on leadership principles and water survival training. They also learned attention to detail through uniform inspections, and each platoon competed against each other in academics, physical fitness and drills.

“Cadets are here to learn teamwork, make new friends and hopefully, have a memorable experience of their time here,” said Capt. Daniel Wenceslao, Area 13 manager of the 106 cadets in attendance. “It is some place to go during the summer to develop leadership, teamwork and discipline.”

Marines from Marine Aviation Training Support Group (MATSG) 53 volunteered to lead cadets through their exercises and ensured they maintained military discipline.

“The base support and Marines make this camp successful,” said Wenceslao. “The Marines are the ones that gel the cadets together as a platoon and get them working together.”

“Our job is to instill in these cadets leadership traits, and in the end, none of these kids are resentful. They appreciate what they have become — disciplined. I’d have to say that the experience was gratifying,” said Lance Cpl. Rouy Seng of MATSG 53.

Students were impressed with how the lessons they learned during the course can be applied in their daily lives and how the activities helped them to grow.

“It was an amazing experience, not what I expected. It’s something I can take back home and teach,” said Niko Deleon a cadet from Clark high school in Nevada.

“I learned a lot about drills and how to instruct them. I thought it was going to be easier, but it really pushed me past my limits,” said cadet Athena Peterson.

The weeklong course was educational not only for the cadets but also for the Marine handlers.

“I learned from being a platoon handler that you can’t just expect to break the cadets down and as they’re getting stronger from the intensive training, they’ll just build themselves back up. I learned that these cadets needed help from each other, that motivating them to work as a team will also help them stay motivated themselves,” said Seng.

According to Wenceslao, most of these cadets are entering their junior or senior year in high school and are the top performers in their units. Many of them will return to their high schools and take top leadership positions.