Up From Near Extinction, Junior ROTC Program is Thriving at Novato High

After years of teetering on the brink and stressing about its survival, the U.S. Air Force Junior ROTC program based at is enjoying a resurgence.

Lt. Hiroshi (Yoshi) Yamaguchi, director of Marin County’s only Reserve Officers Training Corps unit, reported that the program is no longer on probation by the Air Force because of low enrollment. After six years of probation, signups reached the century mark in October, and a few weeks ago the Board of Trustees along with Superintendent Jan La Torre-Derby formally congratulated the program for reaching the milestone.

“Dr. Derby sent us a thank-you letter and told us about how terrific the kids are, and that meant a lot to us,” Yamaguchi said. “It was nice to get support from the board.”

A nonprofit community group that has helped the JROTC rally in recent years is beaming with pride that the unit is now on solid ground.

“It’s beyond my wildest dreams,” said Susan Miller of Building Better Citizens for America. “I give these kids all the credit for the work they did. Yeah, we raised money but what saved the program was the desirability for the students to enter the program and get the benefits of what it offers. The juniors and seniors this year and last year sold that program to their classmates on campus. They have been tremendous ambassadors.”

Yamaguchi, who has been with the program for two years, said the milestone is especially huge because of the political and demographic makeup of the residents here.

“San Francisco and Marin … This is the worst area in the country for Junior ROTC,” he said. “It’s just the culture. We have an understanding about it. But this was the first unit established in California, and to me that’s one of the reasons why there is so much pride.”

Principal Rey Mayoral of Novato High said he started several Junior ROTC programs at other schools where he has worked and was concerned about its direction and leadership prior to Yamaguchi’s arrival.

“We never had the leadership that was needed to get the program to the next level, to get it out of the bottom of the barrel,” Mayoral said. “By hiring Yoshi, we were able to make the different, but it was really a combined effort by people like Susan Miller, the school district, the board of trustees, people here at the high school and the kids themselves. … The real work was the counselors, teachers and administrators really encouraging kids to enroll.”

Cadets have participated in several workshops to answer questions from potential recruits and their parents. Those efforts along with the work of Building Better Citizens for America and some media exposure for the program were the building blocks for the program’s comeback, Yamaguchi said.

Junior ROTC cadets do more than learn about aviation, science and discipline. Some of them belong to the Novato Police Department’s Explorer Program, provide color guards at local events such as a recent playoff basketball game, stay in touch with veterans groups and volunteer at nonprofit events. The cadets have totaled more than 1,000 community service hours helping organizations such as the Kiwanis Club and the Parent Teacher Student Association, Yamaguchi said.

Building Better Citizens for America recently paid for all senior cadets to apply to at least one college, and all of them plan to enroll at a university. Cadet Dante Tabarracci received a congressional nomination to attend the U.S. Air Force Academy, and he is awaiting word by late March. Cadet Andrew Hays received a full scholarship from the U.S. Army ROTC program, and many other students received academic certificates at a recent Novato High Awards Night.

In addition, the kids stay in shape by playing school sports and get together on the side for golf outings. Yamaguchi said some cadets would like to start a youth tennis program at the school as well.

Although the program is open to teens from all over Marin County, all 100 cadets are from Novato right now, and 45 are of Hispanic heritage. The two-week summer program often attracts students from other Marin schools.

“We are a family,” Yamaguchi said. “I know that in some cases we are keeping them out of gangs. I think it’s a great positive influence in the community.”

Mayoral added, “It’s a niche for a lot of kids. I think what I like about Yoshi is that he has brought back the teaching of values, ethics and character, and that makes for better kids. It provides an opportunity for some kids who probably wouldn’t be that engaged in school.”

John Sammons, a retired U.S. Navy commander and one of Novato’s leaders on veterans affairs, said local veterans are proud of the turnaround by the Junior ROTC program.

“These are special kids,” he said. “It shows in how they act and now they participate as citizens. … When we see them at our Memorial Day and Veterans Day ceremonies, we are really proud of them and proud that the program has survived. It took a lot of heavy lifting to do it.”