PICTURES FROM OUR ANNUAL IN-HOUSE AND PFTArmed

Every year we conduct what we call an "in-house" drill meet to knock-off the dust and prepare our drill team to compete.  This year the in-house was conducted on Saturday, 25 October.  We had a the sharpest turn-out ever.  Good job to those who participated and thanks again to our judges, MIDN 3/C Jessica Glickman (MHS '13), PO2 Blanchette (MHS '06), and LCPL David Geer (MHS '12).  Here are some pictures:

Twenty-one cadets took the Fall PFT.  Good job!

Where is everyone else?

I don't know!

The senior color guard prepares.

Inspection--Everyone was inspected by each judge.  Common Discrepancies:  Shoes, gneeral knowledge, gig-lines.

The senior color guard performs.

Our three judges, from left to right:  LCPL David Geer, PO2 Blanchette, and MIDN Jessica Glickman

The XO looks on.

Cadet Ramos prepares to present the team for inspection.

"I got this one at Midway."

MIDN Glickman proves that everyone really is taller than her.

The New Cadet Color Guard performs.

The armed platoon led by Cadet Tyler Jetjomlong (extreme left).

Cadet Jetjomlongs checks alignment.

MSGT provides "advice."

Really?

RULES FOR STUDENTS

Rules for Students

(These rules were put forth by Charles Sykes in his book Dumbing Down America. They have floated through the Internet being attributed to Bill Gates.  Most often they appear with 11 rules leaving off three that the original author had written.  Since these rules are now about 15 years old, some of the references are getting a bit old, but the rules are still very valid.)

Rule No. 1:   Life is not fair. Get used to it. The average teen-ager uses the phrase "It's not fair" 8.6 times a day. You got it from your parents, who said it so often you decided they must be the most idealistic generation ever. When they started hearing it from their own kids, they realized Rule No. 1.

Rule No. 2:   The real world won't care as much about your self-esteem as much as your school does. It'll expect you to accomplish something before you feel good about yourself. This may come as a shock. Usually, when inflated self-esteem meets reality, kids complain that it's not fair. (See Rule No. 1)

Rule No. 3:   Sorry, you won't make $40,000 a year right out of high school. And you won't be a vice president or have a car phone either. You may even have to wear a uniform that doesn't have a Gap label.

Rule No. 4:   If you think your teacher is tough, wait 'til you get a boss. He doesn't have tenure, so he tends to be a bit edgier. When you screw up, he's not going to ask you how you feel about it.

Rule No. 5:   Flipping burgers is not beneath your dignity. Your grandparents had a different word for burger flipping. They called it opportunity. They weren't embarrassed making minimum wage either. They would have been embarrassed to sit around talking about Kurt Cobain all weekend.

Rule No. 6:   It's not your parents' fault. If you screw up, you are responsible. This is the flip side of "It's my life," and "You're not the boss of me," and other eloquent proclamations of your generation. When you turn 18, it's on your dime. Don't whine about it, or you'll sound like a baby boomer.

Rule No. 7:   Before you were born your parents weren't as boring as they are now. They got that way paying your bills, cleaning up your room and listening to you tell them how idealistic you are. And by the way, before you save the rain forest from the blood-sucking parasites of your parents' generation, try delousing the closet in your bedroom.

Rule No. 8:   Your school may have done away with winners and losers. Life hasn't. In some schools, they'll give you as many times as you want to get the right answer. Failing grades have been abolished and class valedictorians scrapped, lest anyone's feelings be hurt. Effort is as important as results. This, of course, bears not the slightest resemblance to anything in real life. (See Rule No. 1, R ule No. 2 and Rule No. 4.)

Rule No. 9:   Life is not divided into semesters, and you don't get summers off. Not even Easter break. They expect you to show up every day. For eight hours. And you don't get a new life every10 weeks. It just goes on and on. While we're at it, very few jobs are interested in fostering your self-expression or helping you find yourself. Fewer still lead to self-realization. (See Rule No. 1and Rule No. 2.)

Rule No. 10:   Television is not real life. Your life is not a sitcom. Your problems will not all be solved in 30 minutes, minus time for commercials. In real life, people actually have to leave the coffee shop to go to jobs. Your friends will not be as perky or pliable as Jennifer Aniston.

Rule No. 11:   Be nice to nerds. You may end up working for them. We all could.

Rule No. 12:   Smoking does not make you look cool. It makes you look moronic. Next time you're out cruising, watch an 11-year-old with a butt in his mouth. That's what you look like to anyone over 20. Ditto for "expressing yourself" with purple hair and/or pierced body parts.

Rule No. 13:   You are not immortal. (See Rule No. 12.) If you are under the impression that living fast, dying young and leaving a beautiful corpse is romantic, you obviously haven't seen one of your peers at room temperature lately.

Rule No. 14:   Enjoy this while you can. Sure parents are a pain, school's a bother, and life is depressing. But someday you'll realize how wonderful it was to be a kid. Maybe you should start now.

You're welcome.

CADET CHALLENGE #4

Here is Cadet Challenge #4: 

For NS 1: 100 Gold Coins

Five pirates have obtained 100 gold coins and have to divide up the loot. The pirates are all extremely intelligent, treacherous and selfish (especially the captain).

The captain always proposes a distribution of the loot. All pirates vote on the proposal, and if half the crew or more go "Aye", the loot is divided as proposed, as no pirate would be willing to take on the captain without superior force on their side.

If the captain fails to obtain support of at least half his crew (which includes himself), he faces a mutiny, and all pirates will turn against him and make him walk the plank. The pirates start over again with the next senior pirate as captain.

What is the maximum number of coins the captain can keep without risking his life?

For NS 2+:  Two Kids

A couple has two children, one of whom is a girl.  What is the probability that the other is also a girl? (You may safely assume that the genetic probability of having a baby of either sex is 50%.)

This challenge will expire at 0730, Monday 20 October 2014.  The winner for the NS 1 category will receive a NJROTC ball cap.  The upper class winner will receive a MHS NJROTC pen.  As always, you must be prepared to discuss your solution and demonstrate you understand your work. 

Good Luck!

AND THE RESULTS ARE IN!

Here are the results from Cadet Challenge #3.

We received a total of 16 inputs for consideration.   For NS 1, congratulations go to Cadet Isabella LeMasciare ("New life, new beginning, new future.).  For NS 2 and above, congratulations go to Cadet Tyler Jetjomlong ("New school, new experiences, new responsibilities.). 

Good job to everyone, except Cadet Valentin--boo on him.

The common factor in most submissions was that of "new experiences."  

 

In a slightly less serious vein:

I will post Cadet Challenge #4 once two cadets have asked me.  There will be a prize.

ORIENTEERING!

On Saturday, 18 October 28 cadets climbed on a shiny yellow school bus for a 0700 departure to Washington Crossing State Park to participate in the annual NJROTC Orieenteering Champonship.
This year's event was hosted by the Delaware Valley Orienteering Association and the overall results can be found at: http://www.dvoa.org/events/results/html/rslt14/washingtoncrossing-2014-10-18-misc.html

Congratulations to our team White 2, our highest finishers.  White 2 came in 6th out of 42 teams. Good job!

Here are a few pictures:

The last known image of our Orange 1 Team, taken shortly before their disappearance while attempting the course.

Getting ready for knock-out.

Final muster

The awards ceremony.

Two thumbs up.

The last sign spotted by Orange 1.

CADET CHALLENGE # 3

Here's a new cadet challenge:

For new cadets:  In six words, and six words only, describe your experience in high school so far.

For old cadets:  In six words, and six words only, describe your freshman year.

Here's a bit of background on my six word writing challenge.  The famous writer Ernest Hemingway, well known for his terse style, was once challenged to write a short story in only six words. Never one to shy away from a challenge, Hemingway wrote:  "For sale: baby shoes.  Never worn."  

This challenge will expire at 0730, Monday 20 October.  One winner will be selected from each class.  Submissions may be hand-written, but must be signed.  The prize?  A delicious Snickers bar (or a peanut free substitute).

 

CADET CHALLENGE #2 SOLVED!

Congratulations to Cadet Christian Valentin who successfully solved the Principal's Quandary noting that 31 lockers would be open.

Standby for Challenge # 3 tomorrow.

CADET CHALLENGE # 1 SOLVED!

Congratulations to Cadets Nicholas Menard (NS 2) and Matthew Figueroa (NS 1) who successfully determined that Fedorka was 84 years old when he died.

See our NJROTC Google Classroom site for Cadet Challenge # 2.

HAPPY 239TH BIRTHDAY UNITED STATES NAVY!

NEW CADET CHALLENGE

I've been requested to provide another cadet challenge.  Here is a one of my favorites, a real Golden Oldie:

How old was Fedorka when he died?

He was a boy for one-sixth of his life. After one-twelfth more, he acquired a beard. After another one-seventh, he married. In the fifth year after his marriage his son was born. The son lived half as many as his father. Fedorka died 4 years after his son. How old was Fedorka when he died?

The challenge is open to NS 1 and NS 2 cadets and will end at 0730, Tuesday 14 October.  The first cadet from each class to submit a correct entry will win a delicious candy bar.   Good luck.

ANNUAL INSPECTION SCHEDULED

Our annual inspection has been scheduled for Tuesday, 24 February 2015 and will be conducted as an Area Manager's Inspection by the NJROTC Area Four Manager.  This will be your priority for the day--plan accordingly.

Be prepared!