JROTC students construct a Bulldog armada
June 28, 2012 12:34PM
Richards High School student Brian Ramsaran preps his ship prior to final inspection before testing its seaworthiness in the pool. The U.S. Navy JROTC program hosted its annual ship design competition as a final class project this year. | Supplied Photo
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Updated: August 2, 2012 6:01AM
After a year of drill and practice, military education, rifle target practice and weekend orienteering, the U.S. Navy Junior ROTC students put their seafaring knowledge to work with a year-end ship design competition.
While some students launched their ships in the school pool, others dove in to test each vessel’s seaworthiness. Cmdr. Doug Groters (Ret.) followed suit.
Groters graded each ship for its creativity, design, details and weapons and propulsion systems. Each vessel also featured an American flag, name and a letter-number designator like those found on all U.S. Navy ships.
“The ship design and construction project is the capstone on a semester in which the cadets learn about how naval ships are planned, designed and constructed,” Groters said.
The curriculum also features an operational dimension.
“We learn the operational and administrative organizational structure of naval ships and how sailors are trained to control damage to the ship in case of fire, flooding or weapons attack,” Groters said.
Groters and Chief Petty Officer Dennis Reynolds, the two naval science instructors at Richards, have seen the sophistication and creativity of ship construction evolve over the JROTC program’s four years.
“The cadets put much more effort into the project and had some very original ideas,” Groters said. “We hope to continue to refine and improve the grading rubric, which will give students an even greater opportunity to experience the challenges and frustrations of ship construction.”
Provided to the SouthtownStar
