By Eric Erickson

National honors for Marine Corps JROTC

Como Park’s Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps (JROTC) program earned its 10th consecutive National Honor School Award at the conclusion of the 2024-25 school year. The prestigious recognition is reserved for the top 20% of Marine Corps JROTC across the country.

Criteria are based on annual inspections, community service, academic achievement, enrollment, cadet leadership, competitions, physical fitness and scholastic engagement.

JROTC cadets at Como number over 100 in total and have a full-year class with their grade level. Beyond the classroom, the entire unit collaborates on initiatives throughout the academic year and summer, while individuals and groups may pursue opportunities in drill, color guard, cybersecurity, orienteering, academic bowls and more.

Community service is a pillar, as are fundraising efforts to support retreats, leadership camps and travel to competitions.

The cadets served seven full days on the sanitation crew at the State Fair this August, peaking with 72 workers on August 25 — a new one-day record for the program after more than two decades of duty.

3DE expansion

After a successful launch last year with the freshmen class, Como’s 3DE program funded by Junior Achievement will continue to challenge and support students through case studies in partnership with local and national businesses.

All sophomores and freshmen students will be participating this school year.

Adventures Abroad

Costa Rica: Spanish teacher Leah Deiman led 18 Como Park students on an educational weeklong trip to Costa Rica during the summer in coordination with Education First (EF Tours).

Highlights included a cooking class, an ecological workshop, touring a coffee farm, snorkeling, a boat tour of a wildlife refuge, visiting thermal springs, hiking to La Fortuna Waterfall and ziplining over the rain forest in the Arenal Volcano region.

Japan: Rafi Gutierrez, a 2025 Como graduate, was selected to represent the St. Paul-Nagasaki Sister City Committee (SPNSCC) as a youth ambassador. He attended the Aug. 9 Nagasaki Peace Ceremony marking the 80th anniversary of the atomic bombing, joined a youth forum, met with officials, toured the city and visited cultural sites.

Upon his return, Gutierrez was a featured speaker at the Minnesota History Center when Mayor Suzuki of Nagasaki and a delegation hosted by the SPNSCC visited for the “Friendship After Devastation” celebratory events in late August. Gutierrez is now a freshman at Macalester College. 

Eric Erickson is a social studies teacher at Como Park Senior High School and writes for the Bugle.

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Photo Cutline: Rafi Gutierrez with Nagasaki Mayor Suzuki at the Minnesota History Center. Photo by Eric Erickson.