Waukegan High School JROTC Department Goals

Our mission is to motivate young people to become better citizens.  Established by the Board of Education on January 4, 1916, our program is designed to teach high school students the values of citizenship, leadership, service to the community, communication, and personal responsibility for actions and choices, while instilling in them self-esteem, teamwork, and self-discipline.

Classes taught in JROTC include ethics, citizenship, communications, leadership, first aid, health and wellness, financial education, etiquette, study skills, respect for others, and other subjects designed to prepare young men and women to take their place as leaders in society.  

Arguably, JROTC has been one of the most successful and significantly impactful youth-oriented programs in American history.  Year after year, Waukegan JROTC exceeds our school’s averages in each of five “Quality Indicators” many educators use to evaluate a program’s effectiveness: attendance, graduation, indiscipline, drop-out rate, and GPA. 

Co-curricular activities available to JROTC Cadets include:

• Our nationally ranked Drill Team which competes at regional and national competitions 
• Our nationally ranked JROTC Leadership and Academic Bowl (JLAB) Team which competes at regional and national Academic Bowl Championships 
• The Color Guard which presents our national colors at athletic, civic, and school events 
• The Raider Team which attends local and regional orienteering and fitness challenge competitions 
• The Drum Corps which provides marching music for the Regiment
• Cadet Medics who are dedicated to providing first aid and comfort to their fellow cadets  
• JROTC Cadet Leadership Challenge (JCLC): a one-week leadership development camp that affords our students an opportunity for hands-on learning and personal growth away from the traditional confines of a high school campus.  It is conducted in partnership with the US Army at St John’s Northwestern Military Academy in Delafield, WI during the month of June.

Students who enroll in JROTC receive a waiver from physical education.

JROTC STAFF

Lieutenant Colonel Ronald Painter….….Department Chair and Senior Army Instructor

First Sergeant Deborah Bajnathporter.……........….…... Army Instructor

Master Sergeant Allison Johnson….…….........………... Army Instructor

Master Sergeant Chad Bourne….…….............………... Army Instructor

Sergeant First Class Deborah Spencer……......…..…... Army Instructor

Sergeant First Class Jeffrey Nasser….….......……..…... Army Instructor
Sergeant First Class Donald Fugate .....................……. Army Instructor