When I go to professional meetings and need to introduce myself, I always share my name and follow it with “I’m lucky enough to be the principal at Springfield High School.” I share this to set the context for you and this article. There are a lot of days that I go home pretty worn out, but other days, I am truly lucky enough to be around our kids and see so many positive things.
This past weekend, I attended the 39th Annual JROTC Military Ball. For those of you who don’t know, the students in our JROTC program are charged with organizing a military style ball that includes the pageantry of a prom with the history and tradition of the military.
Our students take great pride in this activity and do a great job. As part of this event, our students set up and prepared a missing man table that includes all the symbolism of the different people who were left behind to recognize those fallen soldiers. This table is recognized as it sits in the crowd while one of our JROTC cadets describes all of the symbolism that goes into the honor table. To close out that moment and provide the final recognition for fallen soldiers, “TAPS” is played. The impact that this moment has on all in attendance is a powerful moment. To see our students carry out such dignified actions makes me ever proud.
One other great military tradition for this night includes a receiving line in which students have a formal presentation of their guests to all the honored dignitaries who are there. Somehow they let me be a dignitary.
I so enjoy our students walking up with all the shyness and awkwardness and then do a great job of introducing themselves and their guests. Again, I am very lucky to work with our amazing students.
Being an old history teacher, I love the traditions that are shared on this night, but there is a certain amount of pageantry too. It is so nice to see the seniors in their uniforms be introduced to the crowd and recognized as JROTC seniors. But the most pageantry of the night came from the sabre guard with swords drawn to welcome and recognize the military ball court and the choosing of the queen. Great moments and memories.
And finally, with this evening is the dancing. Those of you who know me, know I’m not much of a dancer and never claimed to be. But somehow the tradition got started that I have to do the Hokey Pokey with the kids before the night is through. Hopefully the videos stay hidden.
Thank you to all the students and parents who participated in the 39th Annual Military Ball.
Our students did a great job and once again I was reminded of how lucky I am to be the principal at Springfield High School.
Photos provided by Tim McDaniel
