By Aly Miranda
On Saturday, Jan. 12, at 6 p.m. JROTC students and their guests will be making their way towards the entrance. Boys in JROTC will be in their uniform with a white dress shirt instead of the green shirt they usually wear on uniform day. Male guests will be wearing tuxedos. All girls will be wearing appropriate gowns.
The Annual Military Ball will be this Saturday at the U.S. army post, Fort Sam Houston, from 6 to 11:30 p.m. This event is a formal function in keeping students deeply rooted in military traditions.
“It’s a formal occasion and it’s mandatory for all cadets,” junior grader Tania Ojeda said. “It introduces the cadets to formal settings so they how to interact at these things.”
Since the start of corporal cadets, the Military Ball has been taking place every year. All students who are in JROTC are aware of it from the beginning of the school year and have until January to ask someone to be their “date” to the event.
“I think it’ll be fun. It’s a great idea,” freshman DATA student Lucia Jauregui said.
Once everyone has met up with their dates and have a formed a line, the cadets and their dates will be met and received by cadet leadership and special guest, principal Melvin Echard. Afterwards, the national colors will be posted, the national anthem will be sung and invocation will be given. Dinner and a toasting to the colors [American and Texas flags], to the army and to the country will occur, as a military tradition.
“After dinner, I’ll be giving my speech,” senior DATA student Quaylan Webb said. “I’ll just be talking about all the accomplishments of the battalion, how proud I am of all the cadets and I’ll be going over all their accomplishments,”
The special guest, principal Echard will also be giving a speech after dinner.
“I have not finalized my speech yet, but it will honor the hard work that has been done and provide encouragement to continue being leaders on campus and in the community,” principal Echard said.
After Webb and Principal Echard speak, two people will be crowned sweetheart and beau, graduating seniors will be recognized and the colors will be retired [taken down]. Once that is over, the ballroom will be opened to dance for all the students until 11:30 p.m. and the military ball will be over.
