The Navy Junior ROTC cadets at Lebanon Trail High School have had a busy year, not only learning important skills in the classroom but also attending several competitions.
In the first six months since receiving a new designation, the NJROTC has been productive and popular — and instructors are hoping to grow the program even further.
Retired U.S. Marine Corps Lt. Col. Hamartrya Tharpe, lead instructor for NJROTC, said when he joined the program this winter, cadets had already been doing the work to make it exceptional.
Recent recognitions include being named Most Improved Unit of 2024 for Area 19, which includes North Texas, Oklahoma and Colorado, and earning third place at last summer’s JROTC Leadership & Academic Bowl National Championship.
“Excellence is ingrained in the program and in the kids themselves,” Tharpe said. “These are trail blazers here at Lebanon Trail. They are setting the pace in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex.”
NJROTC is a four-year leadership and civic program with courses that meet both classroom learning objectives as well as physical fitness goals. Cadets’ weeks are divided into two days of classroom study and three days of Leadership Laboratory, including inspections, drill and physical training.
Learn more about the Naval Science curriculum in the 2025-26 Course Catalog.
The mission of NJROTC is to motivate young people to be better citizens, with teaching goals focused on leadership, teamwork, character education, personal responsibility, a sense of accomplishment and promoting professionalism.
Commanding officer Karina Roberts, a Lebanon Trail senior, said NJROTC has profoundly impacted her life.
“Joining the program was undoubtedly the best decision I made for both my high school experience and future success,” she said. ”The cadet-led structure emphasizes initiative, cooperation and problem-solving, making it an exceptional choice for anyone seeking to be the best version of themselves.”
Tharpe said he encourages cadets to stick with the program to get the most out of it, and tells them this is a learning opportunity, a chance to discover who you are.
“It’s like I tell these students, at the end of the day, this program is more than ‘Left, right, left,’” he said. “The things we’re going to challenge you with are going to pay off big dividends for a lifetime.”
Join Frisco ISD’s NJROTC program
Students wishing to participate in the NJROTC program must be enrolled full time at Lebanon Trail High School.
To enroll in NJROTC, please schedule an appointment with your school counselor and request Naval Science 1 during course selection. Applications are no longer necessary.
Transportation is the responsibility of each student and their family.
Learn more about the mission of the NJROTC.
Congratulations to the NJROTC cadets on their accomplishments this year!
2025 Western Heights Drill Competition, Oklahoma City
1st Place, Academics
2nd Place Overall
Joshua Owl Challenge Drill Competition
3rd Place Overall
3rd Place Armed Regulation
1st Place Mixed Color Guard
2nd Place Push-Up Event
3rd Place Relay Race
1st Place Academic Test - Neureka Kundu, highest individual score among all test takers
4th Annual McKinney Cubs Challenge
1st Place Girls 100m relay
2024 Riverfront Classic Academic Postal
3rd Place
2024 Lewisville High School Drill Competition
1st Place Academics
1st Place Varsity Color Guard
2nd Place JV Color Guard
2nd Place Athletics