Photo By: Cole Nelson
26 February 2013
MILITARY BALL: JROTC’s annual military ball gives Poly’s cadets the chance to reflect on their comradery and thank their community.
By Kira Roybal, Staff Writer
Glittery dresses, snazzy tuxedos and plenty of dancing—is it prom season already? No, but JROTC’s military ball is coming up soon.
Poly’s Junior Reserves Officers’ Training Corps will be holding its 97th annual ball on March 15. The first part of the evening includes a formal dinner and several ceremonies, but the latter part is just like any other high school event: jam-packed with dancing and good times.
“The best part [of the military ball] is the formalities and the dinner,” Adrianna DahDah (12), the battalion executive officer, said. The event gives all participants the opportunity to step out of their comfort zone and experience a new environment. Male cadets are expected to wear their Class A uniforms and female cadets get the chance to dress like princesses in glamorous, floor-length gowns. They introduce themselves to their dignitaries and listen to speeches made by honored guest speakers, such as Mayor Bailey. Then comes the dinner, which gives cadets the chance to brush up on their etiquette skills, like which fork to use first and what to do with that cloth napkin.
The military ball also has several highlights. JROTC honors America’s service members with a POW (Prisoners Of War) and MIA (Missing In Action) commemoration table and by inviting active military personnel to the event. Like prom, there is also a royal court designated by LET (Leadership, Education and Training) levels, or the number of years a cadet has participated in Poly’s JROTC program; the LET fourth level has a king and queen, the third level has a prince and princess, the second level has a duke and duchess and the first level has a lord and lady.
The cake ceremony is a unique tradition of the military ball. After the dinner and the formalities, the youngest and oldest cadet come together to cut a ceremonial cake with a saber, or a military-style sword. “It’s to show the unity between the youngest and the oldest cadets,” Kiaune Premdas (12), the battalion commander, said.
The military ball will be held at the Elks Lodge in Riverside, a social club involved with charity work. Poly’s JROTC has a close bond with this organization. About once a month, a group of cadets visits the military veterans at the Lodge; they help serve dinner and keep the former armed forces members company. “We get advice and mentoring [from the veterans]. We look forward to being what they were,” Premdas said.
Although the military ball is similar to other high school dances, it is still an exclusive event that usually only those affiliated with JROTC attend. “Usually not a lot of people want to go because they don’t really know much about JROTC,” Theresa Guadarrama (11), the battalion special projects officer, said. Tickets are available for purchase, though it is more common to be invited by a member of Poly’s JROTC.
“[The military ball] is not only for us. It’s also for the people who have helped us in the community,” Guadarrama said. Poly’s JROTC cadets invite not only other Poly students, but also cadets from other RUSD schools, as well as their booster club’s president, instructors and battalion commander.
“The military ball is just about camaraderie—spending the night with cadets not only from our school but also from other schools, meeting new people and bonding,” DahDah said.