thedrifter
01-28-04, 06:43 PM
Colts Neck ROTC puts
teen on path to success
Leisha Jackucewicz
earns $160,000
college scholarship
BY DAVE BENJAMIN
Staff Writer
A Colts Neck High School Navy Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps student has been awarded the Marine Option Navy ROTC scholarship.
The $160,000 scholarship that has been awarded to senior Leisha Jackucewicz, 17, of Howell will allow her to attend a college of her choice. The scholarship will include the cost of school and a monthly stipend.
Freehold Regional High School District Superintendent of Schools James Wasser said Jackucewicz "is so polished. [She has] really helped our Junior ROTC program and we are honored to have her."
Jackucewicz has so far listed Villanova, Penn State and Drexel as schools which have an ROTC program and where she would be able to continue her training.
"I must get accepted to a college that has Navy ROTC," she said. "It’s an eight-year responsibility to be in the Marine Corps for my scholarship, four years required active duty at college and four years in active duty. That commitment begins in the sophomore year."
Jackucewicz said she has thought about teaching on the elementary level as a possible option after completing her military obligations.
Lt. Col. Jim Sfayer, senior naval science instructor at Colts Neck, said Jackucewicz is an outstanding person who set a goal to be a leader in the ROTC program. He said Jackucewicz has the potential to be an outstanding officer in the Marines.
"She does everything right," Sfayer said. "She’s a really good kid and we’re very fortunate to have her."
Jackucewicz said the idea of becoming involved in the Junior ROTC program crossed her mind about two years ago when she saw a flier introducing the program. Today the ROTC at Colts Neck has tripled its original size and now has 175 students, including about a dozen girls.
The ROTC program is open to any student who lives in the Freehold Regional High School District.
"I was always interested in the Marines," said Jackucewicz, who is a battalion commander. "I knew you can get [into] the Marines through the Navy, so I thought it would be interesting to give it a shot. I pretty much made the deci*sion on my own. I knew it was a leadership course and I’ve always been interested in challenging my*self."
Jackucewicz said the ROTC pro*gram has taught her a lot about leadership, organizational skills and relating well to other people. Overall, she said, it has been a great experience.
The ROTC program also gives students many opportunities, Jackucewicz said.
"We’ve gone on trips to the Intrepid, seen museums, and we’re going to Washington, D.C.," she said. "We meet people who enrich our lives."
ROTC students also take part in community service projects, Jackucewicz said.
"The main one right now is Operation Enduring Appreciation, which is for the troops overseas," she said. "It’s really important that they get the appreciation from back home. We send them care packages."
Thinking about the world situa*tion and the possibility of partici*pating in a conflict at home or overseas, Jackucewicz said she be*lieves it comes with the territory.
"If I need to go and fight for my country and it’s something that is needed to be done, it’s part of the job," she said. "I have a friend who is going overseas in [less than] a month. She’s leaving in February and going to Iraq."
Long-term plans also may in*clude flying. Jackucewicz said she always wanted to be a pilot."We have to see how everything goes," she said. "If I like the expe*rience I might stay in a few more years after my time is up."
Jackucewicz also spoke about teamwork. On Jan. 12, Junior ROTC students appeared before the FRHSD Board of Education to demonstrate the growth of the pro*gram.
"Everyone met after school," she said. "We went over what we were going to do and everyone had a mission. Everyone came through and did exactly what they were supposed to do. That was the best example of teamwork I’ve ever seen."
She said as long as she is sur*rounded by people who want to work hard, it’s a good experience.
Jackucewicz praised Sfayer’s leadership of the ROTC program.
"He’s determined to get every mission done that he sets up for himself and the ROTC program," the student said. "For me, he’s very tough, because I know he wants the best for me. He [made sure] I applied to the best colleges and [I made sure to] get all the work done for the program. He gives you re*sponsibility, so you kind of work hard for yourself."
Jackucewicz said that in her spare time she is an outdoor person who enjoys riding her dirt bike.
She said she is very close with her family and very proud of her sister, Briana, a national caliber runner who attends middle school in Howell.
"I used to run with her when she was up to my knees and now she leaves me in the dust," said Jackucewicz.
Looking back at the ROTC pro*gram, Jackucewicz said her partic*ipation has given her an advantage over other students. She said it has allowed her to excel in areas that most people don’t have the oppor*tunity to excel in, such as organiza*tion.
"It may not seem very impor*tant, but I’ve gotten my whole life on track because of this," she said.
http://newstranscript.gmnews.com/news/2004/0128/Front_Page/037.html
The Drifter
:marine:
teen on path to success
Leisha Jackucewicz
earns $160,000
college scholarship
BY DAVE BENJAMIN
Staff Writer
A Colts Neck High School Navy Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps student has been awarded the Marine Option Navy ROTC scholarship.
The $160,000 scholarship that has been awarded to senior Leisha Jackucewicz, 17, of Howell will allow her to attend a college of her choice. The scholarship will include the cost of school and a monthly stipend.
Freehold Regional High School District Superintendent of Schools James Wasser said Jackucewicz "is so polished. [She has] really helped our Junior ROTC program and we are honored to have her."
Jackucewicz has so far listed Villanova, Penn State and Drexel as schools which have an ROTC program and where she would be able to continue her training.
"I must get accepted to a college that has Navy ROTC," she said. "It’s an eight-year responsibility to be in the Marine Corps for my scholarship, four years required active duty at college and four years in active duty. That commitment begins in the sophomore year."
Jackucewicz said she has thought about teaching on the elementary level as a possible option after completing her military obligations.
Lt. Col. Jim Sfayer, senior naval science instructor at Colts Neck, said Jackucewicz is an outstanding person who set a goal to be a leader in the ROTC program. He said Jackucewicz has the potential to be an outstanding officer in the Marines.
"She does everything right," Sfayer said. "She’s a really good kid and we’re very fortunate to have her."
Jackucewicz said the idea of becoming involved in the Junior ROTC program crossed her mind about two years ago when she saw a flier introducing the program. Today the ROTC at Colts Neck has tripled its original size and now has 175 students, including about a dozen girls.
The ROTC program is open to any student who lives in the Freehold Regional High School District.
"I was always interested in the Marines," said Jackucewicz, who is a battalion commander. "I knew you can get [into] the Marines through the Navy, so I thought it would be interesting to give it a shot. I pretty much made the deci*sion on my own. I knew it was a leadership course and I’ve always been interested in challenging my*self."
Jackucewicz said the ROTC pro*gram has taught her a lot about leadership, organizational skills and relating well to other people. Overall, she said, it has been a great experience.
The ROTC program also gives students many opportunities, Jackucewicz said.
"We’ve gone on trips to the Intrepid, seen museums, and we’re going to Washington, D.C.," she said. "We meet people who enrich our lives."
ROTC students also take part in community service projects, Jackucewicz said.
"The main one right now is Operation Enduring Appreciation, which is for the troops overseas," she said. "It’s really important that they get the appreciation from back home. We send them care packages."
Thinking about the world situa*tion and the possibility of partici*pating in a conflict at home or overseas, Jackucewicz said she be*lieves it comes with the territory.
"If I need to go and fight for my country and it’s something that is needed to be done, it’s part of the job," she said. "I have a friend who is going overseas in [less than] a month. She’s leaving in February and going to Iraq."
Long-term plans also may in*clude flying. Jackucewicz said she always wanted to be a pilot."We have to see how everything goes," she said. "If I like the expe*rience I might stay in a few more years after my time is up."
Jackucewicz also spoke about teamwork. On Jan. 12, Junior ROTC students appeared before the FRHSD Board of Education to demonstrate the growth of the pro*gram.
"Everyone met after school," she said. "We went over what we were going to do and everyone had a mission. Everyone came through and did exactly what they were supposed to do. That was the best example of teamwork I’ve ever seen."
She said as long as she is sur*rounded by people who want to work hard, it’s a good experience.
Jackucewicz praised Sfayer’s leadership of the ROTC program.
"He’s determined to get every mission done that he sets up for himself and the ROTC program," the student said. "For me, he’s very tough, because I know he wants the best for me. He [made sure] I applied to the best colleges and [I made sure to] get all the work done for the program. He gives you re*sponsibility, so you kind of work hard for yourself."
Jackucewicz said that in her spare time she is an outdoor person who enjoys riding her dirt bike.
She said she is very close with her family and very proud of her sister, Briana, a national caliber runner who attends middle school in Howell.
"I used to run with her when she was up to my knees and now she leaves me in the dust," said Jackucewicz.
Looking back at the ROTC pro*gram, Jackucewicz said her partic*ipation has given her an advantage over other students. She said it has allowed her to excel in areas that most people don’t have the oppor*tunity to excel in, such as organiza*tion.
"It may not seem very impor*tant, but I’ve gotten my whole life on track because of this," she said.
http://newstranscript.gmnews.com/news/2004/0128/Front_Page/037.html
The Drifter
:marine: