Using JROTC to Teach Life Lessons to High School Students

Steve Adubato sits down with Sergeant First Class (Ret.) Harvey L. Craig, who is an Army Instructor at Irvington High School JROTC and 2016-2017 Essex County Teacher of the Year, to discuss how Sgt. Craig teaches life lessons through JROTC and motivates his students to become better informed global citizens.  

3/31/2020 #2284

Excerpt:

"We are honored to be joined By sergeant first class Harvey Craig otherwise known as sergeant Craig and he is an army instructor at Irvington high school and their junior ROTC program also 2016-17 Essex county teacher of the year sergeant thank you for joining us. Thank you so much for having me. thank you for your service .thank you for your support.so you work with young people Everyday and you have encouraged them to consider the possibility of a military life in large part because it changed your life? correct. How so? certainly. I graduated from Westside high school and I didn't have many teachers or-- where is that? It's in Newark .in Newark new jersey, definitely right that's right south orange avenue. right. And I really didn't have any of my teachers who spoke to me about college so the military was gonna be my way to Get out and go see the world. Mm...did my 20 plus years came back door out to my time found out about jrotc said I’m coming home I’m gonna come home and use what the army taught me to help other young people. I’m a student of leadership military leadership fascinates me most significant lesson you learned about leadership in the Military life was is? wow first of all leaders must provide direction motivation and purpose that's what I tell My cadets everyday. mm...just because you're their leader the one who's in charge you think you could scream and yell the most that doesn't make you a leader first you got to give me the mission and the task tell me the purpose why am I doing this then you want to motivate me make me make me want to do it and give me the direction give me some good clear instructions on what I’m going to do.mm...that's what leaders do. you know it's fascinating I’m reading about you in 2014 very personal and significant health care scare you had a heart attack. correct. in the course of your treatment you're in seeing a cardiologist tell everyone what happens--wow. During that period. I had a heart attack in Irvington high school just got finished teaching my class. Wow. went and had my surgery come back I’m seeing my cardiologist and they call my name then I hear a voice in the background Say my name repeat my name after I said it and so wow so we get up to walk in there here comes one of my students Lorent St. Charles one of my Former cadet command sergeant major. Say it again. Who it was. Lorent St. Charles. alright. said he was gonna be a doctor when we when..."