Each year, students who are active in the J.R.O.T.C. program are required to participate in the service learning project. This year, the students are giving their services to March of Dimes and Relay for Life.

“We are raising money to help find a cure for premature babies and birth defects and cancer,” junior Cecilia Perez said. Perez has been active in the service projects for three years and every year has been committed to the March of Dimes, and for two years she has also helped raise money for Relay for Life. Around the school, J.R.O.T.C. students are selling teddy bears, bake sale items and baby’s foot prints each for one dollar to collect money for the March of Dimes program. The students are planning a commercial to broadcast on the morning announcements to have their project public to the whole school so students and faculty can help donate money. Also, they placed milk jugs in every classroom for people to put their spare change and bills in.

“Our goal is to raise 500 dollars,” Perez said. And, J.R.O.T.C. hopes they reach their goal by the time the March of Dimes walk in downtown Harrisonburg takes place on April 10^th. While, members of J.R.O.T.C. are required to contribute their time for the service project, it is not mandatory for them to attend the actual event. For the second part of the service project, students are raising money for Relay for Life. J.R.O.T.C. is selling buttons, ribbons and baby’s foot prints for one dollar to help contribute to Relay for Life. This event takes place on May 7-8^th all night at the Rockingham Fair Grounds to help fight for a breast cancer cure.

“[The service projects] helped me realize people should help mothers and fathers with their premature babies and babies with defects, and also find a cure for cancer,” Perez said. While Perez plans on going into the Army to be a culinary chef after high school, she still wants to help out and donate money to different programs.