JLAB 2019 JROTC UNIT BEST PRACTICE Date:05/16/2019

School: Discovery High School

School Address: 1335 Old Norcross Rd, Lawrenceville, GA 30046

JROTC Unit Name: Titan Battalion

Unit Telephone Number: 9128560756

Unit Email Address: Robert_W_Rooker@gwinnett.k12.ga.us

JLAB Team Member Names: Rossy Dang, Christina Le, Daniel Patino, Sydney Hughes

Name of SAI/AI: Colonel Robert W. Rooker

JROTC Unit Best Practice (one per form only): Service Learning Project- The Empty Stocking Fund Discussion (The who, what, when, where and how of the Best Practice, e.g., components of the function, organization (staff responsibilities, command and control), resources needed (money, people, supplies, transportation, and equipment) timeline from planning to completion, etc.):

We all do some things better than others. Likewise, some JROTC units are better at some things than other JROTC units. We call those Best Practices. We think that the “best” best practices come from the best units. If your unit’s day-to-day performance is a reflection of your accomplishments on JLAB Level

I and Level II, and we think that it is, then we believe your unit to be among the best. We want you to tell us about your best practice(s). Complete and submit this form on one or more of your unit’s best

practices. Use a separate from for each Best Practice. Be detailed in your report so that the other 3,400+ JROTC units in the country with whom we will share it can read and execute it without questions! This report form is designed to expand as you type. It should accommodate your report without attachments. Should that not be the case, submit your report(s) in a format that works for you. Please name your file

with your school name.

Below is a non-all-inclusive list of possible unit best practices. .

● Academic Team ● Drill Team ● Orienteering Team ● Raider Challenge Team ● Rifle Team ● Color Guard ● Marksmanship Training ● Awards Ceremony ● Awards support from outside organizations ● Cadet retention in JROTC

● Fundraising ● Leadership Team ● JCLC ● Service Learning/Community Service ● Military Ball ● Cadet Commander and Staff Organization and Functions ● Cadet Scholarships ● Technology support of unit from school and community ● Educational and Orientation Trips ● Cadet Challenge

Discovery High SchoolJROTC

Service LearningPresentation

April 16, 2019

Our Project

Our service learning project is based around the Empty Stocking Fund. We chose this project to provide gifts for children that are living in poverty and more importantly to help and give back to our community. This project was over the span of two months- October and November. All of our goals were met along the way and it was an eye opener for things we do not think about as much such as skill development, usage, and the knowledge we apply

Empty Stocking Fund

The Empty Stocking Fund was founded in 1927 by a small group of employees of the predecessor of The Atlanta Journal- Constitution- The Atlanta Georgian. Through time, the Empty Stocking Fund has partnered up with the JROTC program- this can be dated back to the 1940’s. With the help of one of their sponsors, Kroger, cadets representing the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marines raise roughly $100,000 each year- this is enough to provide gifts to 5,000 children. The Empty Stocking Fund relies on volunteers, donations and their sponsorships to make Santa’s Village happen each year. Santa’s Village is where volunteering groups assist in distributing gifts to families in poverty during the 2nd to the 21st in the month of December.

Benefits To Community

ImplementationOur Plan

I. Planning process - Three phases1) Collection2) Kroger Drive3) Santa Village

II. Goals• The battalion goal was to raise $2,000. In the company level, all five companies were

competing to raise the most money. • All cadets receive the service learning ribbon (N-4-6)• Each cadet had a personal goal of $50. Cadets meeting this goal receive a ribbon• All cadets throughout the battalion were competing to be the top 20 collectors to be

able to go to Santa’s Village.

JROTC lesson competencies

Implementation Plan (cont.)

Reflection plan company level and individual reflections

• Discovery High School JROTC cadets were involved in the Empty Stocking Fund

• The battalion raised money at Discovery high school, the football games, Kroger, churches, work and around the community.

• The project started in October and ended in November.

• We chose the Empty Stocking fund in order to give back help the community by raising money to provide gifts for children living in poverty.

Service Learning TeamworkI. Company

At the company level, volunteers were picked for the Kroger drive and football games at the school to collect and raise money. In each company, cadets reflected what they did orally and wrote down their individual thoughts on how they did. Additionally, each company had a recorder that would write down company reflections.II. Kroger Drive

Cadets that volunteered at Kroger had assignments and they had figured out what to, where to stand, and how to approach people. They advocated and made our community aware of the Empty Stocking fund. As a result, people from the community supported and donated money.III. Santa Village

At Santa Village, there were four main jobs at the front desk, the show room, the warehouse, and packaging areas. • Front desk; Cadets greet and input or find clients’ information in the database.• Show room; In the showroom, cadets help clients pick out gifts for their children.• Warehouse; Cadets in the warehouse pick out selected gifts for the clients.• Packaging; Cadets will receive gifts from the back and package the gifts for the clients.

JROTC Kroger Drive

During the Kroger Drive…• It took place on the 3rd and 4th of November.• There were two locations• In one day, there were two shifts at each Kroger-

morning and afternoon shifts.• At each shift, there were nearly 10 cadets at both

Krogers. • At each Kroger, there were roughly 20 cadets

throughout one day. In total, about 40 cadets were involved for both days.

• As a result of the drive, we raised about $1,600 as a battalion.

Santa Village

During Santa’s Village…• The top 20 raisers were brought to Santa’s

Village located in Atlanta.• The battalion worked the morning shift of

December 10th.• Over 1,900 children were served in one day

JROTC Curriculum Impacts

Enhances learning• Teaches new leadership skills and makes cadets apply them• Cadets use skills in lessons more often through new experiences• Helps cadets recall all they have learned

Lessons Used and AppliedU6C8L1- Orientation to Service LearningU6C8L2- Plan and Train for Your Exploratory ProjectU6C8L3- Project Reflection and Integration

Project Outcome

Raised $6,400

5th Best out of 33 schools

20 Volunteers to Santa Village

ReflectionTeam Reflection • by company (class period)• 1 recorder • overall thoughts from cadetsIndividual reflections After team reflections, cadets wrote personal thoughts on the project as a whole, their performance, and if they met their goals or gained new knowledge on their personal logs. Experience impact on teams• Applied leadership skills and lessons learned • Had all participating cadets out of their comfort zones and working with people

that they do not know or do not like•New Project IdeasWe currently do not have any new ideas.

Conclusion

Successes • All goals were met and achieved• Cadets learned several concepts throughout the project• Cadets learned more of themselves• All cadets applied learned lessons to better themselves in

different situations• Community served and benefitted from our effortsImprovements• Have more company reflections as a whole• Have more cadets meeting individual goals• Getting ALL cadets involved • Motivation throughout the battalion FailuresThere were no major failures during this project.