Mar Vista Celebrates Navy Junior ROTC Awards Night

Family, friends, retired and active-duty service men and women crowded the Mar Vista gymnasium last night to celebrate the graduation and achievements of the Navy Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (NJROTC) Awards Ceremony.

In celebrating the No.1 ranked NJROTC program in Southern California, the Mar Vista NJROTC distributed awards in 29 different categories and also saw a change of command as graduating senior and Unit Commanding Officer LT. Celina Quezada passed the rank and title to Cadet Corey Emerson.

“The change of command is the passing of leadership responsibility to let them (Cadets) know who they will be loyal too,” said Navy Science Instructor and Master Chief Rik Alberto, who also MC’d the event.  

Graduating cadets were honored with the Mar Vista NJROTC tradition of the customary ringing of the bell; this marks their departure from the unit. Seniors were also awarded certificates of completion.

Platoon Commander Daniel Weir said he will miss his senior cadets and is up to the challenge of following their footsteps.

“They where our leaders, they taught us everything we know,” Weir said. “ It's gonna be different without them. Now we have to take charge of all the other Cadets now that we will be the seniors."

Of the graduating seniors, 12 of them will be attending the U.S. Marine Corps, 10 will attend the U.S. Navy and one senior will be going to U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland. Another will be heading to the U.S. Coast Guard.

Several students were recognized by The American Red Cross for their continuous help with blood drives. 

John Straight said that the awards ceremony is a time to honor the hard work of its students.

“They work very hard all year, all of them. It is a pretty strict environment inside the unit, so it's always nice to see them come get their award to see the pride in their eyes and to pay them back a little bit and show them some respect for their efforts,”  he said.

Here is the list of this year’s NJROTC award winners:

NJROTC Academic Team

Ethan Davis

Dillon Jackson

Louie Paguia

Alejandro Rodriguez

USMC Female Youth Physical Team

Celina Quezada

Viridiana Hernandez

Tabaitha Clement

Carmenlita Hendley

Brittany Mae Carlson

Abigail Frigillana

Presentation

Military Order Of The World Wars

Senior- Celina Quezada

Freshman- Ethan Davis

Daughters of the American Revolution

Jackie Jackson

Sons Of The American Revolution

Corey Emerson

Scottish Rite Of Freemasonry

Daniel Spicer

Order Of  Daedalians

Carmenlita Hendley

Coronado Military Officer Association Of America (MOAA) ($500 To Support sailing Academy)

Adriana Solis

Sweetwater Military Officers Association of America (MOAA)

Senior Award  ($200 Scholarship)

Brittany Mae Carlson

Sweetwater Military Officers Association Of America (MOAA)

 Junior Award

Corey Emerson

Anthony Palkovic

Purple Heart Award

Garret Howarth

Coronado Navy League Award ($500 to Support Leadership Academy Cadets)                                                                                            
San Diego Navy League Award

 Juan Corona

Veterans Of Foreign Wars

Joseph Coronado

American Veterans

Vausch Graves

California Army National Guard

Abigail Frigillana

Isaac Decesare

Tabitha Clement

Dominic Somers

Special Commendation

Alexander Bemis

Briana Carranza

Czechoslovakya Keilty

Knot Tying

Abigail Frigillana

Jordan Robinette

Jose Rojas

American Red Cross Blood Drive

Leadership

Adriana Solis

Brigid Fogg

Ameican Red Cross Blood Drive

Top Donors

Jose Rojas

Hugo Dorado

Mar Vista High School Principal’s Award

Christian Beard

Hugo Dorado

Robert Leon

Michael Serrano

Order Of Daedalians

Carmenlita Hendley

Reserve Officer Association

Jose Berumen

Embry-Riddle Foundation JROTC Award

Narda Cariman

Zachary Shultz

Daniel Weir

Briana Del Castillo

Sean Islas

Louie Paguia

Cody Pethel

Association Of The United States Navy (Formerly Naval Reserve
Association)

Daniel Weir

Naval Order Of The United States

Ivan Ramirez

Citizenship Award

Mariko Nakawatase

National Sojourners

Joseph Coronado

Most Potential Freshman

Alfie Miranda

American Legion Scholastic Excellence Award

Stephanie Fuentebella

American Legion Military Excellence Award

Anthony Palkovic

Naval Science Award

Darrian Cauley

Briana Del Castillo

Sean Islas

Master Spinner

Gregg Bruce

Tyler Carlson

Anthony Palkovic

Honor Cadet

12th- Brittany Mae Carlson

11th- Briana Del Castillo

10th- Raul Milanes

9th- Remy D’Agnillo

Distinguished Cadet

12th- Viridiana Hernandez

11th- Corey Emerson

10th- Mariko Nakawatase

9th- Alfie Miranda

Ensign Neal Cummings United States Navy Memorial Award

Brittany Mae Carlson