TEXAS CITY — For members of the Marine Corps JROTC program at Texas City High School, leadership isn’t just taught in a classroom—it is practiced in the community, 700 pumpkins at a time.
Cadets recently joined forces at St. Mary’s Church to help unload a massive truck delivery to set up the church’s annual fall festival. Pushing, lifting, and working as a team, the students made quick work of the heavy load, demonstrating the hands-on service ethos that defines their program.
“For the fall festival, we made sure to come help the community,” said Cadet Giselle Garza. “We set up all the pumpkins. We loaded out around 700 pumpkins… It was not for any attention or anything. It was solely because we wanted to do good for our community, and we’re happy to help whenever we can.”
The pumpkin patch is just one of many local initiatives the Texas City cadets take on throughout the year. The group regularly assists with traffic management at local fairs, volunteers at regional triathlons to hand out food and water to competitors, and lends a hand at surrounding schools and community events.
While the JROTC curriculum physically and mentally prepares cadets who plan to enlist in the U.S. Military after graduation, the program’s benefits extend far beyond military preparation.
“I personally do not plan to enlist, and it’s really helped me with my leadership skills,” Garza shared. “It’s helped me really talk to people, communicate… It helps me overall as my personality.”
That unwavering commitment to community service has earned the Texas City High School program national recognition. The unit was recently designated as a Naval Honor School, placing it in the top 20% of JROTC programs globally.
According to Gunnery Sergeant Travis Daniels, a Marine Corps JROTC instructor at the school, the selection process evaluates community service hours, post-graduation college attendance rates, and scholarship achievements.
“They’re out in the community, they’re helping out,” Daniels said. “With that [award] comes—the senior Marine instructor can write nomination letters for service academies. It carries the same weight as a state representative. So that’s an awesome accomplishment for our program.”
Daniels noted that as the cadets continue to show up for their town, awareness of their work grows, leading to more organizations reaching out for assistance.
Looking ahead, the cadets aren’t slowing down. Their upcoming service projects include volunteering at the Galveston County Food Bank—where senior cadets will mentor first-year members through their initial community service experience—as well as supporting the upcoming Ironman competition in Galveston.
For the instructors and students alike, every project remains focused on one simple mission: serving others.
“We’re proud to be here,” Daniels said. “We’re glad to be Stings, Semper Fidelis, and go Texas City.”
