Coast Guard Junior ROTC, hunter safety added to KIBSD

Cadets will wear a uniform to school one day a week, earn community service hours, participate in drill team competitions, represent the Coast Guard at ceremonial events, take field trips to Coast Guard Base Kodiak, and learn skills and disciplines to grow self-confidence.  

School Board President Kerri Irons said adding CGROTC to the curriculum is a win for everyone. 

“I don’t know how many kids from Kodiak go into the military, but there’s a few and this is an opportunity for leadership. It’s not just something to put on your resume, in many ways it’s a stepping stone to a military education and career. And it’s logical that it be in Kodiak. 

“When there was discussion about last year, we couldn’t commit to it, because it involved hiring a new position,” she said.

Irons said it’s gratifying to see the district add a new program at a time when school budgets are shrinking. 

“I’m excited about it. We have a lot of sports and I’m really delighted that chess is taking off, our drama club is powerful and we have a lot of talented kids in music and art. It’s great that we’re broadening options for our kids at a time when most places aren’t.  We have kids who will really thrive in this program,” Irons said. 

The curriculum includes coursework on leadership, civics, health and wellness, Coast Guard operations and history, maritime sciences, seamanship skills, teamwork and ethical decision making. The curriculum is based on the principles of performance-based, learner-centered education and promotes development of core abilities such as capacity for lifelong learning, communication, responsibility for actions and choices, good citizenship, respectful treatment of others, and critical thinking techniques.

“JROTC requires a shared commitment from the schools, our service, and the local community to thrive, but the investment comes with big dividends. Cadets will grow in a wide variety of skills from personal discipline and self-confidence to leadership and teamwork. Each school’s unique values and strengths will also elevate the heights to which the program and its cadets will climb,” wrote Cmdr. Clay Cromer, Coast Guard JROTC program manager.

Coast Guard-certified JROTC instructors are hired and employed by the school district. Instructors must be retired Coast Guard, selected reserve, or qualified veterans with at least eight years of service.

Because of Kodiak’s tight school budget, the Coast Guard is paying the full costs of a half-time CGJROTC instructor, an exception to its normal policy of paying just half that cost.  

KIBSD Superintendent Cyndy Mika told the school board Monday that establishment of the program has taken a couple years.  

“We met with USCG and were notified that there would be no cost to the district to implement the program for up to three years, with each year assessing the program and the District’s ability to contribute towards salary. Administration believes that the program will add an opportunity for our students for leadership development as well as a pathway in marine sciences taught by the USCG instructor,” she said. 

KHS will develop a process for signing up for CGJROTC in the coming weeks. To learn more, visit uscg.mil, search “cgjrotc.”

HUNTER SAFETY, TOO

And recruitment is underway for the inaugural round of new hunter safety classes for Kodiak middle and high school students. 

KIBSD Federal Programs director Todd Burton said interested students will be able to take the Alaska Department of Fish and Game Online Hunter Safety Course in April for free, then participate in a field day at the Salonie Creek Rifle Range to apply the lessons.

“We’ll be using high-powered pellet guns or .22s to learn firearms proficiency, muzzle safety and proper firearms handling,” Burton said.

Funding for the course comes from a federal firearms safety program. There’s enough there to offer the course to as many as want to take part. “I’d love to get hundreds of kids signed up, we have the capacity,” he said.  

Three KIBSD staffers have completed ADF&G’s hunter safety instructor training and will be involved in the new course. Burton said he’d eventually like to see hunter safety integrated into Kodiak’s junior high curriculum. “It’s a fantastic opportunity,” he said.  

The online Alaska Hunter Education course takes six to eight hours to complete. Usually, students are charged $20 to enroll. But when they sign up for the class through KIBSD, they get a password and the fee is waived. Successful students received a field day qualifier certificate. 

The field day will include a short review of key safety issues and Alaska-specific regulations, a firearms handling exercise, a field course, and a live-fire proficiency shoot. All firearms, ammunition, and targets are provided — no personal firearms are allowed. There is no additional fee for the field day.

The hunter safety course is open to middle and high schoolers in KIBSD rural schools, homeschoolers and AKteach students.  Pre-registration is open, prospective hunter safety students are asked to sign up using the QR code on flyers posted at Kodiak middle and high Schools. To learn more, email

Federalprograms@kibsd.org. call 907-486-7596.