Our future starts with opportunity. Help us bring leadership, discipline, community, and a brighter future to Harrison High School students.

My name is Tristan Hatcher, and I am currently a freshman at Harrison High School in Harrison, New Jersey. I am starting this petition because I believe that every student deserves the opportunity to discover their potential, develop important life skills, and prepare for a successful future.

One of my biggest goals in life is to eventually pursue a career in the United States military. I want to serve my country, challenge myself, become a stronger leader, and dedicate myself to something bigger than just myself. However, I don’t want to wait until I graduate high school to start preparing for that future. I want to start now.

Unfortunately, Harrison High School does not currently offer a Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (JROTC) program. I believe this is a missed opportunity for students like myself who want to get involved, develop leadership skills, and explore their future career options.

JROTC is about so much more than preparing students for the military. In fact, students who participate in JROTC are not required to join the military after graduation. The program focuses on developing leadership, citizenship, personal responsibility, teamwork, physical fitness, and character. These are skills that can benefit students regardless of what career path they choose.

Bringing JROTC to Harrison High School could give students the opportunity to:

Develop leadership skills: Learn how to lead by example, make responsible decisions, and become confident individuals.
Build discipline and respect: Develop accountability, responsibility, self-confidence, and respect for themselves and others.
Improve physical fitness: Participate in structured physical activities that encourage healthier habits, teamwork, and personal growth.
Create friendships and a stronger community: Bring students together through shared goals, teamwork, mentorship, and a sense of belonging.
Explore future career opportunities: Help students interested in military service, public safety, government, and other leadership-based careers begin preparing for their futures.
Give back to our community: Encourage volunteerism, community service, citizenship, and making a positive difference in Harrison.
Build confidence and purpose: Give students something meaningful to work toward, something to be proud of, and a place where they feel supported.

Not every student excels in sports. Not every student finds their place in traditional clubs or extracurricular activities. Some students are still trying to figure out where they belong, what they want to accomplish, or who they want to become.

JROTC could be that opportunity for them.

It could be the program that helps a quiet student find their voice, a struggling student discover their confidence, or a student without a clear direction find a purpose worth working toward.

For me, this petition is personal. I want the opportunity to start working toward my dream of serving in the military. But I also want to help create something that could benefit hundreds of students who attend Harrison High School now and in the future.

I have already taken steps toward making this goal a reality. I have reached out to my school counselors and military representatives to ask questions, seek guidance, and learn what it would take to establish a JROTC program at Harrison High School.

One of the concerns surrounding the possibility of introducing this program is funding. I understand that starting a new program requires planning, resources, cooperation, and financial consideration. However, I believe that financial challenges should be explored rather than allowing them to end the conversation before it begins.

I was also encouraged by military representatives to create a petition to demonstrate community interest and help move this process forward.

That is why I am asking for your support.

I am calling on Harrison High School, the Harrison Board of Education, and the appropriate military JROTC representatives to seriously explore the possibility of establishing a JROTC program at our school, including reviewing eligibility requirements, available funding, and the steps necessary to make it happen.

I understand that a petition alone cannot create a JROTC program overnight. But it can show that students, families, and community members care about expanding educational opportunities.

You do not have to be interested in joining the military to support this petition.

You do not have to be a student at Harrison High School.

You do not even have to live in Harrison, New Jersey.

Whether you are a parent, teacher, student, veteran, active-duty service member, community member, or simply someone who believes in giving young people more opportunities, your signature matters.

This is about more than one student wanting to join JROTC. This is about creating an opportunity that could change the direction of someone’s life.

Every student deserves the chance to discover what they are capable of. Every student deserves access to programs that challenge them, inspire them, and help them grow.

I may only be a freshman, but I believe that being young does not mean I cannot make a difference. I want to be part of creating positive change at my school, and I hope this petition can be the first step toward making that happen.

Please consider signing and sharing this petition to help bring Junior ROTC to Harrison High School.

Even one signature can help demonstrate that people believe in this opportunity. Together, we can show that our students deserve more ways to learn, lead, serve, and succeed.

Thank you for taking the time to read my petition, support my goals, and help me advocate for the future of Harrison High School.

Sincerely,

Tristan Hatcher
Freshman, Harrison High School
Harrison, New Jersey