Sophomore Danilo Salloman, right, dismounts from a rope bridge built on the Roosevelt campus, with help from sophomore Keith Shoji, left, and senior Beau Fyrberg. Building and crossing a rope bridge is one of the events in JROTC competitions.
Rangers a rough ride
Roosevelt’s JROTC Ranger Team
keeps only the best cadets
While most Rough Riders are fast asleep Saturday mornings, a group of dedicated athletes dressed in brown T-shirts and black shorts can be seen on campus, rain or shine, from as early as 6 a.m.
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Each week, Hawaii's teenage reporters and photographers tell us about their high school. Today's school is Roosevelt High School.
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The team started out with 40 cadets; there are now 15.
"I have many athletes who try out for the team, but only a few have the determination to complete the entire season that runs from August to January of every school year," said Master Sgt. Conrad Koki, Roosevelt army instructor.
"The hardest part is not giving up. Even if your legs feels like they're falling off, you keep going," said junior Alan Chun, who joined the Rangers as a freshman. "The sense of achievement is the best. Being able to run a distance you were never able to run before is a great feeling."
"I joined because I was out of shape and it looked really fun," Chun said. "I started at 7:45 a.m. on my first day, and we started running miles and miles. It didn't get easier as time went on, but I was having fun."
The Ranger Team includes several girls who are strong competitors.
"I joined because my brother didn't think I could handle it," said sophomore Hau Huynh. "I am a small Asian girl, and I wanted to prove people wrong."
The girls on the team are trying to break the stereotypes.
"It's such a male-dominated thing, especially in the real Army," Huynh said. "Girls aren't allowed to do certain things. It's so stereotypical."
The Ranger Team recently participated in its first competition for this school year, the Navy Team Challenge at Schofield Barracks. The team participated in seven events: a 600-meter relay swim; a physical fitness test, including push-ups, sit-ups, a 300-yard shuttle run, long jump and pull-ups; a 5-mile run; rope bridge (which a six-man team must successfully construct and cross); rappelling down a steep mountain; a tug of war; and a 12-station obstacle course.
The Alpha Team came in second place out of the 20 teams that competed.
"Coming in second was unexpected but we trained hard. It was well deserved," Huynh said.
The Rangers are now preparing for next month's Adventure Training Test, which Koki calls "the Super Bowl of JROTC army training." It consists of nine events and is much more physically and mentally challenging.
Koki considers the Rangers to be the most elite JROTC group.
"Nothing is done individually on this team; it is all a team effort. They are a very close-knit family," Koki said.
"We go through training that other cadets don't go through, so we develop a bond with other team members," Chun said.
Team members need determination, perseverance, fitness and a positive attitude. More important, they need the support of their teammates. If one person drops out during the competition, the whole team is disqualified.
Ranger team members wholeheartedly live out their motto, "Rider pride can never be denied."
Video class gets gift worthy
of TV coverage
The class of 1949 donates some much-
needed funds
There was rare excitement in the courtyard. Students in the video production class gathered around their teacher and three women holding an envelope, as they waited for the ceremony to begin. One student held a video camera. It was an event worthy of being caught on film.
Roosevelt's video production class was given $2,100 from the class of 1949 to purchase new technology and equipment. Ruth Groves, LaVern Nimsger and Evelyn Lee presented the donation.
"We just want the video production department to enjoy it," Groves said. "We don't expect anything in return."
The money was saved from previous years and raised through a recent alumni reunion. The class gives back to their alma mater every year, usually to support the senior luau, but they had a surplus of funds this year.
"I have a grandson who is at Roosevelt, and when he heard that we had extra money, he told me, 'Grandma, our video production class needs it badly,'" Lee said. "So I suggested it to the board and got it approved."
Freshman Michael Blickos, Lee's grandson and a video production student, is proud.
"The leftover of their annual donation was going to the school anyway. I just asked them to send it to our class instead; we needed it more," Blickos said.
Class of 1949 representatives LaVern Nimsger, Ruth Groves and Evelyn Lee present a check for $2,100 to video production teacher Steven Mun-Takata.
"My department got a meager $172 this year from the school," Mun-Takata said. "That is one of the lowest of all Roosevelt High School departments, even lower than leadership."
The donation will provide much-needed equipment. With technology ever changing, it is paramount for the video production class to stay up to date.
"We need new computers, maybe some FireWire and other computer accessories," said senior Shane Fujimoto, one of 30 students in the class. "We are really thankful for this donation. I'd bow down to the class of '49 and kiss their feet."
Mun-Takata has his own plans. "I plan to spend the money immediately on a much-needed new camera to replace our broken one, and a camera usually runs $2,600, so this donation really helps," he said.
Lee hopes their donation will inspire school pride in today's students.
"You got to have pride in your school," she said. "For students to know that their equipment is donated by alumni, we hope that they will think about that and give back when it's their time."
If you could be any celebrity for
a day, who would it be and why?
Steven Lam
Junior
"George Clooney, because he's not afraid to speak his mind and risk his career doing it."Miles Yamada
Sophomore
"Jackie Chan, because he does his own stunts in movies."Kayla Abe
Junior
"Julia Roberts, because no matter how famous she gets, she always gives back to the community."Archie Acidera
Senior
"Josh Hartnett, because all the girls think he's attractive."Justin Okamura
Senior
"P. Diddy, because he encouraged young people to vote."Marlene Shimamura
Sophomore
"Michelle Rodriguez, because she promotes woman empowerment."Dennis Terry
Senior
"The Rock, because he's big, handsome, and he's from Hawaii."Ayumu Yokota
Teacher
"Sean Connery, because he's a respectable man and, even at his age, he's still considered one of the sexiest men alive."Gregg Abe
Teacher
"Denzel Washington, because he looks like a really suave guy and he's always in control."
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