“Our cadets who participate in the summer flag detail are committed to respecting the American flag," said CHHS principal Nicole Watson. “They’re always very professional when handling American the flag. They showcase this same pride in all that they do.”
The flag at the front of Chapel Hill High School is an important piece of the school’s façade thanks to a group of dedicated students within the school.
Each morning, members of CHHS’ Naval Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (NJROTC) program head out to perform a display of patriotism by raising the flag, no matter the weather, and then lowering it in the afternoons once the school day has been completed.
For the students in CHHS’ NJROTC Panther Battalion, flag detail requires a lot of work. During the summer months when students typically take a break from school-related activities, that wasn’t the case for many members of the NJROTC, as they spent their time learning to properly raise, lower and care for the flag.
“Our cadets who participate in the summer flag detail are committed to respecting the American flag," said CHHS principal Nicole Watson. “They’re always very professional when handling American the flag. They showcase this same pride in all that they do.”
For students to master flag detail, there are several steps that they must practice in order to properly handle the flag. First, students must be able to march in step, and then they must know the proper ways to raise and lower the flag.
This summer, two senior students, Marissa Estes and Nick Muldrow, helped to lead the training sessions. Estes wants to go to college and major in psychology, while Muldrow, who is the executive officer of the NJROTC Panther Battalion, hopes to become a Marine upon graduation.
For these two, the act of raising and lowering the flag symbolizes more to them than a simple routing; it’s something that they take pride in doing daily both for their school and for their country.
“Our flag represents the strength of the country,” said Muldrow. “Raising it in front of school represents that we are proud to be here and thankful for all the things the flag has done for us.”
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