BOARD HEAD SEEKS ROTC FOR JUNIOR HIGH TEPE SAYS PROGRAM HELPS.

Byline: Karen Maeshiro Staff Writer

LANCASTER - Lancaster School District board President Greg Tepe, saying a junior reserve officer training corps helps students build self-esteem and be successful, wants to have one at the district's next middle school.

There already are junior ROTCs at local public high schools but none at any middle school in the Antelope Valley.

``My son goes to Lancaster High School, and the ROTC is a very successful program over there,'' Tepe said. ``It would give kids who don't have a normal chance to be successful an outlet where they can learn discipline and character traits. It also gives them a chance to see a possible career choice for their future.''

The district's next middle school is planned at 45th Street West and Avenue K, and it is scheduled to open in two years, Tepe said.

Tepe said he plans to present his proposal to fellow board members at the August or the September meeting.

Tepe originally had thought of establishing a military academy, a small school for several hundred students, on the grounds of the former temporary campus of Jack Northrop School to help ease overcrowding at existing middle schools.

But the district has since qualified for $32 million in hardship funding from the state that will finance the building of two elementary schools and the middle school.

Tepe is hoping to coordinate a middle school junior ROTC program with the Navy junior ROTC program at Antelope Valley High School.

``I want to coordinate with the high school district and the Navy program, so that would be one option to have at the new school,'' Tepe said.

Tepe said junior ROTC would probably start out as an after-school program and then expand to an in-school program including classes.

``The way the program is set up, as they take classes, they earn rank and different privileges,'' Tepe said.

There's a physical-fitness component that goes along with the main program, Tepe said. Students also would perform community service and learn drills.

Tepe said his son is in the junior ROTC at Lancaster High School, and he's found the program impressive.

He likes ``seeing kids at Lancaster High School when they have uniform day,'' Tepe said. ``They are dressed in real sharp uniforms: white shirt, nice dress shoes and patches on jackets. The boys and girls wear ties.''

Karen Maeshiro, [phone]

karen.maeshiro(at)dailynews.com