Carson High NJROTC members left to right Matt Neitzke, 17, Chris McMahon, 16, Lisa Loe, 15, and Shaylyn Tom, 16 stand at Eagle Valley Middles School Wednesday afternoon before presenting colors at graduation.
A new award may mean more Carson High School students will be attending military academies.
"It might make it a little easier for some kids to get in," said Naval Junior ROTC Cmdr. Skip Cannady. "That's what we're looking for."
The corps was one of four high school military organizations selected as a distinguished unit with academic honors from among 60 in the state.
The distinction allows the principal, Glen Adair, to nominate three students to the service academies.
"The nomination is just the first step. It is no means a guarantee of admission," Cannady said. "They still have to meet the requirements of the academy, which are quite high. It's quite competitive."
Traditionally, an applicant must receive a nomination from either a U.S. senator, congressman or a naval science instructor.
Distinguished units are chosen based on the participation of students in a variety of activities ranging from drill meets to community service to involvement in school activities.
"I'm very pleased with the honor," Cannady said. "The students are really the ones who earned it -- we've had a good year."
The Naval Junior ROTC has been an active citizen leadership program at the high school since 1974. Supported by the U.S. Navy, many of the participants pursue careers in the military but it is not an official recruitment program.
However, three former Carson High School students are enrolled in service academies. Aaron Miller and Andy Stockhoff are at the U.S. Military Academy in West Point, N.Y., and Hunter Atherton is in the U.S. Coast Guard Academy .