Northern High School NNDCC Sets Sail In Bermuda For Second Year Running

OWINGS, Md. — Northern High School’s National Navy Defense Cadet Corps (NNDCC) set sail for Bermuda this month, helping continue what they hope to be an annual tradition started last year.

In 2025, the NNDCC cadets got to embark on a six-day cruise that was the first of its kind. The cadets participated in work and events with the ship’s crew, including a color guard at a veterans ceremony. The ship’s captain awarded the Cadet of the Year and presented the cadets with their Sea Cruise Ribbons. The group got to meet and talk with the Bermuda Coast Guard about how it collaborates with the United States.

The NNDCC is like a JROTC but is funded by the school itself rather than the Navy — it’s “a citizenship program that utilizes the Navy as its vehicle to instill discipline, a sense of service, and community support to enrolled cadets.”

This was the first trip of its kind in the area, designed by the NNDCC and organizers to promote leadership and give cadets firsthand experience into life and work at sea.

This year’s nine-day trip kicked off with a well-timed impromptu air show from the Blue Angels, meeting the Bermuda Coast Guard again for a tour that included a live call, and several other activities. This year’s group was even able to see a Coast Guard call take place.

“They got to see what it was like to be on the job with the Coast Guard,” said the trip’s organizer, Haley Evans of Living Adventures Travel, in an interview with The BayNet.

This year’s trip was on a smaller ship, but the group was able to take a longer trip. So, in addition to Bermuda, the cadets were able to visit the Bahamas. Evans said the longer trip allowed cadets to focus more on bonding and getting to know and trust each other, which was especially important for the incoming freshmen.

“I was able to experience what it’s like being with another country’s military, and how leadership can be applied outside a classroom setting, adapt to challenges that arise, and support a team,” Cadet Keegan Gurley wrote in an email to The BayNet. “It strengthened my confidence as a leader and my bond with other cadets. It was a fun experience, and being with the Bermuda Coast Guard is definitely not something most people get to do. I’m looking forward to applying lessons learned for my senior year, as I prepare for the next chapter of my life.”

Gurley’s mother, Kayla, also highlighted the change in Gurley’s leadership skills and that the trip was positive for the whole family. It allowed them to connect with people all over the world, as well as the families of the other cadets.

“Going on the cruise this year was another experience that our family will never forget. It was great to see our son grow into a leader, build friendships with his fellow cadets, and continue his relationship with the Bermuda Coast Guard,” Kayla Gurley wrote.

Evans said that continuing the tradition is about building relationships not just between the cadets, but between families and with crews and international allies.

“The Bermuda Coast Guard is already talking about what we can have them do next year,” Evans said. “We’re lucky to be able to build that strong relationship for these cadets.”

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