OWINGS, Md. — The Northern High School National Navy Defense Cadet Corps (NNDCC) just got the field trip of a lifetime. The hardworking cadets spent six days aboard a Royal Caribbean cruise ship, where they got to learn about life at sea and connect with Coast Guard service members in Bermuda.
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 recent trip was the first of its kind — while on the ship, the cadets participated in a Color Guard at a veterans ceremony, and the captain of the ship attended the award ceremony and presented each of the cadets with their Sea Cruise Ribbons and awarded the Cadet of the Year. The cadets also got to meet with and listen to members of the Bermuda Coast Guard to talk about their operations and how they collaborate with the United States.
“Though on a cruise ship meant for a vacation, the cadets got to feel as though they were doing something more Navy-centric rather than a classroom discussion or project,” said Sergeant Major Straté Flessas (retired), United States Army.
Sergeant Major Flessas serves as the Senior Naval Science Instructor for the group. He said the program can benefit cadets in several ways. He can nominate three cadets a year to the United States Naval Academy, and the NNDCC has provided millions in ROTC college scholarships through this program. They’re also involved in the community, supporting and honoring fallen heroes and first responders.
“This is not a club,” Sergeant Major Flessas said. “It is an actual pathway to graduation that the cadets all benefit from, not only in accountability in their studies, but in real leadership opportunities within the unit.”
The unit includes a real chain of command, duties for the members, and the ability to earn awards and certifications through service or through training and courses. For the first time in Northern High’s history, they’ve appointed a unit chaplain.
Sergeant Major Flessas is a Purple Heart, Bronze Star, and Legion of Merit awardee. He says he never considered teaching before this, but the cadets have “won his heart.” So when he started thinking about this year’s trip, he knew it had to be something special.
Cadets have been abroad through Northern’s program and have participated in ceremonies around Maryland and Washington, D.C. But as Flessas explained, this was a Naval program — so there was no more valuable experience than doing something at sea.
Cue Haley and Jon Evans of Living Adventures Travel, a Chesapeake Beach-based agency that specializes in cruises. Haley Evans says she thought a cruise ship would provide the best experience, with a lot of the logistics of being out at sea already in place. Still, this cruise was unlike any she’s ever experienced.
“Most Royal Caribbean cruises have a veterans ceremony during the cruise,” Evans said. “But I can’t stress how rare it is for the captain to be visible or for the cruise director to get personally involved. They were so invested in having them on board, and these kids showed up with honor.”
Evans went on to say that watching the cadets participate in the Color Guard ceremony as parents and veterans looked on was incredibly moving.
“The cruise director asked if they could be there every week,” she said with a laugh. “That’s how well they did.”
Flessas and Evans were both determined to give the cadets a truly unique experience that focused not just on educating them on processes or learning what it takes to run a ship, but helped them become more well-rounded people.
“I wanted a multi-day trip to build relationships,” Sergeant Major Flessas said. “One of the things that we cannot recreate in a high school program is the closeness we feel with our fellow service members. The more time, adventures, meals, and events the cadets have with each other, the closer they will become.”
All cadets got to participate in this history-making experience, but one additional cadet stood out from the rest. After passing a rigorous set of tests, including an academic test, a physical fitness test, and an appearance in front of the board, Cadet Petty Officer First Class Ethan Collingsworth was awarded Cadet of the Year. This was the first time the Cadet of the Year event took place on an actual ship.
Sergeant Major Flessas compared Collingsworth’s strength and confidence to active-duty soldiers and said he “should be very proud of his accomplishment.”
Though this was the inaugural trip for the NNDCC, both Evans and Sergeant Major Flessas are already planning for next year.
“It went better than we even imagined,” Evans said. “The students did an amazing job representing Southern Maryland and Northern High and their country.”
Evans credited community supporters with making the trip possible. She and her husband sponsored two cadets through their company, and she specifically cited the American Legion for providing buses at the last minute to get the students to the ship when another source of funding fell through. The American Legion plans to be involved next year, too, and will offer scholarships for cadets to attend the trip.
“The program is run by the cadets, and the students learn real leadership styles and how to problem-solve in real time,” Flessas said. “It’s remarkable what these cadets can accomplish.”
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