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Chicago High School hosts navy admiral as principal for a day

  • Published
  • By Lt. Jeffrey Gray
  • Naval Service Training Command Navy Outreach Chicago
Chicago --  Students, faculty and staff at Chicago's Hyman G. Rickover Naval Academy hosted U.S. Transportation Command deputy commander, U.S. Navy Vice Adm. Ann E. Rondeau, as Principal for a Day during Chicago's Mayor, Richard M. Daley's, annual event Oct. 30. 

Admiral Rondeau spent the day at Rickover talking to student cadets, teachers and Navy instructors learning about the challenges and opportunities of educating the students. 

"We've had several, high-profiled Navy leaders come to visit the school since its inception," said Michael Biela, Rickover Naval Academy superintendent. "But we've always wanted to have Admiral Rondeau visit us because she was instrumental in getting the school off the ground when she was the commander (Naval Service Training Command) at Great Lakes." 

The aim of the Principal for a Day program is to have Chicago's public schools partner with business and civic leaders in an effort to forge yearlong relationships. 

"The Navy, along with the other Armed Services, has been a partner to five of our high schools for many years. Chicago has the largest cadet corps in the country with approximately 10,000 high school students participating in Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps'," said U.S. Army Lt. Col. (ret.) Rick Mills, Military Area Officer for Chicago Public Schools. 

As Principal for a Day at Rickover, Admiral Rondeau had an opportunity to address the entire student body during a school assembly; witness cadet armed and unarmed drill demonstrations; and was provided a unit brief by lead cadets. 

During the cadet lead unit brief, Admiral Rondeau questioned cadets about the hardest lessons they had to learn regarding leadership. 

Cadet Jacquelyn Duarte, a senior, said, "First, we had to learn how to make our own way. We were the first group to enter the school in 2005. Therefore, we were responsible for defining the school culture. 

"Second, we had to learn how to lead our peers. This was a challenge because everyone starts off as equals but some really excel and want to take leadership roles while others don't want that kind of responsibility," Cadet Duarte said. 

Moving from the cadet briefing, Admiral Rondeau visited and engaged in a U.S. History course where cadets learned about the 8th Amendment and debated the pros and cons of the death penalty. After which she sat with a group of cadets and provided them with insight into the selection and decision-making processes for the Navy ROTC scholarship program and admission to the U.S. Naval Academy to interested cadets. 

During her discussion, Admiral Rondeau stressed the importance of being a well-rounded person, "Both programs are looking for students who are physically fit and have participated extensively in extracurricular activities. In their evaluation of prospective students, both programs also use experienced readers who assess not only a candidate's academic merit, but whether they have officer potential, as measured by participation and taking on leadership roles in school activities like Junior ROTC," she said. 

At mid-day, Admiral Rondeau attended the Principal for a Day reception at the Chicago Hilton and Towers in downtown Chicago where she had an opportunity to speak with Mayor Daley; Rufus Williams, president of the Board of Education; Arne Duncan, chief executive officer for Chicago Public Schools; and numerous other civic and business leaders. 

"It was a privilege participating in Mayor Daley's Principal for a Day program and I'm very much impressed with the list of accomplishments the students, faculty and staff at Rickover Naval Academy have managed to accrue. Especially due to the fact that the school is relatively new, it opened its doors in 2005 and will have its first graduating class next spring," Admiral Rondeau said. 

"I'm looking forward to coming back to the school in the near future. Maybe they'll invite me to attend their first commencement? I'd also like to be able to assist the cadets, faculty and staff with overcoming some of their issues and challenges and become a lifelong supporter of the school." 

Rickover Naval Academy is a public school and students who live in the city of Chicago are eligible to enroll. It offers a college prep curriculum with an emphasis on science and history. The academy constantly searches for opportunities to provide cadets with meaningful leadership training experiences and activities that serve as a foundation for success throughout their life. 

For more information about NJROTC, visit https://www.njrotc.navy.mil.