Kingsley JROTC cadets honor Memorial Day in Washington, D.C.

Fifty-two Kingsley High School Navy JROTC cadets carried Grand Traverse County onto Constitution Avenue NW as they marched in Washington’s National Memorial Day Parade, a four-day trip that turned history, government and public service into a hands-on lesson.

The Kingsley program was the only ROTC unit selected from Michigan, and school officials said just one JROTC or ROTC unit from each state was chosen for the 2026 parade. The National Memorial Day Parade ran Monday, May 25, 2026, from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Constitution Avenue NW between 7th and 17th Streets, ending with the marchers disbanding on Virginia Avenue NW.

For Kingsley High School, the Washington visit was built around more than the parade itself. Cadets received private tours of the Pentagon, the White House and the U.S. Capitol, and they also visited other monuments and Arlington National Cemetery. The school said the trip was meant to deepen students’ understanding of American history, government, leadership and civic responsibility, not just military drill.

That approach fits the mission of Navy JROTC, which is to instill citizenship, service to the United States, personal responsibility and a sense of accomplishment. The Defense Department describes the broader JROTC purpose the same way, placing the program squarely in the public-service pipeline rather than treating it as a ceremonial club.

Arlington was one of the most meaningful stops. There, the cadets honored Major Douglas Zembiec, known as the Lion of Fallujah, and reflected on sacrifice and service before taking part in the parade itself. Kingsley said the unit drew praise from staff members, veterans and members of the public for its discipline, professionalism, respectfulness and conduct.

The trip also showed the scale of work behind a single weekend in Washington. Kingsley’s NJROTC blog said 65 cadets had been fundraising for the parade trip in the months before the event, underscoring how much of the experience depended on student effort and community support. For families in Kingsley and across Grand Traverse County, the result was a visible demonstration that a small-school program can open doors to national landmarks, formal civic participation and a possible path toward military service, public service or other leadership roles after graduation.

The National Memorial Day Parade is billed as the nation’s largest annual Memorial Day event, and America 250 materials described it as a moving timeline of American history tied to the country’s 250th anniversary commemoration. For Kingsley’s cadets, it became something else as well: a public test of character, passed on a national stage.