ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Two Albuquerque high schools are receiving national recognition for the achievements of their Marine Corps Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (MCJROTC) programs.
La Cueva High School has been awarded the Marine Corps Reserve Association Outstanding Unit Award, recognizing it as the top MCJROTC program in the nation among schools with a similar enrollment size.
In addition, both La Cueva High School and Eldorado High School have been designated Naval Honor Schools for the 2025-2026 school year. The designation is awarded to the top 20% of MCJROTC programs nationwide.
The honors reflect achievements in academics, leadership, citizenship, community service, inspections, extracurricular activities, and competitive performance.
La Cueva cadets qualified for the JROTC Leadership and Academic Bowl National Championships in Washington, D.C., completed more than 2,400 hours of community service, and earned top finishes in national drill team and air rifle competitions.
Eldorado cadets also posted strong results, including a seventh-place national finish in marksmanship, a third-place finish at the Marine Corps JROTC Air Rifle National Championships, and more than 1,400 hours of community service. The program also earned a national third-place finish in the women’s Hover Ball division.
School leaders say the awards reflect years of commitment by cadets to leadership, academic achievement, competition, and service to the community.
Both programs have also produced students who have earned appointments to U.S. service academies, ROTC scholarships, and national academic honors.
