Senior Conner Chung has an important role as commander of the Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps program in Punahou. Not only does she have to take on big responsibilities, but she also has to keep in mind that she is the first student from Sacred Hearts Academy to become commander.

Chung has been in the Punahou JROTC program since her freshman year. At the time, it was the only JROTC program open for Academy students.

At the end of her third year, Chung applied for and was selected commander after several tests and an interview.

“I felt really excited when I found out I was chosen to be commander,” said Chung. “All my friends said I was a good fit.”

Since last spring, Chung has taken on the tasks of commander accompanied by hard work, organization and teamwork.

“As commander,” said Chung, “I oversee all the cadets. I also help plan for upcoming events and what we do during the activities.”

Being commander can also be difficult because of the high expectations and tasks that need to be accomplished.

“Sometimes I feel under pressure because there are a lot of responsibilities as commander,” said Chung. “I often need to talk to other leaders and make sure the cadets get the right information.

“Since becoming commander, I have gained leadership skills and confidence,” said Chung.

“Becoming commander helped me to be more respectful, organized and have better time management. I was taught to have the courage to do the right thing.

“As commander, I learned that being a cadet is not easy. Everyone learns in a different way and needs leadership and guidance. They need motivation about why they are in the program and why they are doing it.”