After two years of cancellations due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Gloucester High School Navy Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps celebrated the return of its annual Military Ball, which was held on Saturday at the Gloucester Moose Lodge.

Each year, the NJROTC Military Ball is hosted by the senior cadets for the underclassmen as a reward for their hard work over the course of the school year. This year’s planning was led by cadets Alexis Sharretts, Daniella Asnicar and Madison Graham.

“At first we didn’t know that we were going to have it due to Covid, so our planning window was shorter than in previous years,” said Sharretts.

Despite the challenges they were tasked with, many of the senior cadets took on roles in financing, fundraising and decorating for the ball. The cadets held a car wash, raffles and other fundraising events to defray the costs of the dance.

During the ball, the instructors and cadets kept to the military customs and traditions that are followed each year. One tradition maintained was the Prisoner of War/Missing in Action table, set up to honor those who have served who were unable to attend due to being a POW or being MIA.

Other traditions included the cutting of the cake by the oldest and youngest cadets in the program, the sword arch present as cadets enter the dance and the relaxing of jackets halfway through the ball. The Military Ball King and Queen were also crowned, who were Battalion Supply Officer Zach White and Master Chief Mackenzie Quick this year.

A dance routine was performed by the Top 6 of the unit, which included a slow dance to Ed Sheeran’s “Perfect,” a traditional waltz, a choreographed routine of Béyonce’s “Single Ladies,” and the lift from the movie “Dirty Dancing.”

The return of the GHS Military Ball was a long-awaited event for the cadets and was a big success, according to Asnicar.

“The over 160 cadets and their guests enjoyed a fun evening out with fellow cadets and friends,” she said.