The Valencia and Golden Valley Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps, or JROTC, programs hosted their annual military ball on Feb. 6, 2026, at Canyon Community Center, where members of West Ranch’s JROTC also participated in the annual social celebration. From 5 to 10 p.m., attendees took part in dancing, dining, photos and more.
Because this was a combination of both the Valencia JROTC program, as West Ranch falls under, and the Golden Valley JROTC program, attendees were able to meet new people. West Ranch junior Brianne Loyola elaborated, “I personally love to talk to new faces, so it was fun for me to have conversations with people I don’t know.”
Once everyone had taken their seats, the attendees were treated to a flag ceremony and a rendition of the national anthem. The attendees then began a series of toasts, with the final toast being dedicated to honoring all the fallen members of the six branches of the military, followed by a moment of silence to honor them.
After the toasts were completed, attendees participated in a variation of the classic party game: Pin the Tail on the Donkey. Participants were randomly selected from each table and were instructed to pin the star on the Air Force emblem, rather than pinning the tail on the donkey.
A variety of food was served, including salad, macaroni and cheese, garlic rolls, chicken and steak, as well as an assortment of sodas. Many students remarked that their favorite part of the ball was the dining experience. Brooke Curley, a freshman at West Ranch shared,“My favorite part of the ball was definitely the food selection. I’d say there was a lot of variety and it was pretty delicious.”
Many students enjoyed the military ball as they were able to interact with other students and have a good time: “You’re with the people you love, and it was really enjoyable. You won’t get judged, and it’s a very open zone,” Loyola said.
Others liked the dancing aspect of the ball, like West Ranch sophomore Madison Paek. “Everyone really got into all the songs, and I think we got to know each other really well in the short timeframe. There were a lot of conga dances, which was fun,” Paek explained. Rather than having attendees come up to the DJ and request a song, there was a QR code on the table for attendees who wished to do so.
If these types of events interest you and make you want to join JROTC, Paek has a few words of advice: “I 100% recommend people join JROTC, and I think it’s a lot different than what people expect. I think when I talk about JROTC, people assume I run miles 24/7 and I only do pushups. But I feel like JROTC is a lot more than that.”
Through the military ball, students in JROTC were able to have a fun time learning new things, meeting new people and creating another core memory of being in the program. From the lively dancing or the delectable food, it was an unforgettable night.
