NAVAL AIR SYSTEMS COMMAND, PATUXENT RIVER, Md. – When NAVAIR’s Aircraft Launch and Recovery Program members visited the Leonard Hall Junior Naval Academy Dec. 4 for a “Hollywood Squares” style presentation on citizenship, they could have brought along Jim J. Bullock or Joan Rivers. They didn’t need them though, as the students filled in the squares quite nicely.

The presentation is part of the ongoing 10-year partnership between the Leonardtown school and the Program Executive Office for Tactical Aircraft.

Each year, PEO(T) programs speak on themes from the students’ honor code. This year, the ALRE program volunteered to speak on citizenship.

“This is a partnership that’s not just important for the students, but important for PEO(T)’s program leadership as well,” said Capt. Randy Mahr, ALRE program manager at NAS Patuxent River and NAES Lakehurst. “We submerse ourselves in our daily duties to the Fleet, but we need to step back every so often and recognize the students who will be tomorrow’s leaders.”

Grouped into squares of nine, the teams were asked questions with the goal of three in a row, tic-tac-toe. Program leaders engaged the students with questions such as “What are the three branches of government?” (answer: Executive, Legislative and Judicial) and “What document preceded the Constitution?” (answer: The Articles of Confederation).

At each table, program teammates assisted the students, without providing the answers.

“The whole presentation was wonderful and extremely interactive. The students just loved it,” said Susan Wisnieski, academy Headmistress. “The partnership with PEO(T) is fantastic and one of the unique aspects of our school.”

Following the game, Mahr spoke to the students on what citizenship means and why it should be a daily focal point of the students’ lives.

“The questions we asked you today were a lot of fun in this particular setting, but it was a big deal for our great-grandparents and those individuals who are immigrating today to this country,” said Mahr. “This is information you need to know to be a United States citizen.”

The ALRE program manages the development, demonstration and acquisition of operational advances in aviation data management and control systems, expeditionary airfields and all launch and recovery related products. PMA-251’s mission is to consistently deliver adaptable and reliable technology to the Fleet.

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Cutline: Capt. James Donnelly, deputy program manager for Future ALRE Programs, gives his input to the students during a citizenship presentation at the Leonard Hall Junior Naval Academy in Leonardtown Dec. 4.