School‐Based Leadership Talent Development: An Examination of Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps Participation and Postsecondary Plans

Abstract

In 1972, the Marland Report included leadership as a domain of giftedness in the first federal definition. Although federal and state descriptions of gifted and talented services still include identifying and developing leadership talent, in many states, services are not mandated or funded. Consequently, leadership development is often left to extracurricular programs (e.g., student organizations, athletics). The Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (JROTC) provides school-based military-focused leadership education and opportunities to apply emergent leadership skills. This qualitative study examined leadership talent development in JROTC and the postsecondary paths participants chose. A self-report survey was distributed to graduating seniors enrolled in JROTC in Texas public high schools. The findings highlighted characteristics of students who chose to pursue military-focused education or careers after high school and themes about their leadership development experiences in JROTC. Students benefitted from opportunities for career-related identity exploration, a culture that supported leadership development, and psychosocial skills coaching.