Grenada NJROTC Excels Across Diverse Competitions

Grenada High School’s NJROTC continues to showcase excellence across a variety of disciplines, reflecting the dedication and skill of our cadets. Our unit remains committed to excellence across all endeavors by fostering growth, discipline, and camaraderie among our cadets. Cadets have the opportunity to participate in multiple competitions, with an emphasis on STEM education. These competition teams travel across the country throughout the year.

Cyber Patriot Team

Cyber Patriot competitions test student’s cybersecurity knowledge with competitions to secure a cyber network. For the third consecutive year, our Cyber Patriot Team has won the state championship. This year three seniors participated: Summer Boatman, Bryson Flowers, and Aaron Handly. All three have been integral in the state championship trifecta. Their commitment extended beyond the academic year as they attended cyber camps at Southern Miss over the last two summers. They are prepared for the future. One member plans to pursue an engineering degree at Mississippi State University, and the other two aim for military careers in the nuclear field.

Air Rifle Team

NJROTC cadets also have the opportunity to participate in marksmanship competitions. Air rifle teams shoot at a distance of 10 meters (approximately 33 feet) in three different shooting positions: prone, kneeling, and standing. This year’s team is led by Tara Bailey. Recently, they competed in the Area 13 Air Rifle Championship and are preparing for the upcoming state championship. Safety is one of the key aspects of marksmanship, and participation requires cadets to pass a 25-question safety test and sign a safety pledge, ensuring the highest standards of responsibility and discipline.

Drill Teams

Inspired by military ceremony, our Drill Teams include routines in Unarmed Basic, Armed Basic, Unarmed Exhibition, Armed Exhibition, and Color Guard. The next event is the Lafayette Drill Meet in Oxford, MS, on April 5, 2025. This will be the first drill competition of the year for several of our cadets. Points are also awarded for uniform inspections and evaluative questions that test their precision and composure.

Physical Fitness Team

Physical fitness, or PT, is core to all military activities. The Physical Fitness Team has a series of competitions lined up set to challenge our cadets’ endurance, strength, and teamwork on both state and national stages.

• JROTC State Physical Fitness Championship: April 12, 2025, at Germantown High School in Madison, MS.

• Horn Lake Physical Fitness Competition: April 26, 2025, at Sardis Lake, MS.

• National Physical Fitness Championship: May 3, 2025, in Daytona Beach, FL.

SeaPerch Teams

When you think about NJROTC, you should think about STEM innovation. The SeaPerch program involves designing, building, and operating an underwater robot called a ROV (remote operated vehicle). Our SeaPerch Teams are gearing up for the underwater robotics competition in Louisiana on March 29, 2025. The challenge involves navigating the ROV through an obstacle course with specialized tasks in a pool. Teams will also participate in interviews to discuss their robotic designs and strategies. Grenada has both high school and middle school teams competing. Winners of this competition will advance to the championship in Maryland.

First Robotics Team

First Robotics gives students the opportunity to work together and create to solve a common problem. Each year a theme with an arena, obstacles, and tasks is revealed. Teams then design and build a robot to meet these specifications and overcome the challenge. This year, our First Robotics Team participated in two competitions, drawing inspiration from senior cadets and demonstrating remarkable performance with their robot. The team’s progress signifies continuous improvement and sets a high standard for future participants.

Academic Team

Our Academic Team recently traveled to Mountain Home, AR to compete in the Area 13 Brain Brawl Championship. Brain Brawl is similar to “Jeopardy,” requiring cadets to quickly buzz in and answer questions. Scores are adjusted based on accuracy. Each team consists of four cadets, ranging from first-year to fourth-year participants. Winners here secure a spot in the national championship in Washington, D.C.