BY MARK J. CRAWFORD
It has been a busy year for Bradford High’s JROTC, according to instructor Maj. John Crews. It has also been rewarding.
Principal Chris Coffey and Crews presented the latest winners to the school board April 8, freshly returned from state-level competition.
To make it to state, the Tornado Battalion Drill Team placed first at the area qualifier for unarmed regulation platoon, male and female armed exhibition solos, and female armed exhibition dual. They placed second in female armed exhibition solo and third in male armed exhibition duals and female regulation color guard.
Among the cadets introduced was Lysa McKenzie who won first place in the state female drill dual armed exhibition. There was also Madison Miller who won first place in the state female drill dual armed exhibition and seventh place in the female exhibition armed solo.
Tyler Shaffer won sixth place state in the male drill dual armed exhibition, and champion Hagen Kadlec was a state oratorical finalist after succeeding in the American Legion’s local, district and area competitions.
Drill nationals will take place May 4 and 5 in Daytona. The Tornado Battalion will compete against JROTC drill teams from all military branches from around the world, according to Crews.
“As with anything the JROTC drill team is always in need of assistance to provide opportunities to our cadets, and donations to the program are always very much welcome,” Crews said.
