KINGSLEY — Kingsley High School’s brand new Naval Junior Officers’ Reserve Training Corps. recently advanced two teams to the regional finals of a nationwide academic competition.
The JROTC Leadership and Academic Bowl pits 634 teams from across the country against each other, and only 300 move on to the next round.
Kingsley High School cadets include Anna Bauer, Braden Marsh, Isaiah Cosgrove, Lillian Mullin, Ian Mitchell, Katelyn Leathermann, Caleb Phipps and Chase Kizer.
The NJROTC program offers a comprehensive four-year curriculum centered on naval science and leadership development. Students will explore topics like naval history, strategy, navigation, astronomy, meteorology, oceanography, marksmanship, and engineering.
The program curriculum also incorporates essential life skills such as personal fitness, financial literacy, college prep, and mental health. The class will impart lessons applicable to every student, whether on a military trajectory or not.
‘It is very uncommon, unheard of, even, for a new unit with all first-year cadets to have one, let alone two teams, move on to the second round. The other teams are mainly made up of third- and fourth-year cadets,” said instructor Gunnery Sergeant Mathew Barr.
The bowl tasks students with answering questions about the core curriculum (math, science, and language arts) along with knowledge of college preparation, financial literacy, and current events.
The KHS teams will have from Feb. 1-15 to take the level two tests, and from there, just eight teams will move on to nationals which will be held in Washington, DC.
For more information on the NJROTC, click here.