Picayune NJROTC Soars with Eagles

Picayune Memorial High School's NJROTC Drill Team traveled to Montgomery, Alabama, on Saturday, February 4th,

to compete in the 2006 American Legion / Coca-Cola  National Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps Drill Team

Championships. This annual all-service meet is the largest indoor JROTC drill meet in the nation and drill teams from the

Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps JROTC's compete in 14 different events, in three separate divisions.

This year, fifty-eight (58) drill teams from 11 states were represented.

Led by the Team Commander, Cadet Kayla Johnson, Picayune's Unarmed Exhibition Team put on a near perfect

performance, and scored a 1427 (after a 30 point penalty for team size) to take 3rd place in the event behind 1st place

St Martin (1442) and 2nd place Oxford High School (1428), the overall 2006 National Champion.

This outstanding performance typified the exceptional dedication and spirit of Picayune's NJROTC competitive teams

and helped Picayune finished 4th overall in the Unarmed Division.

When asked what he believes is the driving force of your cadets, Chief Mark Thorman said the following about his team.

"We, as a team, do not get all worked about winning trophies in our drill meets.  Our leadership philosophy at all

levels emphasizes a relentless pursuit of excellence, which equates to just doing your best at all times.  The pride

of performance is not winning, but a job well done!"