Writer – C/CPL Lee, Jonathan, C/2LT Gong, Nathan and C/2LT Tial, Biak
Photographer – Army JROTC Official
The Howard High School Army JROTC Lions Battalion was pride and skill for their school at the 2024 JROTC National Raider Challenge held from October 24 to 27. Competing against a strong field of over 5,000 cadets from 220 schools nationwide, Howard’s team emerged victorious after five competitions: the 5K Team Run, Rope Bridge, Cross Country Rescue (CCR), Physical Team Test (PTT), and The Gauntlet.
Howard’s cadets showed endurance and teamwork in the 5K run Team Run, finishing fast and doing well overall in this event. During the Rope Bridge event, both the Male and Mixed teams showed resilience, as they never gave up and kept pushing themselves. Both the teams did exceptionally well during the Rope Bridge event and managed to tie their swisses fast and efficiently, as well as get across the river in an extremely good time. The CCR (Cross Country Rescue) also went smoothly for both teams, as they navigated through rough terrain and went over and under obstacles. In the Physical Team Test (PTT), Howard Cadets demonstrated superior fitness in every single aspect of the test. It was evident that all the cadets there were pushing themselves to the absolute best of their abilities. Finally, The Gauntlet showed the team’s excellent speed and agility, as they had to go through rough terrain and go up nets.
Overall, Howard High School Raiders left a mark on Nationals and not only grew in their abilities in each of these events but grew together as a team. Their performance in Nationals will not only help these cadets learn more about training and competition, but it will also give them motivation for future raider events.