By Christian Sepulveda and Adonis Jimenez—

The Ocean Center in Daytona, Florida, hosted the annual National JROTC Drill Team Championships. A national competition, twenty-eight teams from all around the United States competed. PHS has a very active NJROTC program, and the team represented our school with honor and distinction.

The Armed Regulation team under the command of senior Christian Sepulveda finished fourth in the entire nation. This team uses basic arm movements to demonstrate their ability with rifles.

The Armed Color Guard also under the command of Sepulveda finished third in the nation. Using our nation’s flag this team performs in unison with precision. The other Color Guard members included senior Adonis Jimenez and juniors Edwin Leon and Kimberly Sabando.

This year every entry from PHS finished higher than ever before. They are truly representative of the PHS spirit.

The best showing was from the Armed Exhibition Team, under the command Adonis Jimenez. This team finished second in the nation! This is the first time that the Armed Drill Team finished second in the entire nation. Imagine that teams from all across this nation competed and PHS came out on top.

PHS Drill Team is standing proud. Photos by staff

Another first for the PHS NJROTC team is that they entered a first year cadet color guard team in the Open Division. Sophmore Ashley Toribio, commanded this team of first year cadets, including Linette Ramon, Karen Ferrufino and Destini Molenaar, to place 17th out of 32 teams. While 17th place may not seem like much of an accomplishment, taking into consideration that this was a first year team, it is quite a feat. “I am very proud of these cadets,” said Petty Officer Nuyen. He added, “For a first year team placing in the top half of the pack is an incredible accomplishment.” We have a lot to look forward to from these cadets as they continue within the ROTC program.

Other noted accomplishments from this competition are Seniors Jorge Soto and Yarely Aguilar who finished fifth place, out of fifty-four entries in the Duel Unarmed Exhibition teams. In the Armed Knockout, from a field of over 500 cadets, Junior Anthony Melecia finished seventh. First year cadet Karen Furrufino finished third. In the unarmed knockout, Senior Kissairy Evans finished forth from over 700 other cadets. Freshman cadet Amy Silva finished first in the nation.