Pine-Richland/Mars JROTC cadets bring home awards

Pine-Richland High School/Mars Air Force JROTC cadets attended their first drill competition at McDowell High School in Erie.

The cadets earned top awards and included:

• Third place Uniform Inspection Team commanded by Cadet Cait Howard

• Second place JV Color Guard Team commanded by Cadet Alanna Shaw

• Second place Varsity Color Guard Team commanded by Cadet Jasmine Christner

• Second place JV Unarmed Drill Team commanded by Cadet Jaden Persaud

• Second place Varsity Armed Drill Team commanded by Cadet Emma Terpstra

• First place JV Armed Drill Team commanded by Cadet Jack Harris

• First place Varsity Unarmed Drill Team commanded by Cadet Cait Howard

• First place Female Color Guard Team commanded by Cadet Jasmine Christner

• Second place Overall with every individual team placing.

Knockout (a form of drill Simon Says) winners are Cadets Parker, Riggio, Galbraith, A. Friedrich, Kemp, Ostapchenko with first place in JV Knockout going to Cadet Cerny and Varsity Knockout going to Cadet Roy.

The cadets had a great time and are looking forward to hosting a drill meet on Dec. 4 at PRHS.

Maj. Michael Morrison and Chief Michael Gasparetto oversee the AF-JROTC program, which began in 2010 at Pine-Richland High School.

For the first time in August 2018, the program was opened up to all Mars Area High School students grades 9-12 thanks to a cross-town agreement.