The Mountain Home High School NJROTC cadets earned top honors in the academic Brain Brawl and third place overall in the drone competition at the Area 19 Brains and Brawn Qualifier held in Bentonville on October 9.
Team 1 claimed first place in the Brain Brawl competition, while Team 2 secured third. In the drone events, Mountain Home’s team took first in the slalom, third in the obstacle course, and third in autonomous flight, achieving a third-place overall finish.
The two-day competition began on October 8 at the Joe Sharbel Fall Classic in Nashville, Tennessee. The event, one of the country’s largest high school air rifle tournaments, provided Mountain Home’s precision and sporter marksmanship teams a chance to compete shoulder-to-shoulder with top programs nationwide. Between competitions, cadets participated in a team-building laser tag activity, promoting camaraderie and communication off the range.
The Brains and Brawn Qualifier format challenges cadets across academic, physical, and technical events. The Raider team also competed in the Bentonville event, tackling fitness and teamwork-focused challenges. Area 19 NJROTC programs, which include units across Arkansas and surrounding states, have seen strong performances from Mountain Home this year. The Bomber Battalion was named the area’s Most Outstanding Unit earlier in 2023 and claimed first at the Area 19 North Orienteering Championship last school year.
Mountain Home boasts 15 competitive NJROTC teams, including its Raiders, drone, and rifle squads. Program leaders credit the cadets’ commitment to discipline and sportsmanship for their ongoing success. They also acknowledged the vital support of local sponsors, families, and community members, whose contributions made participation in the Nashville events possible.
The marksmanship team returned home to another boost, receiving a $5,000 donation from the Second Amendment Dinner on October 10 to further enhance their program. Last school year, Mountain Home’s drone team also won the Annual Travel Trophy at its inaugural home meet, Droneageddon, and toured Louisiana State University’s drone program.