While many high school students enjoy the break from the school year, nine students from Buckingham County High School JROTC Raiders participated and graduated in one of the nation’s premier leadership training camps from June 25-30. The camp called JROTC Cadet Leadership Challenge (JCLC) Eagle is located on the Virginia National Guard’s State Military Reservation, Camp Pendleton at Virginia Beach. The mission of the camp is, “To motivate young people to be better citizens” and the staff of the camp does all that it can to challenge these future leaders.

The JCLC graduates from Buckingham County were, Ian Martin, Grant Martin, Isabell Martinez, Joseph Boyles, Hakim Edmonds, Sarah Perry, Christopher Opie, Tyler Morre and Devin Corral.

Cadets Ian and Perry would be named top male and top female for winning the Individual Physical Fitness Challenge. Cadet Opie was named the overall winner in the STEM program for Camp Eagle. Former Cadet and now U.S. Army Soldier DaQuan Tindall from Buckingham County High School and rising Senior and Battalion Commander Tyler Moore were camp cadre for Camp Eagle.

The five day camp combines hands-on leadership training as the students participate in a series of activities ranging from orienteering to rappelling to obstacle courses to survival skills to Academic Bowl where students are challenged with competitive academic panels to determine top honors. Every day presents challenges to the students as they rotate through leadership roles as they plan and organize each day’s activities.

The week of activities culminates in a field day where each student group competes for camp honors in athletic and organizational events that test both physical, mental and collaborative skills.

To be considered to be one of the “top three” within the leadership ranks for Buckingham JROTC, Cadets that wish to hold top level leadership positions, must be camp qualified. Cadets must have graduated at least one leadership camp to hold the positions of Command Sergeants Major, Executive Office and Battalion Commander.

The camp is sponsored by the U.S. Army Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps and conducted by staff drawn from 28 high schools in South & Central Virginia Areas and North Carolina. This year Buckingham County High School sent Sergeant First Class (Ret) Bruce Grazier as Camp Cadre and Rappel Master, Deleon Anderson as bus driver and Jaime Perry as female chaperone and EMT.