North Panola High School’s Army JROTC cadets passed their annual formal inspection with flying colors last week, according to Lt. Col. (Ret.) Hugo Jackson, director of the program.
“In the Army we know that exceptional units are a reflection of exceptional leaders and we have great young leaders at North Panola High School,” he said.
The Cougar Battalion met the Army’s new standards for JROTC accreditation, scoring a rating of 90.1 and earning a gold star, the highest award a unit can receive.
The inspection took place at the school April 5, with representatives of the University of Mississippi’s ROTC program and the Mississippi National Guard conducting the assessment.
To start off the inspection, the junior and seniors cadets in the program gave brief introductions about themselves and their jobs.
In addition, cadets who participated in the Service Learning Project described how the battalion planned, organized, and executed their service plans of providing a headstone for the grave of NPHS student Rodrick BoBo. Other projects completed by the unit included sponsoring two community blood drives and collecting toys for patients at LeBonheur Children’s Hospital in Memphis.
The entire unit assembled in the gym for inspection, followed by a presentation by the drill teams.
Each cadet is required to keep a personal portfolio of all their work. The inspection team selected random students to present their portfolios and describe their jobs.
“We all put so much effort into every aspect of the JPA, and our results reflected our dedication and hard work,” said Battalion Commander Cadet Colonel NorClessia Edwards . “I am so proud of every cadet in the battalion for demonstrating the ‘Cougar Standard.’”