The Greenville High School Tiger Battalion Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (JROTC) Leadership Team, composed of Anne Elise Shealy, Sarah Parrish, Eva Shealy, and Grace Sellers, earned top scores in a recent competition among 1,369 Army JROTC teams from around the world.

“The team is one of only 40 Army JROTC Leadership Bowl teams in the nation to advance to the final competition,” said Butler County Schools Superintendent Joseph Eiland.

The win includes an all-expense paid trip on June 18-22 to the Championship event in Washington D.C. hosted by The Catholic University of America.

“This event is sponsored by the U.S. Army Cadet Command and is conducted by the College Options Foundation,” Eiland said.

In a press release, Eiland discussed the obstacles faced by students in the last three years.

“The cadets from Tiger Battalion JROTC have proven their ability to overcome and succeed despite those obstacles,” Eiland Said.

He went on to explain the importance and significance of the competition.

“The JROTC Leadership and Academic Bowl is a nationally recognized competition created exclusively for JROTC students,” Eiland said. “By participating, cadets learn the values of citizenship, academic competition, and college opportunity.”

The competition consisted of two fast-paced preliminary rounds. Cadets were tested on their knowledge of current events, leadership values, leadership skills, and financial literacy.

“The competition creates tremendous opportunities for JROTC cadets by allowing them to demonstrate leadership and academic abilities,” Eiland said. “College Options Foundation is a non-profit organization dedicated to enriching the academic development of high school students and assisting them in their preparation for higher education.”

The Foundation has assisted JROTC cadets around the country for two decades.

Col. Alan Hester is head of the JROTC program at Greenville High School.

“Tiger Battalion finished in the top 40 teams out of the 1,369 teams competing,” Hester said in a recent social media post. “I believe this is the first time ever we have progressed to the final stage of this event.