ABOVE: The Eagle Battalion Challenge Level Unarmed Division Color Guard placed 4th in the event. They are the first Wake County team to ever bring home and award from the National High School Drill Team Championships. The team consists of Seanique Rolle, Olivia DeJesus (Commander), Colin Jones and Dawn Koonce. Also, not pictured Charles Johnson placed 6th in the Armed Knockout Event and Jacori Crudup placed 11th in the Unarmed Knockout Event.
The NHSDTC remains the oldest, largest and finest drill & ceremony competition annually assembled. Sponsored for decades by the U.S. Army Cadet Command, "the Grand Nationals" as this legendary event has grown to be recognized features school-aged drill & ceremony units of all ability levels and from all of the four service branches. The finest judges brought in specially for this event, give the Nationals the type of overall ambiance that simply cannot be replicated anywhere in the world of school-based athletics. The Grand Nationals remain an unparalleled weekend of military excellence. Over 180,000 cadets, instructors and parents have attended the NHSDTC competition over the past 35 years. While a few smaller meets have tried to replicate what is presented to your youngsters at the Nationals (often to disappointment when the advanced promises don't meet up with the low-budget reality), there is no experience within JROTC that can match the buzz and excitement that is maintained all weekend at the NHSDTC!