White Hall High School JROTC hosted a Raider Competition Nov. 16 at Pine Bluff Arsenal. This is the fourth year the event has been held on the installation. Fifteen schools were signed up to participate, according to Cadet Maj. Niyah Hutchinson. Hutchinson is a junior at White Hall High School.
Arkansas schools participating in the event were Arkadelphia, Brookland, Catholic, Conway, Harrisburg, Jacksonville, Lake Hamilton, Lonoke, North Little Rock, Russellville, Sheridan, Van Buren, Watson Chapel, Warren and White Hall.
Lt. Col. Nicolai (Nic) Birch, professor of Military Science at the University of Arkansas, was present during the opening and closing ceremonies. He was standing in for Pine Bluff Arsenal Commander Col. Collin K. Keenan, who was unable to be at the event.
The competitions kicked off and ended with the sounding of a cannon during
both an opening and closing ceremony. White Hall High School’s Color Guard
posted the colors during the opening ceremony held in front of the Arsenal’s headquarters building.
Competition events, which were held on the Arsenal’s parade field during the day
included a Team Run, Covert mission, crab walk, burpees, deadlift, log sit-ups, ball sit ups, duck walk, litter carry, wheelbarrow, manual carry, planks, pull-ups, rope bridge, Orienteering, tire flip/jumps and pull/drag, weighted carry, weighted pull-ups, a Humvee push, etc. Teams, which are both men and women, consist of four individuals with an alternate.
“Honestly, we start planning the day after the last competition when you are trying to put something as big as this together,” said Hutchinson, who is the S3 for White Hall JROTC. The S3s role involves planning, training and operations. “We take all the pros and cons from the last competition and start improving our processes. We do what we can to get set for the next competitions.”
Some new events have been added – the duck walk and wheelbarrow, said Cadet 1st Lt. Sara Gwin (12th grade). Hutchinson, Gwin and Cadet Sgt. Maj. Jesus Carillo (12th grade) were part of the cadet cadre presenting the initial plan to the Arsenal for this year’s competition. The competition, which was previously held in February, was moved to the fall.
Gwin said her role in the cadre is to assist Hutchinson. “Whatever she needs me to do, I do it,” she said. “Jesus is more of the doer. He makes sure it happens.”
The White Hall JROTC used to use the grounds around the high school to do the Raider event in the past. “We had the different stations set up all around the school grounds and it was very spread out. It is easier at the Arsenal because it is in one area,” said Hutchinson.
Hutchinson said her expectations for the Saturday event is everything goes well. “I want to see good morale and no injuries of course. To see the schools come together and compete will be great, and for them to truly enjoy the competitiveness of the events,” she said. “I don’t want the teams to have winning as their sole purpose but to come out and enjoy it and spend time with friends from across the state.”
Winners for the White Hall JROTC Raider Competition were:
*Rope Bridge – Brookland High School
*Litter Carry – Watson Chapel High School
*Team Run – Brookland High School
*3rd Overall – Lake Hamilton High School
*2nd Overall – Brookland High School
*1st Overall/Commander’s Cup – Catholic High School
Source: 2024 JROTC Raider Competition: Schools participate for 4th year at PBA
