Press release by Michigan City Area Schools:
“Life is unfair.” One of the most important lessons that students learn in high school competitions is to deal with adversity. Be it athletics or academics, students will go against schools that are larger, more experienced, more talented, more affluent. A team can choose to either wallow in self-pity, or roll their sleeves up, work harder, and never give up. The cadets of the Michigan City High School (MCHS) Marine Corps Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (MCJROTC) chose the latter in their Raider Meet at Hobart High School on Saturday, September 27th.
Raiders is a physically grueling JROTC competition, requiring cadets to do tasks modeled after some of the skills demanded of Marine Force Reconnaissance or Army Rangers. MCHS was the only Marine school, going against 13 Army teams. The host school, who won the Army National National Raider Championship 2 years ago, won the meet.
This was MCHS’s third consecutive Saturday Raider meet.
“Our cadets have really improved from our first meet at Fort Wayne Concordia,” said Marine Instructor Master Sergeant Jeff Benak. “It may not be reflected on the scoreboard, but our cadets continue to work hard.”
Major Tom McGrath, the Senior Marine Instructor, says that the Wolves are now focused on their next meet at Indianapolis Ben Davis on October 11.
“This will be another strong test, before our trip to the All Service Championship at Fort Knox on October 24-26. Ben Davis will be a smaller meet, with fewer Army schools, so I expect us to place better there.” The Army JROTC is the forerunner of the Raider program, and some of the schools have become real powerhouses.
MCHS is multi-tasking, as the Military Drill Team is preparing for their first competition on November 15 at MCHS. They are also preparing for the
MCHS Veterans Day Ceremony on November 11 at 1:30 pm in the school gym. That ceremony, conducted with the school band and choir, is open to the public, with particular emphasis on honoring veterans. Michigan City Mayor Angie Nelson Deuitch is the guest speaker. Cadets are also continuing their support of the school district and community, assisting agencies like the Salvation Army, Franciscan Health, and the United Way.