TWENTY-TWO Marianas High School Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps students competed against 2,300 students from schools across the nation in the 2022 U.S. Army National Raider Championships. The competition took place on Nov. 3-6 at Gerald Lawhorn Boy Scout Camp in Molena, Georgia.
Raider Events take place outdoors and consist of individual strength tests (wall climb, tire-drag, obstacle course, etc.), distance team running, and rope bridge construction and crossing. The four main event challenges were the 4K Mountain Run, Rope Bridge, Gauntlet Challenge, and the Physical Team Test.
MHS was the only school from the Pacific to compete in this year’s national competition. MHS sent an all-male and mixed male/female team for the competition. Their teams were trained and led by MHS JROTC instructor SFC Albert Lujan (Ret.).
“Our participation in this event is history-making for MHS and for the CNMI Public School System,” said Jonathan Aguon, principal of Marianas High School. “This is the first time that any CNMI PSS school has competed in this national competition, so we are very proud of our cadets for taking on the challenge to up against schools who have been competing at this level for years.”
The MHS team traveled over 7,000 miles and long flights to make it to Georgia. For most of the students, this was their first time traveling outside of the CNMI.
In addition to the nerves that come with competing, the students had to overcome the challenges of traveling with the jetlag and cold weather. “This is our first time traveling this far and even off the island,” said Kevin Yang, a senior at Marianas High School. “For us islanders, we came from a hot and humid environment, so here, we’re wearing several layers of clothes, and we’re shaking and shivering.”
Instructor SFC Lujan was glad that the students “never compromised with quitting” despite being out of their element.
“In addition to competing and testing themselves against other high caliber teams, I am very grateful to provide the opportunity for our students to see firsthand beyond our shores and to promote the message that they are worthy to be among the best of the best,” Aguon said.
While MHS did not nab any trophies, their mixed team did place top 7 in the rope bridge challenge. Principal Aguon stated, “This was a showcase of our Dolphin spirit of ‘Teamwork Towards Excellence’ as our MHS motto goes, and we hope to compete again in the future.”
“I think this is going to set a path for us. It’s so mind-blowing that we’re here,” added Abigail Alovera, an MHS junior.
Shaina Dimalanta, MHS JROTC battalion commander (the highest student rank in the program), thanks Instructor SFC Lujan for his dedication and commitment to the students. “We appreciate that he spent so much of his time training and motivating us because there were many times when it was difficult to push ourselves to continue with practice.”
This is not the last of the Raider challenges. On Nov. 19, 2022, PSS will be hosting the Extreme Raider Challenge for all PSS high schools’ JROTC programs. The event will be held on MHS campus and will involve a run up Mt. Tapochau.
The MHS cadets traveled all the way to Molena, Georgia, the venue of this year’s U.S. Army National Raider Championships.
The MHS cadets pose for a photo at the Saipan airport.
