By CHRISTINE BOATWRIGHT / Staff Writer

VINCENT – Vincent High School’s Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps will be competing against high schools across the nation in the U.S. Army JROTC Academic Bowl this summer.

The smallest school to compete “by a long shot,” said Principal Joel Dixon, VHS began competing in the academic bowl four years ago, and has continued to improve each year.

Out of 1,583 teams from across the world, VHS JROTC earned one of the top scores and will compete against 23 other Army Academic Bowl teams.

“With JROTC, they’re looking at skills beyond academics. It’s about leadership, self-initiative and character,” Dixon said.

The academic team is made up of Brittany Finn, Madison Goss, Devan Isbell and Drienna Wallace. JROTC members Layla Mims, Sheldora Whitehead, Gavin Matthews, Davis Whitfield and Jeremiah Gage will also attend the competition, with the hopes of competing next year, according to Sgt. Major Mary Kyser.

Junior Brittany Finn said two teams compete at a time and buzz in answers to questions about everything from mythology and art to core school subjects.

If the VHS JROTC team wins, then it will compete against the Navy and Air Force JROTC Academic Bowl teams for the JROTC Tri-Service Academic Bowl Championship.

The academic team will compete June 22-26 on an all-expense-paid trip to George Mason University in Washington D.C.