MSD JROTC Eagles Soar with Multiple Top Finishes at District Drill Meet

by David Volz March 17, 2026

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MSD JROTC Eagles Soar with Multiple Top Finishes at District Drill Meet 3

JROTC Raiders. {Courtesy}

The Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Army JROTC program earned significant accolades at the District Drill Meet on March 7 at Boyd Anderson High School.

The Eagles Battalion earned first place in the Unarmed Drill (Male Squad), second in Unarmed Drill (Male Platoon), and third in both Unarmed Drill (Female Squad) and Armed Drill (Male Squad). They also placed third in Armed Drill (Female Platoon) and fourth in both Unarmed Drill (Female Platoon) and Unarmed Drill (Male Platoon). All of these awards were in drill categories.

Zach Fleming, male team captain, is proud of the battalion. “We were all very dedicated, practicing every day for at least two hours, and now we look forward to the state competition,” he said.

Unlike most varsity sports and performance groups, where coaches micromanage everything, JROTC is really led by the cadets. Instructors and coaches are present, but they allow senior cadets far more latitude in running the program.

“We are a leadership training organization, and at the beginning of the year, I tell the cadets I respect them, and I expect them to respect each other,” said Fleming. “We are all working together to achieve our goals.”

Zoe Brooks, a co-captain, said, “I feel the cadets in our battalion worked hard, and it was an amazing feeling to achieve success.”

The Eagles are preparing for the wide drill competition on April 11 at Ridge Community High School in Davenport, Florida. According to Fleming, the 41 participating students will visit Universal Studios before competing.

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Author Profile

David Volz

David Volz has worked as a writer in South Florida for 35 years. He has written for the Sun-Sentinel, Hollywood Gazette, School Transportation News, South Dade News Leaders, Observer among others. He has an MA in Communications from Florida Atlantic University and a BA in Communications from Valparaiso University. Volz teaches Communications at Miami Dade College and Palm Beach State College. He lives in Coral Springs and enjoys running and participating in 5Ks and half-marathons.