The Osborne Raider 2023-2024 season culminated with the inaugural All-Service JROTC Raider National Championships held in Molena, Georgia, on November 17-19. 

The male team placed first in the Region, and the female team was the Region runner-up. Both teams advanced to the State championship and brought home runner-up trophies. Both teams also advanced to the Army JROTC National Championship, held at Fort Knox, Kentucky, in early November. The female team placed third overall, and the male team sixth. From there, both teams advanced to the All-Service National Championships.

Raider Competition is a popular athletic competition held within Junior ROTC programs around the United States from all branches of service (Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine). It is the Junior ROTC equivalent of the Army ROTC Ranger competition in college. The events are held outdoors and include some type of personal fitness and strength test, distance team-running event, cross country run with weighted equipment, and a rope bridge construction and crossing. Raider competition is a mental and physical test of strength and endurance.

The Osborne Raider teams proved once again that they were one of the elite Raider teams in the nation, with both teams winning the national championship in the Cross Country Rescue event. Both teams placed third in the nation among all Raider teams in the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marines.

In the dual competition, Katherine Maldonado and Itzel Aguirre are the 2023 Army National runner-up. In the dual event, two males and two females from each team compete in a grueling mountain run, negotiate a rigorous obstacle course, and finish with a two-mile run. At the All-Service National Championship, one male and female from each school compete against each other in the Ultimate Raider National Championship, a grueling 2.5-mile event. Osborne’s Itzel Acquire won the National female Ultimate Raider championship and is recognized as the top female Raider in the nation!

“Our JROTC program has been the standard of excellence locally and on the national stage for a long time,” boasted proud Osborne Principal Troy Jones. “Chief Rodney Fagan, along with Master Sergeants Delana Arnold and Joseph Collins, have challenged our student cadets every year to maintain the standard of excellence established by others before them. Each year, our student cadets rise to the occasion and compete for state, regional, and national championships!”

Despite the national attention, the Osborne Raiders also have their sights set on making a difference in the local community. Partnering with the school’s Future Business Leaders of America chapter, the Raiders helped to win the annual Center for Family Resources food drive known as “Thanks for Giving.” Last year, the school donated 2400 food items, but this year, they set the bar high and crushed last year’s numbers by collecting nearly 4000 food items.

“They outraised every other school by more than 1,000 items,” said CFR Development Director Christal McNair. “The food collected by Osborne High School fed approximately 100 families. That’s more than 400 full stomachs!”

“It’s incredible to see this community support what we do for children and families and in support of each other. We are always grateful for the partnership and generosity we see year after year. We can’t wait to see who challenges Osborne for the title next year,” said Melanie Kagan, CFR’s Chief Executive Officer.

“This is a school-wide event, and we coordinate with all Osborne clubs and organizations,” explained food drive organizer and Osborne’s CTAE Department Chair Michael Devault. “For the past two years, Osborne JROTC has played a huge role by initiating a challenge with their battalions. This year’s battalion challenge has resulted in a substantial increase in food items donated over the past two years.”

Collecting the most food items also earned the school a visit from Blooper, the Atlanta Braves mascot, sometime in the near future. Additional prize winners for this year’s Thanks for Giving program went to Clarkdale Elementary, Garrett Middle School, and Vaughn Elementary, each receiving Domino’s Pizza gift cards generously donated by Domino’s Pizza corporate office.

Whether winning national competitions or helping provide food and necessities for their neighbors, the Osborne JROTC Raiders are taking the Cobb motto of One Team, One Goal: Student Success to new levels. Great job, Cardinal Raiders. Thank you for investing in these students also, Chief Fagan, MSG Arnold and Collins, Mr. Devault, and Principal Jones! Together, you are helping to make Cobb the Best Place to Teach, Lead, and Learn!