The reigning senior class of NJROTC cadets can boast ofbeing Tennessee State Champions for their entire high school career.

This rare honor is made more special considering the facthow young the Navy JROTC program is at Cocke County.  Currently, there are 19 Navy JROTC units across Tennessee.Until this year, with the addition of a new school in Gallatin, Cocke Countyhas been the youngest of all schools in the state. Four of the Unit's sevenyears in existence have been under the state championship banner.

"Normally, a successful competitive team relies ontradition and experience for motivation during difficult times. We have not yethad that opportunity to bankroll years of experience, yet we continue to besuccessful," said Danielle Rymer, commander of the unarmed basic drillteam.

"The senior cadets in our program have never lost toanother Navy JROTC unit from the entire state of Tennessee. That is veryspecial."

Seniors Crystal Haney and Devon Stuart are the onlycadets to have been on the competitive varsity teams for four straightyears.  Stuart has been a member ofall the drill teams, while Crystal has been a contributor to the athletic andacademic teams. Both cadets contribute their successes to the determined spiritof the cadets in the program.

"When we travel to local schools to compete, werepresent Cocke County," aid Stuart. "But when we travel to Kansas City or Pensacola, we representTennessee.  I consider that both anhonor and a privilege."

Navy JROTC units from five states were fortunate enoughto be able to compete for the Area 9 Championship. The best teams from NewMexico, Colorado, Missouri, Kansas and Tennessee braved the snowy weather tovie for an opportunity to compete for the National Championship during April insunny Pensacola, Florida.  Thefortunate winners would have only five weeks to prepare against the best drillteams in America.  Only the 24 bestteams of the 636 Navy JROTC units from across the United States are invited tothe slug fest called "The Nationals". For three of the past fouryears, Cocke County has earned an invitation to this very prestigious event.

As the Cocke County NJROTC cadets prepare to raise theirfourth straight Tennessee championship banner in the Cocke County High Schoolgymnasium there are ten cadets (all seniors) that can truly say they have neverbeen defeated by another Tennessee NJROTC school in military drill, athleticsand academics. That is a tremendous achievement for the NJROTC program, forCocke County High School, and for Cocke County.