After competing against more than 5,000 teams from around the world, four cadets from Summer Creek High School, Joaquin Crenshaw, Michael O’Gun-File, Kennedy Frenza and Jason Pham, have earned a place at the 2026 JROTC Leadership & Academic Bowl Championship in Washington, D.C.
The JROTC Leadership & Academic Bowl, a nationally recognized competition sponsored by the U.S. Army, U.S. Marine Corps, U.S. Navy, U.S. Air Force and U.S. Coast Guard, and organized by the College Options Foundation, challenges JROTC cadets to demonstrate leadership and academic excellence.
The competition tested the cadets across core subjects including math, science and language arts. Leadership teams were also tested on leadership principles, citizenship, and decision-making skills. Beyond classroom subjects, the cadets were tested on current events, financial literacy, and critical thinking under pressure.
For the Summer Creek High School JROTC program, the achievement represents months of preparation, discipline and teamwork, which are core values that the program strives to instill in all cadets.
“This is an extraordinary accomplishment for our JROTC program! Extremely proud of all their hard work, leadership, and academic excellence. These kids amaze me each and every day!” Summer Creek High School Senior Army Instructor Major Sammy Woodburn Sr. said.
The Summer Creek JROTC Leadership Team will travel to Washington, D.C., to compete at The Catholic University of America during the JROTC Leadership & Academic Bowl Championship June 12–16, 2026.