Clover, SC – In a competition that began with more than 5,000 teams from around the world, four cadets from Clover High School have risen to the top, earning a coveted place at the 2026 JROTC Leadership & Academic Bowl Championship in Washington, D.C.
After surviving two fast-paced and highly competitive online rounds, the Clover High School AFJROTC Leadership & Academic Team, made up of Emma Gale Wallace, Jessica Vance, Lilian Munn, Mya Tobe, and Mia Weldon (alternate) secured their place among the top JROTC Leadership & Academic Bowl teams in the nation. Their performance earned them a trip to compete at The Catholic University of America June 12–16, 2026.
Out of 5,163 JROTC teams worldwide, only a select few advanced to the national stage.
“These cadets have worked hard to make it to this level of the competition. This accomplishment was listed as a unit goal at the beginning of the academic year, and I am extremely proud of this team for reaching it. All our cadets at Clover High School are simply amazing and these four especially serve a prime example how they strive to live by the Air Force’s Core Values; Integrity First, Service Before Self, and Excellence in All We Do,” said Lt Col (Ret) Adam Christopher, Senior Aerospace Science Instructor.
The academic competition tested cadets on core subjects including math, science, and language arts. Leadership Teams were tested on leadership values, skills, and citizenship. All teams were challenged far beyond the classroom, with being tested on current events, financial literacy, and critical thinking under time pressure.
Questions focused on financial literacy, sponsored by the USAA Educational Foundation, were integrated directly into the competition, reinforcing real-world skills alongside academic knowledge.
In total, 108 teams from 98 high schools across 43 states, as well as programs in Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, and DoDEA schools in Japan, advanced to the 2025–2026 JROTC Leadership and Academic Bowl (JLAB) Championship.
Texas led the nation with 21 advancing teams, followed by California with 10. Florida and Tennessee each advanced eight teams, while Alabama and Georgia contributed six each, highlighting the depth and competitiveness of this year’s competition.
The JLAB Championship is one of the most prestigious leadership & academic competitions exclusively for JROTC cadets. Designed to promote scholarship, teamwork, service, and leadership excellence, the event brings together the nation’s most driven student leaders.
For Clover High School, this achievement represents more than a trip to Washington. It reflects months of preparation, discipline, teamwork, and the kind of leadership development JROTC programs aim to build.
About the JROTC Leadership & Academic Bowl (JLAB)
The JROTC Leadership & Academic Bowl is a nationally recognized competition sponsored by U.S. Army, U.S. Marine Corps, U.S Navy, U.S. Air Force, and U.S. Coast Gurd, and organized by the College Options Foundation. For over two decades, the Foundation has supported the academic growth of JROTC cadets through competitions, college readiness resources, exam preparation tools, and admissions guidance.
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