“The Raider Battalion”

The Army JROTC Raider Battalion strives to

conceive great leaders whom will exhibit honor

and distinction to Benjamin E. Mays and to At-

lanta Public Schools. We would like to con-

gratulate Cadet Lieutenant Colonel Kimberly

McQuay for being awarded the Legion of Val-

or Bronze cross for Outstanding Achievement

in the Reserve officers Training Corps Pro-

gram. It is indeed an honor to have been be-

stowed this award, because it is the highest

award a cadet can receive on merit and for

that we congratulate Cadet Lieutenant Colonel

Kimberly McQuay for a job well done.

October- November2014

UPCOMING EVENTS

October 4, 2014– Atlanta Football Classic

October 15, 2014– Junior Achievement

October 19-24, 2014– Homecoming 2014

October 29, 2014– Saber Day

November 1-2, 2014– Empty Stocking Fund

November 8, 2014– Veterans Day Parade

November 15, 2014—Decatur High Drill Meet

By: Kendalyn Watkins

Cadets of the Raider Battalion took apart of the Love Center

parade. This parade serves as a crisis in American families. These

families are located in the inner cities were they are being chal-

lenged with the basics of survival, which has threatened the health,

growth, and the development of the community as a whole. This cri-

sis has left families hopelessness, a lack of faith in institutions as a

source of help and comfort, and victims of unprecedented amounts

of violence and crime. The Love Center believe that all families

need support, so the Community Outreach Block Party proposed an

early invention approach. Their main approaches are: healthcare,

senior citizens awareness, and youth support. The approaches will

bring unity within communities by strengthening and supporting

communities. These approaches would help reduce violence and

crime and restore a sense of faith and hope to the people in the

community.

The Love Center Parade

Page 2

The Atlanta Classic parade took placed on October

4, 2014 in downtown Atlanta. This parade honored

special achievements by the best and the brightest of

the middle and high school students and gave students

the opportunity to celebrate their efforts across all as-

pects of their education. This parade was established to

salute excellence in the education across the United

States. The Mays High Raider Battalion participated in

this parade as the marched through Downtown

Atlanta.

Page 3

Atlanta Classic Parade

Junior Achievement is the world’s largest organiza-

tion dedicated to educating students about workforce

readiness, and hands on programs. Junior Achieve-

ment Program helps to prepare young people for the

real world by showing them how to generate wealth

and effectively manage it. Students put these lessons

into action and learn the value of contributing to their

communities. On October 15, 2014 , forty cadets of

the Mays High Raider battalion took on the extreme

pleasure to visit and teach students at L.P. Miles Ele-

mentary School. Our cadets

taught the students of Miles Ele-

mentary about our community

and our city.

Page 4

Junior Achievement

Saber Day 2014 The Raider Battalion conducted its Annual Saber Day Ceremony on

October 29 2014. Saber Day is the day on which selected cadets are

administered the Oath of Office and are commissioned. These cadets

also receive their saber from their parents or a person of their choice;

a custom believed to have begun in the days of ancient Sparta, before

the birth of Christ. The day marked young Spartan’s entry into mili-

tary service, and it carried with it the assumption of the duties of

manhood. In order to meet this requirement, it was necessary that

he have a sword and shield. These were presented to him by his

mother. In keeping with this ancient tradition, the cadet officers of

Benjamin E. Mays High School’s Raider Battalion asked their parents

to present them with their sabers.

Page 5

MISS JROTC

Cadet Captain Kendalyn Watkins

was selected to represent the

Raider Battalion as their Miss

JROTC. Watkins is a senior on

the Math and Science Academy.

After gradation, She plans to at-

tend Kennesaw State University

and major in Business Manage-

ment. She also hopes to join the

United States Air Force after

graduating from college. Ken-

dalyn Watkins serves as the Bat-

talion S-5 where her duties and

responsibilities are to create

newsletters, update information

on the JROTC website, create

scrapbook, etc. Congratulations

C/CPT Kendalyn Watkins.

Homecoming 2014

A few JROTC Cadets took part in Homecoming 2014

as they participated in Honor Guard as well as Color

Guard during the Homecoming Game. Also, many fe-

male cadets were selected to represent their clubs or

organization. Those cadets are Maria Gallo-Blanco,

Mikaela Gay, Kendalyn Watkins, Kyndal Lawrence,

Salicia Tuggle, Nicole Goss, Katrice Newell and

Nevelyn Thomas.