Members of this year's War Eagle Color Guard competing at the Nationals are:, from left, first row: Brianna Joiner, Brittany McKinney, Keondra Kelly, Ra'Shon Brady, Ladeshia Simpkins, Tay Taylor, Paul Salter and Andres Jeronimo; and second row: Jerome Taylor, Courtney Johnson, Chris Hillis, Lewis Williams and Jared Hackworth. Coaches, not pictured, are Command Sergeant Major Hayward Thompson and Colonel Ken Wade. (Photo contributed) The Jenkins County High School JROTC Drill Team wrapped up their season May 2 by finishing as the top school from Georgia and the #4 school in the nation at the National High School Drill Team Championships Open Level Color Guard competition in Daytona Beach with 45 teams entered from 29 states.

The War Eagles from Jenkins County finished 105 points behind this year's National Champion and last year's defending National Champion, Alamo Heights High School, from San Antonio, Texas.Only 48 points divided Jenkins County from last year's Master's Level runner up, Ronald Reagan High School, also from San Antonio Texas, and a three time Western Division All Army Champion in 2005, 2006, runner-up in 2007 and Champion again in 2008. The third place team, Lancaster High School, from Lancaster, Texas came out of nowhere just likeJenkins County.

The War Eagles Color Guard outscored last year's third place team from North Miami Beach by 108 points and last year's fourth place team White Mountain by 59 points. There were only 48 points dividing Jenkins County from the second place team Ronald Reagan. There were three other schools from Georgia entered in the Open Level Color Guard competition this year. Bainbridge High School finished ninth; Ware County finished 32nd; and Northview was 42nd.