Kentridge Team Walks Off With U.S. Drill Honors

KENT

Kentridge High School's all-boys Marine Corps drill team returned from Daytona Beach, Fla., this week with the first-place trophy in a national competition for high schools with ROTC programs.

The 22-member team, 16 returning next year, wears Marine uniforms and marches with M-14 rifles. It practices from 6:15 to 7:30 a.m. five days a week.

"This is probably the best team we've had," said retired Marine 1st Sgt. Carlos Farias, who accompanied the Kentridge team to Florida. The team won about 40 trophies this year.

More than 60 high schools from around the nation competed in Daytona Beach. In all, Kentridge ROTC students won seven trophies during last weekend's three-day meet.

Last month, the drill team won a competition at the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colo., that included 20 college ROTC drill squads and came in first among the state's ROTC high school teams for the seventh consecutive year.

Farias, who administers the Kentridge ROTC program with retired Lt. Col. Ted Henderson, said the school's newly formed girl's drill team finished second in the state.

Kentridge is the only high school in South King County and one of only two high schools in King County with a ROTC program. About 120 students participate in the program but are under no obligation to enter military service.