The cadets who participated in the Camp Joy Orienteering Training Weekend did an outstanding job representing the St. Lucie West Centennial High School NJROTC Black Talon Unit. Throughout the weekend, cadets learned and practiced the fundamentals of land navigation, including proper compass use, map reading, identifying terrain features, determining bearings, and navigating from one control point to another.
Cadets spent significant time developing and refining their orienteering skills through hands-on instruction and practical exercises. The weekend challenged them to think independently, make decisions under pressure, work through unfamiliar terrain, and apply the skills they learned in a real-world outdoor environment.
On Sunday, the cadets put their training to the test during the final Yellow Course Orienteering Competition. The Yellow Course is designed for experienced beginners and introduces competitors to more advanced navigation concepts. In addition to basic map and compass skills, cadets were required to understand topographic symbols and contour lines, use handrails and attack points to navigate toward controls, and make route-choice decisions to determine the most efficient path through the course.
Male Division – 51 Competitors
Arthur Schaffer led the Black Talon male competitors with an impressive 4th-place overall finish, completing the course in 15:30.
C/CPO Eli Ross placed 11th overall with a time of 21:58.
C/SCPO Brody Nestler placed 13th overall with a time of 22:56.
C/SA Obadiah Mildor placed 20th overall with a time of 30:43.
C/PO3 Matthew Margeson placed 21st overall with a time of 31:49.
C/PO3 Noah Lucuara placed 23rd overall with a time of 34:07.
C/PO1 Andrew Witz-Schaffer placed 30th overall with a time of 44:28.
Female Division – 35 Competitors
The Black Talon female cadets delivered an outstanding performance against a field of 35 competitors.
C/PO1 Zoey Fletcher led the way, winning the female division and taking 1st place overall with an impressive time of 21:10.
C/PO3 Sol Navarro earned 3rd place overall with a time of 27:28, giving Black Talon two cadets in the top three of the female division.
C/PO3 Angeluisa Polanco also delivered a strong performance, finishing in the Top 10 with an overall time of 41:55.
Outstanding Team Performance
Unfortunately, C/LCDR Brandon Ramirez and C/PO3 Fasci did not receive qualifying finishes due to technical issues during the competition. Despite the results, both cadets completed the training weekend, challenged themselves on the course, and gained valuable experience that will help them in future competitions.
With 51 male and 35 female competitors, the competition included 86 total competitors, making the individual accomplishments of our Black Talon cadets even more impressive.
Most importantly, the individual performances contributed to an outstanding team accomplishment: St. Lucie West Centennial High School NJROTC earned 2nd Place overall in the Yellow Course competition.
The weekend was about much more than finishing times and placements. Orienteering requires cadets to combine physical endurance with critical thinking, situational awareness, confidence, and decision-making. A competitor can run quickly, but success ultimately depends on navigating accurately, selecting the correct route, and maintaining composure throughout the course.
The Camp Joy experience provided our cadets with an opportunity to strengthen their leadership, teamwork, resilience, problem-solving, land-navigation skills, and confidence. We are extremely proud of every cadet who participated and represented St. Lucie West Centennial High School and the Black Talon NJROTC Unit with determination and professionalism.
Congratulations to our Black Talon Orienteering Team on an outstanding weekend and a 2nd-place overall finish!
