SPARKS — All year, Sparks High School JROTC cadets study and work hard to achieve excellence. They put their knowledge to the test when called upon to go against other cadets in a monthly board testing their basic knowledge in various JROTC activities. On Feb. 19 was the fifth board of the 2012-2013 school year. The winners were Cadet Private First Class Kayla Polley, and Cadet Sergeant Gustavo Martinez.

The Cadet Boards have have taken place every month since JROTC began at Sparks High School in 1967. There are five companies at Sparks High, and each month the Company Commanders choose two cadets from their companies and give them a three-page packet filled with JROTC knowledge. Prior to the board, cadets study on their own time, whether it’s here at school, during their RAIL classes or at home. At the end of the month, the board is held after school hours, where the cadets compete for a chance to win either the Cadet or Non-Commissioned officer of the month.

The cadet boards are for cadets with the ranking cadet Private First Class. The NCO board is for cadets ranking from Corporal to Sergeant First Class. At the boards, the Cadets are asked two questions from each of the five First Sergeants and the cadet Command Sergeant Major.

Whoever receives the most points at the end of the board wins. The prize includes a medal for the cadet’s uniform, their picture on the wall for a month, an ice-cream party for their company and that self-satisfaction of knowing they did their overall best.