The Woodlands AFJROTC Academic team competed in Nationals in Washington D.C. in July. The Woodlands finished the national championship competition with 4 wins and 2 losses in the preliminary rounds, and placed 4th overall after the playoffs. The team included senior Isabella Griffo, junior Spencer Snarr, sophomore Lucas Mohler, and senior Isa Devia Luna. They were accompanied by Lt. Colonel Chris McMartin. The team left on July 23 after preparing and competing during the school year. They prepared for the academic competition by doing practice games with buzzers and answered questions mainly on the four core subjects. They qualified for the event by winning competitions during the school year. They took tests and, depending on their scores, they moved on. Sixteen teams out of nearly 300 nationwide advanced to the national championship.

“I was scared we made it,” Isabella Griffo said. “I am really proud of our team. When they were in the competition people answered questions before they had finished them. It was crazy how fast people got it. 20 minutes felt like 5.”

During the competition, after hitting the buzzers they would confer with their team to agree on an answer to the question.

“I checked with the team to make sure I didn’t make a fool of myself,” Snarr said.

The team would play ultimate frisbee during breaks in the competition.

“They crushed us at that but when we went against them in the Academic bowl, we crushed them,” Snarr said. “It was fun.”