Initial Post

My oh so interesting question is: Why should marksmanship be allowed in every High School Campus throughout the United States?

Why did i choose this topic? Well it is very simple. I was a member of the Air Rifle Team at SDHS for three years. The sport benefited me in various ways. First of all, being on the team created a sense of teamwork and leadership in me, being that i was the captain. It also influenced me to be a very healthy person. I lost a large amount of weight with the diet and life style. It also instilled amazing values in my life that i will carry after high school.
Schools with JROTC programs throughout the United States have marksmaship teams. Why is it that California is the only state that negates students with the great opportunity to learn a truily challenging sport? Marksmanship not only challenges you physically, but mentally aswell. The sport of marksmanship is 99% mental. The concentration levels necessary to be a successful marksmen, are incredibly high and outstanding. It has been proven that a marksman who is a student, has the ability to concentrate well during classes and intense testing aswell as other activities. A marksman is physically fit and healthy.
My experience as a marksman has changed my life for the better. The School Board decided to terminate our marksmanship program due to the emotions of many community members who believe our program was dangerous. I believe it is a shame that this occured. Football, Soccer, Track, and other sports played in high school are in fact more dangerous than marksmanship. I believe the school board was mal informed, and it was wrong for them to terminate our program because of the oppinions and emotions of others instead of listening to true solid facts. If they knew how challenging and beneficial the sport of marksmanship truily is, they would really want it in every High School Campus. I am blessed to have experienced being a marksman, this is why i believe marksmanship should be allowed in every High School Campus throughout the United States.

-Monica Cedano