Competing in their first competition, they were excited and scared all at the same time. Post 426 has been a post for about two years. This year, they decided to attend the competition in order to, “take the explorers to the next level.” Not knowing what to expect, they did a lot better than any of them suspected. Although they did not come home with any trophies, the explorers did better than they were ranked and gave Post 426 the recognition they rightfully deserve.

The explorers competed in 11 of the 13 categories. These events are based on real-life scenarios that show the different aspects of law enforcement. Some of the scenarios were traffic stops, domestic violence calls, court appearances, and interviews. The explorers worked in teams and occasionally as individuals. This year the post sent three current TUHS students: Lieutenant Michael White and cadets Leslie Hinojosa and Sergio Gomez. They also brought two TUHS graduates: Sergeant Hunter Thomas and Captain Makenna Kirby. Adviser Tommy White said, “I am really proud of the students who attended. We were probably the youngest group out there and we walked out showing them that you can’t count out youth. We were very poised and ready to go. Hard work goes a long way and you can’t just have it. You have to earn it and we did. They did great for our first event and the hardware will come. We will fill a trophy case up soon.” Post 426 has used their hard work and dedication to experience many opportunities to show them the different aspects of law enforcement.