Ferguson’s essay and application was selected from 27 other schools competing in the Richmond Chapter Region. His regional win qualified him for state competition, where he placed third. His essay, “How JROTC has prepared me to be a better citizen of the United States of America,” spoke to the curricula and application of that curricula he learned through his five semesters of taking JROTC. His essay also addressed how the values of the program mirrored the values he was being taught at home.
Peter Davenport, the VSSAR President, and Dennis Peterson, the VSSAR Richmond Chapter President, presented Barrett his medal, certificate, and cash award at a March luncheon for the state-level winners.