Don’t miss the May 1 deadline to apply for the NRA Outstanding Achievement Youth Awards! These awards encourage and recognize shooting-sports participants, from 13 to 21 years of age, who take an active part in their community and shooting sports through individual contributions, educational pursuits and accomplishments.
The 2023 Outstanding Achievement Youth Awards went to two well-deserving members of our youth shooting sports community.
1st Place National Award
The 1st Place National Award winner was Megan Jaros from Roseville, Minn., who credits her shooting-sports experience for helping her develop a positive attitude and growth mentality. Before entering competition, she was shooting guns for as long as she can remember with her family and participating in game fairs, rifle camps and rifle clinics. She began shooting competitively in 2019 at the age of 13 and has competed with the Minnesota Centershots Junior Rifle Club. She worked hard to become a team captain and prides herself on being a good influence to those with whom she competes—and to others as she advocates for safe gun handling. She has participated in the Junior Olympics, Nationals and many other matches. She has also been a Junior Rifle Trainer, which will transition to a Level One NRA Rifle Coach when she turns 18. She looks forward to shooting on an NCAA rifle team in college.
2nd Place National Award
The 2nd Place National Award winner is Will Witte from Apex, N.C. Shooting is a family tradition that his father wanted him to share in, so his experiences started with shooting at the range near his home. Then he progressed to taking classes with the NRA to learn and grow his skills and found the NRA Marksmanship Qualification Program, which was a major motivator for him. He has built his skills to where he is now an NRA Apprentice Instructor for pistol, rifle and shotgun. He is also an Eagle Scout, a BSA Venturing Shooting Outstanding Achievement Award winner and a Civil Air Patrol Cadet lieutenant colonel. He credits his experiences in shooting with teaching him patience and focus and to be safety-minded. He will be continuing to hone his skills and leadership at the United States Air Force Academy, where he is currently a fourth-class cadet (freshman).
We hope that the leadership skills and abilities they have cultivated through shooting sports will take these two award winners far in their endeavors. We look forward to seeing their achievements in the future.
If you know a young person who might qualify for an Outstanding Youth Achievement Award, please visit the NRA Awards website at awards.nra.org or email us at [email protected]—and remember, the deadline to apply is May 1.
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