When they aren’t in the lighting booth or on the cross country course, junior Ben G. and senior Madigan Landess take target practice.

“I got into shooting when I was six years old; I shot some BB guns,” Ben G. said.

Ben G. participates in three different types of shooting: bullseye, three position air rifle, and cowboy action shooting.

“In cowboy action shooting, we shoot steel plates. They’re pretty thick,” Ben G. said. “For bullseye shooting, we shoot a paper target.”

Ben G. attends about one tournament every two to three weeks.

“My first tournament I shot a 459 out of 600, and in this last time at sectionals I shot a 509, and at nationals, I’m hoping to shoot above 525,” Ben G. said. “It’s kinda like cross country, competing with yourself, trying to do better every time.”

Although he doesn’t know exactly where this will take him in life, Ben G. knows he wants to move to the next step in competitive shooting.

“Eventually I want to do high power (rifle),” Ben G. said. “I figured this would be a good step in learning precision shooting before I move onto high power.”

Ben G. shoots for sport, but Landess shoots for her future. Landess attended a Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) training camp to prepare herself as a profiler later in her life.

“I hope to pursue a career in the FBI,” Landess said. “I thought this would be a great training opportunity to better me for the future.”

Landess traveled to Las Vegas, Nevada to attend the Front Sight Firearms Training Camp.

“The camp focused on a variety of firearm training techniques that took place in the field as well as in a classroom setting,” Landess said. “I learned a great deal and feel more knowledgeable about firearms in essence to my chosen career path.”  

Even though Landess was the youngest in the camp, she still received the full experience of what it is like to be a FBI agent.

“I even learned how to clear rooms and got to clear a house all by myself at the end of the week which was a lot of fun,” Landess said.

Landess is currently taking classes in law enforcement at the Bloomington Area Career Center to further her knowledge of law enforcement.

“This class has really opened my eyes to what it is like in the field.” Landess said. “We even got to take a field trip to visit the FBI in Springfield where I got to meet and speak with actual FBI agents and learn more about the career of a FBI profiler.”

Landess is thrilled at the knowledge she obtained at the camp, and is grateful for the experience she had.

“I can easily say I would go back in a heartbeat and I hope to soon. I learned so much and had a blast being there.”