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     Educators, counselors, and coaches from all over Georgia and Florida were excited the opportunity to spend a week at the U.S. Marine Corps Recruit Depot in Parris Island, South Carolina. 

     The Marine Corps sponsors four ‘Educator Workshops’ a year at both recruit depots located in Parris Island, South Carolina and San Diego, California. The purpose of the workshop is to gain a better understanding of what it takes to become a marine and the reasons a student may or may not be a good fit. 

     Tracy Knighton, a counselor at Westover High School in Albany, Georgia says she wanted to come for professional balance.  “We go visit college campuses all the time and those recruits come to us, but its different when you’re going through it yourself and you can actually see firsthand what those recruits are going through” says Knighton.

     Reagon Beamon, a Lee County High School Counselor in Leesburg, Georgia says she was excited for the opportunity to not only see, but experience life as a marine recruit.  “With as many students as we have at Lee County High School who choose the marines as their career path, I’d like to be able to better guide them in terms of what they'll be able to expect here at boot camp.  When I get a little firsthand experience, I’ll be able to describe it better to our students” says Beamon.

     Since most people never get the chance to see marine recruits being trained, the teachers were excited to have the experience to learn about the discipline and hard work it takes to become a marine.  “I also want to bring back pictures so they can see what to expect when you go to boot camp” says Knighton.