JULY 8, 2021 – Educator’s Workshop is an opportunity for educators to see firsthand how United States Marines are made in Marine Corps recruit training. The workshop allows educators to learn about how the Marine Corps makes not only a better future for our Nation, but also a better future for the individuals who become Marines.
Joining the Marine Corps can be an interest for some students leaving high school and the Educator’s Workshop equips teachers with the information and in-person experience to be able to educate their students on the benefits and values of becoming United States Marines.
“I wanted to come experience what the recruits have to do because we have quite a few students that are interested in the military,” said Synitha R. Walker, a counseling career technician with Pittsburg High School. “In the future, when I’m having conversations with our students about the military, I can kind of give them an idea of what to expect.”
Most educators do not have personal experience with the military, which leaves them at a disadvantage when telling their students about all of the possible options they have after graduating high school. Educator’s Workshop gives teachers that understanding of the Marine Corps that they can share with their students.
“I didn’t realize the kind of demands that are expected of them, the support that they get, and all of the things they do that make them better Marines,” Walker said. “That really came to light for me once I got to experience this.”
The activities that educators get to experience during Educator’s Workshop include, but are not limited to, the receiving process of recruit training, a Combat Fitness Test, and a live fire range. Experiencing these events help educators understand the importance of the training that that recruits go through to become Marines. Along with these physical activities, educators also receive briefs that educate them about all of the benefits of the Marine Corps such as health care and tuition assistance.
“It’s going to help me as a counseling career technician to better serve my students,” Walker said. “As I was going through some of the classes, workshops and activities, I was constantly thinking about how I can best share the information with students.”
Educators work hand-in-hand with students almost daily and have a very powerful impact on those students. Students look to their educators for guidance in many aspects, and their future employment is one of the most important ones. When graduating high school, students have to look at all of their options and decide what’s best for them and their future.
Educator’s Workshop shows educators that the Marine Corps does not only forge the finest warriors, but also the finest citizens. Even if a Marine does not make the Marine Corps their lifetime career, they leave after a successful enlistment as a better person than they were before, better equipped to help their community.
“This was a wonderful experience,” said Walker. “I think that all educators should experience this because there are a lot of myths out there about the military, especially in education, about what the military is and what the military isn’t.”
Story by Sgt. Tessa Watts
12th Marine Corps District