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Middle School JROTC program prepares students for their future

By CASEY SHEPHERD 2 min read
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A cadet leads fellow cadets in drill practice at Mariner Middle School Friday. Mariner Middle is the first JROTC sanctioned class at a middle school in the School District of Lee County. Casey Shepherd

Mariner Middle School students have been offered the unique opportunity to go through the JROTC program, an experience typically reserved for high school students.

Mariner Middle has the first JROTC-sanctioned class at a middle school in the School District of Lee County.

JROTC, or the Junior Officers’ Training Corps is a federal program designed to teach students, referred to as cadets, valuable life skills.

The program, led by Sgt. Major Kimberly Williams, aims to prepare the eighth graders for everyday challenges they will face in high school and in their careers.

Williams is no stranger to teaching JROTC. In 2022 she received national recognition when she was named the Cadet Command JROTC Army Instructor of the Year.

“Middle schools are moving to doing high school credit,” Williams said, “When these kids enter high school, they’ll be a second-year JROTC student.”

The program consists of both a classroom component as well as an outdoor component. In the classroom, cadets learn a broad range of skills, including communication between both peers and adults, critical thinking skills and how to be a better learner. In the outside component, cadets practice physical fitness and drill.

“I didn’t know we were going to go outside, but I really liked it and did really good,” said eighth grader Sariah Goudette.

Last Friday, the middle school cadets got to interact with their high school counterparts when members of Mariner High School came to instruct the young cadets through their drill practices.

“The biggest thing for them is that they’ll already know what to do as soon as they enter high school,” said Adrielle Costa, a Mariner senior JROTC cadet. “I think it’s a key fundamental for a lot of high school students and I wish everyone got to do it,”

So far, the program has been a success, with the young cadets catching on quickly.

“These kids have blown me away. They want to be here. They want this program. They wanted something different and everyday their enthusiasm, their passion for this is just a joy,” Williams said.