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SummerACTIVITIESYoungestinHerUnittoGotoJuniorLeadershipSchoolByYMCplMicennaBrooksEtowahValleyCAOnJuly6Iwasreadytotakethechal-lengeofgoingtomyrstJuniorLeader-shipSchoolJLS.AtrstIwasintimi-datedbecauseIwasgoingoutofmycomfortzone.FourYoungMarinesfrommyunitweretakingaroadtripwithourexecutiveofcerandourunitcom-mander.Iwastheyoungestandalsotheonlyfemalegoing.WhenIgotthereitwasnotlonguntilImadeatonoffriends.OfcoursetherewereclassesandPFT.BecauseofthehardworkoftheYoungMarinestaffthisJLSwasasuccess.Everyonegradu-atedandweevenhadtimetogotothepooldoteambuildingmakeaguidonandinventditties---theYoungMarinesergeantmajorwouldpickwhosewasthebestandthewinnerwouldgettoeatchowrstalldaythenextday.Myplatoonwonthatcontesttwice.Ineachplatoontherewereanaverageof30YoungMarines.Atleasttwotimesaweekwewoulddoamoralecheckandeachtimeitwasdifferent.OnMondayweallstartedtogetphysicallytiredthenonWednesdayitgotworseandwestartedtogetmentallytired.Onourlastdaytherewewereinformationforanhour-longgraduationceremonybutithelpedusbuildupourstamina.WehadagoodtimeatJLS.AtfrstIwasintimidatedbecauseIwasgoingoutomycomortzone.AWell-EarnedAcademyExperienceatQuanticoByYMPFCAnnaBoyetteEnoRiverNCRecentlyIattendedthe2013SummerLeadershipandCharacterDevelop-mentAcademySLCDAatQuanticoVirginia.SLCDAisabrandnewweek-longsummercampwherestudentsfromaroundthecountrychosenfortheiroutstandingacademicsleadershiprolesinthecommunitytopphysicalconditionandgoodmoralcharactergathertogethertospendaweekwithU.S.Marinereserviststolearnaboutleadershipcharacterdevelopmenteth-icsteamworkandtheMarineCorps.Wedidmanyexcitingthingsinclud-inglearningandpracticingdrilltak-ingmodiedPhysicalFitnessTestsandrunningthroughreal-lifescenarioswithactorsplayinginjuredandendangeredcivilians.WealsovisitednearbysitesinWashingtonDCincludingtheU.S.CapitoltheNationalHolocaustMu-seumandHMX-1theMarineCorpshelicopterreservedfortransportingthePresident.WegottoseetheSunsetPa-radeattheIwoJimaMemorialwiththeCommandantsOwnDrumandBugleCorps.BackatQuanticoCemeterywespenthalfadaydoingaserviceproject.ManywonderfulspeakerscametotalktousincludingtheCommandantoftheMarineCorpsaMedalofHonorRecipientandre-servistMarinesbothretiredandactivedutywhoareallcontinuallybeingleadersintheircommunities.MyweekatSLCDAwasoneofthebestweeksofmylife.Ithoroughlyenjoyedspendingtimewiththeotherstudentsinmysquadandoursquadcommandersatchowtimetoo.Eventhoughthiswasinnowayare-cruitingthingitdenitelystrengthenedmyyearningtobecomeaUnitedStatesMarine.ESPRITFall201321