Leigh JAG Students Experience "Marine for a Day"
Leigh had 12 students attend the “Marine for a Day” Conference in Lincoln. This event was held on Tuesday, September 9. There, the students who attended got to learn a ton about the Marines branch of the US military and how their branch operates.
Attending from Leigh were seniors Jordan Whitlinger, Brett Wemhoff, and George Waterman; juniors Ben Rodenburg, Cody Jedlicka, and James Moore; and sophomores Michael Wemhoff, Easton Brabec, Caleb Settje, Cade Hoesly, Madisyn Lich, and Emily Waterman.
Ben Rodenburg, a junior, commented, “Marine Corps Day went well for everybody, I enjoyed getting an insight into what different things Marines get to do on a day-to-day basis.”
The attendees even started their day with a Marine workout that involved sprints, burpees, air squats, pushups, bicycle kicks, lunges, pull-ups, and ammo box lifts. They also did an ammo box relay race and Leigh had 4 boys, alongside a girl from Lyons-Decatur, come in 1st.
The kids also got to have a military MRE (Meal, Ready to Eat) for lunch to experience another aspect of military life. Finally, there were four stations where Marines got to explain their MO and what they handle day to day as well as answer any questions.
Mr. Hathaway stated, "Marine for a Day was a great opportunity for kids to get a small glimpse into military life. Marines encouraged our students during the workout to push themselves harder and further than they thought they could. Getting to hear from Marines about their experiences and why they joined the military was very beneficial. I hope all the kids left with a better understanding and deeper appreciation for our armed forces. I know I did!"