A few good women from Bridgewater-Raritan High School joined the United States Marine Corps.
Well, Valerie Bonnet and Novena Petryk-Cordi did not leave their positions as teachers at Bridgewater-Raritan High School to enlist in the military.
But instead, from Tuesday, April 21, through Friday, April 24, they participated in an educator workshop sponsored by the United States Marine Corps and held at its training base on Parris Island, located in Beaufort, South Carolina.
Ms. Bonnet, a Science Teacher, and Ms. Petryk-Cordi, a Special Services Teacher, lived the lives of Marines—and they loved the experience they shared with other teachers from throughout the East during the workshop.
According to Ms. Bonnet, the United States Marine Corps sponsors eight workshops per year. East Coast visitors attend sessions at Parris Island, while participants from the western part of the country attend workshops at the base in San Diego.
Ms. Bonnet explained their tour of duty.
“During our time there, we stood on the iconic yellow footprints, passed through the silver hatches, and made our symbolic final call home. We engaged in hands-on activities including martial arts training, rappelling, and rifle shooting:” Ms. Bonnet reported. "We also shared different meals with officers, recruits, and family members. The experience concluded with our attendance at a recruit graduation ceremony."
She shared the reason behind the program.
“The goal of the workshop is to build a bridge between students and the Marine Corps by helping educators better understand the opportunities available through military service. Throughout the program, the values of commitment, tradition, and dedication were consistently emphasized as defining characteristics of the Marine Corps."
Ms. Bonnet felt that the experience was one she would cherish and that other teachers should consider enlisting in
" Overall, the educator workshop was an outstanding experience. I strongly recommend it to fellow educators—especially school counselors—as it provides a unique and valuable perspective on what it means to serve as a United States Marine."