By looking at the students of Goshen High School can you tell what their future holds?

My Journalism teacher, Mrs. Grandolfo assigned the class to do a senior profile on any senior with an interesting career or plan ahead of them. I knew right away whom I wanted to write my article on. My friend's name is Katelyn Scott. She’s a tall blue-eyed blonde who enjoyed running track, doing Tae Kwon Do and hanging out with her friends during her years at Goshen High School. Katelyn admits that she should have tried a little harder in high school; nevertheless she is still advancing in her chosen career path. Looking at Katelyn’s face one couldn’t tell what might lie ahead; for her, it’s the marines. 

“The marine corp. is a small sector of the military. It combines aspects of the army and air force.  However, it's part of the Navy,” explains Katelyn. “The marine corp. is the land force of the Navy.  The Navy just provides marines with transportation.” In order to get into the marines everyone must take a test called the ASVAB, which tests basic knowledge. “Women must get a 50 or higher out of 99 although men only need a 31 or above- the marines don’t want just anyone,” Katelyn admits.
On July 10th, Katelyn is throwing away her cap, gown, and childhood days of Tae Kwon Do and bonfires with friends, and leaving for Paris Island, South Carolina. Despite Paris Island’s utopian name, it isn’t a summer getaway - it’s boot camp. Sure, competing on the track team, working out Monday, Wednesday and Friday and memorizing the 11 general orders with Staff Sergeant Olmas throughout the year might have Katelyn physically prepared for what’s ahead but the mental preparedness comes differently. “Going into boot camp is a mental game; you just have to get over it- its not going to last forever, it’s only three months,” Katelyn says. Headstrong, Katelyn is positive that boot camp is going to prepare her for what will come next. 

 
“Joining the military was just a feeling” Katelyn says describing why she wanted to join. “I always wanted to go into the military as a kid, but I was never sure what I wanted to do exactly.” A year and a half ago Katelyn committed to joining the marines, which was a big step for a 17 year old. She’s anxious about the marines because it’s a life changing decision for an 18 year old, and in five months she will have a full time paying job.

Katelyn will be going into the marines as a Private First Class if she recruits two of her classmates. Katelyn is unsure where she will be stationed because her location is decided after boot camp, however she has aspirations of going to Japan because she wants to go foreign. Katelyn plans on going into management and taking logistics so she can attend college and get ranked up as opposed to doing shift work. Katelyn will be taking foreign relations in college to prepare for her dreams of going foreign. In addition, she also has hopes to be chosen and take part in the Lioness Program (women in combat). “These women don’t fight but train Afghanistan and Iraqi people to protect themselves,” Katelyn says, excited to share more about the program.

 
Katelyn plans on making the marines a career and wants to become a drill instructor, which will take 10-11 years. However, “if I leave the military earlier than expected, I would want to be a correction officer or a history teacher” Katelyn says, hinting that she doesn’t have plans on leaving.
On June 24th Katelyn will be graduating along with the class of 2011, and her years spent at Goshen High School will only be a memory. However, she has bigger and better plans ahead of her. We salute Katelyn Scott as she ventures off, leaving behind our small town of Goshen and going into the world to fight and protect our country.