Retired Gunnery Sergeant To Lead New Essex Tech Marine Marine Corps JROTC Program

DANVERS, MA — Essex North Shore Agricultural & Technical School will offer students a new elective this fall through the Marine Corps Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps program.

The school said the addition is intended to help students build leadership skills, strengthen character and serve their community as part of its broader approach to preparing students for college, careers and life.

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Sponsored by the U.S. Marine Corps, the MCJROTC program combines classroom instruction with hands-on activities. According to the school, cadets will study communication, citizenship, financial literacy, health and wellness, and U.S. history.

Students in the program will also take part in drill and ceremony, color guard, physical fitness, and community service projects.

"Essex Tech is committed to providing students with experiences that help them grow both personally and professionally," said Superintendent Heidi T. Riccio. "The Marine Corps JROTC program gives students another opportunity to build confidence, develop discipline, and learn the value of service and skills that will benefit them no matter what path they choose after graduation."

The program will be led by Danielle Fox, a recently retired U.S. Marine Corps Gunnery Sergeant with more than 21 years of honorable service. The school said Fox served as a Drill Instructor, Communications Chief, Senior Enlisted Leader, and college instructor before retiring from the Marine Corps.

"After 21 years in the Marine Corps, I've learned that leadership isn't measured by rank; it's measured by the lives you impact," Fox said. "My mission at Essex is to help students discover strengths they didn't know they had, challenge them to grow beyond their comfort zones, and give them the confidence to lead with integrity. If our students leave this program believing in themselves more than when they walked through the door, then we've accomplished something truly meaningful."

The addition of the program reflects Essex Tech's effort to offer a range of learning experiences for students, according to the announcement.

The school said the goal is to help students discover their strengths, serve others and prepare for success after graduation, regardless of the path they choose.