LAKEWOOD, Ohio — After a hard-fought journey, a Lakewood teen has graduated Marine boot camp and was recognized for her accomplishment during the Lakewood Band Festival Saturday evening.
Kira Marjanovic, a talent trumpet player at Lakewood High School, applied to the Marine Enlistment Option Program when she was 16. She got in and became the youngest musician from Ohio to be accepted.
Two weeks after her high school graduation, Marjanovic departed for her 13-week Marine boot camp. In that time, Marjanovic, who had never held a gun before, learned how to shoot a target 500 yards away with a rifle, successfully shed gear in water in less than 20 seconds, and marched miles to pass her skills tests.
During boot camp, Marjanovic was diagnosed with pneumonia in both of her lungs, but she insisted on being released by medical in time to pass her qualification tests. The 5-foot, 4-inch tall, 104-pound teen passed each skill test on her first attempt, with no delays or setbacks.
Marjanovic graduated and earned the title of United States Marine and to celebrate her accomplishments she was recognized on the field of Lakewood Stadium during the "Star-Spangled Banner" at the school’s Marching Band Festival.
Joined by her two sisters, Marjanovic was honored by her former classmates and band members in a very fitting fashion for a talented musician and newly appointed United States Marine.
