cadet blogs

Giving Back and Working Hard

(The Cadet Experience, Class of 2015) Permanent link All Posts

I can’t believe midterms are already here! My grades look amazing, and I only have the upperclassmen and instructors to thank for that! Hotel Company cadre prepared us really well in handling the pressure and stress that the Class of 2015 has faced to start the academic year. All the instructors have been unbelievably helpful, with informative lectures and flexible office hours. The upper-classmen have guided us to making fewer mistakes as a 4/c, and always seem to have their doors open to give extra tutoring for homework or upcoming tests.

Here at the Academy, opportunities to help the corps and the community are abundant. I loving keeping stats or being a ball-boy at sporting events, like soccer and volleyball. I have helped out at Protestant Church services, making announcements and doing readings. I also had the wonderful opportunity in preparing breakfast for homeless people in the New London area, waking up at 4 a.m. on a Friday morning.

I attend all home games for the volleyball team. The future for the team looks bright, since they have only one 1/c, and four 4/c! I’m excited to keep volunteering at the games, since I have become better at helping the officials out and keeping track of statistics. I hope to do the same for the basketball teams this winter.

I have been boxing every weekday for the last seven weeks. Meade Gym, located in the Alumni Center, has a single boxing ring and eight punching bags. I first entered boxing thinking it was just a chance to hit a bag over and over again, let out my anger. But I soon learned otherwise. On the first day of practice, we went down to the track and did a workout, totaling of over three miles of running. We do so much cardio and endurance work, that sometimes I forget about the boxing aspect of it all!

Boxing is my escape. After the long day of greeting every upper-classmen, working nonstop on schoolwork, I am happy when the final class rolls around and it’s time to change into some comfortable gym gear and head to practice. The coaches and captains are amazing. 2/c Berto Perez and 2/c Justin Maio are great captains, much different from what they were like as cadre during Swab Summer. I have made many new friends, from all classes. I plan on continuing boxing year-round. My goal is to use boxing as a way to get my PFE score above a 270, and earn a Blue Star, which cadets can pin onto their uniforms.

More about Kevin.

Posted by Leann Strickland at 2/16/2012 2:24 PM