WEST POINT, NY - After coming home Dec. 12, from the exchange program at the U.S. Naval Academy, U.S. Military Academy at West Point, Class of 2016, Cadet Nicholas Ives was ready to make a change. No, he certainly didn't want to become a Midshipman, but he did want to take a page from their book. While spending time at Annapolis, Ives took part in a group called Mids for Kids, a community outreach initiative that sends Midshipmen to local elementary and middle schools to help tutor students. It is the largest volunteer organization at the Naval Academy with over 200 Midshipmen involved. "I could go into the classroom and I would spend two hours in the classroom teaching these kids," Ives said. After experiencing the reward from teaching children, he knew he had to bring a similar program back to West Point.
He and Brigade Public Affairs Officer, Class of 2016 Cadet Michael Auten, began a pilot run for "Cadets 4 Kids" in April, going to Highland Falls Intermediate School every other week, teaching math to fifth through eighth graders. They were able to get over 20 cadets on board. By November, they had 60 cadets on the email list and the group began to go every week. "This is one of the cooler things I've done," Ives said about Cadets 4 Kids. When he isn't writing 10 page proposals, submitting the trip sections and talking to higher authorities, Ives likes spending his time with the children. Read More