2017 MMA Taps yearbook by Erin Chambers

TEXAS: 11 OKLAHOMA: 3 ARIZONA: 2 CALIFORNIA: 5 WASHINGTON: 3 NEVADA: 2 OREGON: 1 COLORADO: 1 ARKANSAS: 4 TENNESSEE: 3 LOUISIANA: 3 ALASKA: 2

NEW HAMPSHIRE: 1 NEW JERSEY: 1 WASHINGTON, DC: 1

Eighth grader Peter Casella practices his violin skills October 3 during third period middle school band class. Award-winning photo by seventh grader James Wilson. For details, see page 200.

SOUTHWESTERN U.S. WESTERN U.S. SOUTHEASTERN U.S. NON-CONTIGUOUS U.S. MIDWEST U.S. NORTHEAST U.S. Infographic by Erin Chambers. Figures calculated May 1.

BELOW: Gabriel Elizondo '17 poses October 8 with the Missouri State Military School Championship football trophy. Photo courtesy of LTC Willis Kleinsorge. For more on MMA football, see page 126. AT RIGHT: Sophomores Yutong Dongfang and Zhicheng Mao remove flesh from their freshwater drum specimen February 9. Photo by Erin Chambers. For more on dissections, see page 50.

ABOVE: Samuel Carr '18 climbs February 21 at Adrenalin Forest in Christchurch, New Zealand. Photo courtesy of LCDR William Bushnell. For more on the Educational Tours, see page 110.

BELOW: GYSGT Mark Tompkins presents senior Mig Gisa with the Soldiers Bar on March 10. Also pictured: Victor Arturo Leon '18. Photo by Erin Chambers. For a full list of recipients, see page 103.

DO YOU EVER GET NERVOUS WHEN THE BAND PERFORMS? SKY THUNDERCHILD '19 No, I don't really get nervous at all. I just think to myself, I'm one of the best. ALEXANDER SHELDON '22 Yes, I am always nervous playing while I am marching. ... You are afraid you might play the wrong notes and get out of step. PHOTSAVAT PONGSUEA '17 Not at all, because I know what to expect. CLIFTON CLINE '20 No, because I've done it so many times it's just natural now. It's a part of me in a way. MATTHEW SEIBERT '19 Last year I would have. But this year it was easy. ZETH COLIN '19 I never get nervous because I know that I've prepared well for the event.

MARCHING MONTES: Senior band member Antonio Montes marches across the parade field October 15 during the Fall Family Weekend Battalion Review. Photo by Liam VanHoesen '19. For more about the MMA band, see page 150.

PORTRAITS

SEVENTH GRADE PAGE 12 EIGHTH GRADE PAGE 14 FRESHMEN PAGE 16 SOPHOMORES PAGE 20 JUNIORS PAGE 24 SENIORS PAGE 30 STAFF PAGE 36

ACADEMICS

HIGH SCHOOL SCIENCE: FLARP & TREES PAGE 44 MIDDLE SCHOOL BAND & ORCHESTRA PAGE 46 HONOR SOCIETIES & ACADEMIC AWARDS PAGE 48 HIGH SCHOOL SCIENCE: DISSECTIONS PAGE 50 ORGANELLE WARS & CLASS ELECTIONS PAGE 54 HS & MS SOCIAL STUDIES PAGE 56 EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY PAGE 58 MIDDLE & HIGH SCHOOL ART PAGE 60 ENGLISH FIELD TRIPS PAGE 64 MIDDLE SCHOOL SCIENCE & HISTORY PAGE 66 HIGH SCHOOL SCIENCE: KIMCHI & DRY ICE PAGE 70

CADET LIFE

SUMMER PAGE 74 REGISTRATION PAGE 76 HOMECOMING PAGE 78 FALL FAMILY WEEKEND PAGE 80 COMMUNITY SERVICE PAGE 82 HALLOWEEN PAGE 86 MAROON & GOLD PAGE 88 CLASS CLOWNS PAGE 90 DUMPLING FESTIVAL PAGE 92 HAPPY HOLIDAYS PAGE 94 THE CRUCIBLE PAGE 98 GLOBAL ROUNDTABLE PAGE 100 VALENTINE WEEKEND PAGE 104 SWIMMING & SCUBA PAGE 106 DUKE OF EDINBURGH'S AWARD PAGE 108 DUKE OF YORK'S FELLOWSHIP PAGE 108 EDUCATIONAL TOURS PAGE 110 EQUINE STUDIES PAGE 116

ATHLETICS

SOCCER PAGE 120 MIDDLE SCHOOL SPORTS PAGE 124 FOOTBALL PAGE 126 WRESTLING PAGE 130 BASKETBALL PAGE 134 GOLF & RUGBY PAGE 138 RIFLE TEAM PAGE 142 LACROSSE PAGE 144 TENNIS PAGE 146

ORGANIZATIONS

BAND PAGE 150 CADET CHORUS PAGE 154 RAILSPLITTERS & BOY SCOUTS PAGE 156 FBLA PAGE 158 PAINTBALL CLUB & BIKING CLUB PAGE 160 LUNCH BUDDIES PAGE 164 GEOLOGY CLUB & FISHING CLUB PAGE 168 GAMING CLUB PAGE 170 CHESS CLUB & COOKING CLUB PAGE 172 MILITARY POLICEMEN PAGE 176 COLOR GUARD PAGE 176 HONOR GUARD PAGE 176 RAIDERS PAGE 180

CLOSING

SENIOR AD: WEISS PAGE 187 SENIOR AD: GASTELUM PAGE 187 SENIOR AD: FITZGERALD PAGE 188 SENIOR AD: ESCARCEGA PAGE 189 SENIOR AD: CORREA PAGE 190 SENIOR AD: DAVIS PAGE 190 SENIOR AD: SNIDER PAGE 191 SENIOR AD: PRINSTER PAGE 192 SENIOR AD: SHIELDS PAGE 193 INDEX PAGE 194 COLOPHON PAGE 200

ABOVE: Javier Salazar '17 and fellow Bravo cadets march to Barnard Hall on August 25. Also pictured: Rhys Bullington '19, Alejandro Mercado '22, Zihan Zhu '18. Photo by Garrett Stafford '18. MIDDLE RIGHT: Jiachen Yan '21 poses February 25 during a field trip to the National World War I Museum in Kansas City. Photo by Connor Sims '18.

SEVENTH GRADE PAGE 12 EIGHTH GRADE PAGE 14 FRESHMEN PAGE 16 SOPHOMORES PAGE 20

TOP RIGHT: Victor Vielledent '22, Patricio Valdes '21, Felix Tonella '22. New Zealand, February 22. Photo courtesy of LCDR William Bushnell.

JUNIORS PAGE 24 SENIORS PAGE 30 STAFF PAGE 36

POr†RA¡TS

Scout Winslow Jones Tianjun Ma Tristen Hull Mason

THE CLASS OF

Alejandro Mercado Omela Rainizanakolona Mudogo Nathan Wayne Nolan

Tarlton Maxim Pitman Kevith Ryan Sangster Zedong Shao

Alexander Chamberlain Sheldon Felix Tonella Victor Manuel Vielledent

James Wilson Siwei Zhao Weiming Zhu

AT LEFT: Max Pitman '22 climbs to the top of the MMA baseball field flag pole October 21. Photo courtesy of LTC Willis Kleinsorge.

MIDDLE SCHOOL SCIENCE FAIR WINNERS PETER CASELLA Natural Electricity First Place Overall, First Place Eighth Grade SCOUT JONES TRISTEN MASON Viscosity of Soaps Second Place Overall, First Place Seventh Grade JOSE KARAM PATRICIO VALDES Hydrogen for Dummies Second Place Eighth Grade SHANE MACON Vortex Blender Third Place Eighth Grade FELIX TONELLA VICTOR VIELLEDENT My Vibrating Violin Second Place Seventh Grade

AT LEFT: Max Pitman '22 does a handstand on the sideline of the home soccer win over Battle HS on October 13. Photo by James Wilson '22.

AT LEFT: With the aid of a makeshift parachute, Max Pitman '22 leaps from a ledge October 23. Photo courtesy of LTC Willis Kleinsorge.

THREE: Jiachen Yan '21 and Justin Meshell '20 on March 8. Photo by Aocheng Wu '19. FIVE: Victor Patino '21 and MAJ Mike Pemberton on September 28. Photo by Erin Chambers. TWO: Eighth grader Peter Casella displays his hand-painted shoes in the art room October 7. Photo courtesy of Cheryl Morris. For more on the Painted Shoe Project, see page 60.

ONE: Tamar Modise '21 shows off his basketball skills on September 2. Photo by Nyamkhuu Chinguun '18.

FOUR: Eighth grader Cyrus Cornelius hammers a nail into a wooden board during art class January 24. Photo by Erin Chambers. For more about the middle school art pilot program, see page 60.

SIX: Eighth grader Patricio Valdes practices the clarinet on September 29. Photo by Erin Chambers.

Peter Daniel Casella Peter Carl Clinton Cyrus Ian Cornelius

Mario Armando Garcia Jose Joaquin Karam

Shane R. Macon Tamar Walik Modise

THE CLASS OF

Victor Manuel Patino Matos Patricio Valdes Torres Jiachen Yan

FUN IN THE SUN: Angel Alcaraz '19, Alejandro Cohen '20, Timothy De Groot '18, Jose Karam '21 and Shane Macon '21 pose February 18 at the Polar Plunge. Photo by freshman Denver Jenkins. For more on the Plunge, see page 106.

Robert Downing Abbott Cole Jode Chadwick Dongyang Chen Clifton Ray Cline

Alejandro Cohen Yuan Cui Braulio Manuel Diaz Fernandez, Jr. William Cadesman English

Kenny Gisa WrayVauze Givens

Elian Jacob Harants Thomas Huckins

Alan Keith Jean, III Denver Mark Jenkins

ABOVE: As fellow Bravo cadets Yanlin Chen '18 and Shuo Dong '19 hold his legs, Thomas Huckins '20 takes his turn at the Cadet Challenge sit-and-reach test March 15. Also pictured: Alejandro Mercado '22, Itiel Palacios '20, Alejandro Huerta '19, Javier Salazar '17. Cadet Challenge events also included one minute of curl-ups, one minute of push-ups and a shuttle run. AT RIGHT: Jack Rufener '20 spies his reflection in the mirror as Mark Clark cuts his hair January 5. Photos by Erin Chambers.

Thuqan Hindawi '18 poses before and after his first MMA haircut of the school year January 23. Photos courtesy of LTC Willis Kleinsorge.

ABOVE: Students receive hair cuts from Academy barber Mark Clark on August 12 during registration. ONE: Mauricio Trevino '20. TWO: Fernando Zahuita '20. THREE: Parker Yeary '18. FOUR: Braulio Diaz '20. Photo three by Carlos Liriano '18. Additional photos by Erin Chambers.

ONE: William English '20 and Rongyang Yi '18 perform with fellow band members December 13 at Pin Oaks Nursing Home. Photo by Erin Chambers.

Joseph Kelting Devonte Jamal Knight Ashton Mark Knipfer Brandon Lee Lane Justin Meshell

Michael Patrick Naughton Derek Nguyen Itiel Palacios Torres Gabriel Penha Pereira Dos Santos Gabriel Miguel Pro

Jaden Michael Rogge Jack Caden Rufener Yiliyang Song Mauricio Trevino QiTao Wang

DOS DP: Freshmen Ashton Knipfer, Michael Naughton and Derek Nguyen and sophomore Thomas Kiefer eat dinner September 15 at Dos Arcos. Photo courtesy of LTC Willis Kleinsorge. TWO: Elian Harants '20, CPT Thomas Roberts. September 14. Photo by Mauricio Trevino '20.

Haoming Yang Haoyang Yuan Fernando Zahuita

CHARLIE CADETS: Members of Charlie Company pose September 3 following the Opening Picnic. Pictured: seventh graders Felix Tonella, Victor Vielledent and Siwei Zhao; eighth graders Peter Clinton, Shane Macon and Tamar Modise; freshmen Braulio Diaz, Matthew Francis, Denver Jenkins, Gabriel Penha, Yiliyang Song and Haoming Yang; sophomores Angel Alcaraz, Sergio Contreras, Khaliguun Enkhbayar, Joshua Evans, Yesuntumur Gankhurel and Alican Yumuk; juniors Samuel Carr, Nyamkhuu Chinguun, Phoenixsun Jumper, Victor Armando Leon, Irvin Rodriguez, Justin Shazar and Donald Williams; and seniors Tuguldur Altangerel, Jose Balanza, Leonardo Caruzo, Raul Escarcega, Antonio Montes, Julien Mugabo and Bayar-Erdene Oldokhbayar. Photo by Liam VanHoesen '19.

Angel Carlo Alcaraz Munuzuri Chandler Logan Bolinger Rhys Kaimen Bullington

Nicholas J. Callahan Ming Han Choy Zeth Colin

Luis Fernando De Leon Elizondo Pablo Tomas De Saro Shuo Dong

Yutong Dongfang

Khaliguun Enkhbayar Christian Nathaniel Foster Styles Marquess Fountain

ONE: Sophomores Sky Thunderchild, Styles Fountain. TWO: Jorge Quiros '19, juniors Emiliano Gonzalez, Jacob McMahon, Luis Nachon. For more on Halloween, see page 86. THREE: Gabriel Penha '20, Lucas Pranger '18, sophomores Shuo Dong, Pedro Risovas, Phoenixsun Jumper. SEVEN: Sophomores Andrew Rittmaster, Nicholas Kotzamanis. Photo one by sophomore Christian Foster. Photo two by junior Erick Puente. Photos three and seven courtesy of Cheryl Morris. Photo four by Garrett Stafford '18.

Yesuntumur Gankhurel Tingkai Gu Samuel Yuan Guo Alexander Harrison Hamm

SIX: Erick Trevino '19 and Raul Correa '17 on October 29 at a Halloween party. Photo by senior Aaron Thompson.

FOUR: Joao Souza '19, Matthew Ghidey '18 and Yednekachew Atkins '17. FIVE: Zhuoli Cai '18, Yuan Cui '20, Jiaxuan Zhou '18 and Zhicheng Mao '19.

Tyler Alan Henigman Griffin Samuel Henry Alejandro Huerta Marroquin Phoenixsun Derek Jumper Thomas Michael Kiefer

Nicholas Kotzamanis Dawson Lane Zihao Li Zhicheng Mao Jack Thomas Mitchell

Stamatis Michael Pelekanos Jorge Emilio Quiros, Jr. Pedro Risovas Andrew Louis Rittmaster Dario Rodriguez, Jr.

Matthew David Seibert Joao Victor Souza Cruz Barrington Benin Stanford Matthew David Thibodeaux Sky Spotted Eagle Thunderchild Henio

Erick Gabriel Trevino, Jr. Liam Cole VanHoesen Aocheng Wu Rouchen Xue Alican Yumuk

AT LEFT: Yutong Dongfang '19 and Alejandro Mercado '22 on the sidelines of MMA's October 8 win over Wentworth. Photo courtesy of LTC Willis Kleinsorge. ABOVE: Previous residents of Echo Barracks, or "Echo Orphans," pose August 27 at the Soybean Festival parade. Echo barracks was closed in July 2016 due to planned renovation. Pictured: freshmen Clayton Cloyde, Michael Naughton and Derek Nguyen; sophomores Chandler Bolinger, Christian Foster, Samuel Guo, Shane Heisler and Zhicheng Mao; and juniors Jeremy Elkins, Carlos Liriano, Erick Puente and Jiaxuan Zhou. Photo by Liam VanHoesen '19.

Christian Avery Ashton Wulan Bateer

Zhuoli Cai Fabian Campos, Jr.

Akele Kalel Carpentier Samuel Jacob Carr

Juan Pablo Cepeda Bremer Edward Cha

THE CLASS OF

Yanlin Chen Nyamkhuu Chinguun Pedro Henrique Da Rocha Pereira Alves Davaasuren Dashdavaa

A STOIC STANCE: Junior Emiliano Gonzalez stands at parade rest January 27 as COL Rick Grabowski and senior leaders weave through the Corps. Cadets were checked for tucked-in shirts, straight hat brass, properly knotted ties and other uniform nuances during the special Adjutant's Inspection. Photo by Clifton Cline '20.

Timothy Ernest De Groot Jarod Austin Demastus Mitchell David Duing

SUPPORTING THE SENIORS: Zhicheng Mao '19 and juniors Zhuoli Cai and Wulan Bateer attend an MMA football game October 14. The Colonels went on to defeat Central Home School 39-30 in their final home game of the season. Photo by James Wilson '22.

Photos one and two shot February 11 at the 2017 Valentine Ball by Erin Chambers. Photo three by junior Garrett Stafford. Alexander Ebersole Oswaldo Fierro Francisco Javier Fletes Dorantes Jorge Luis Garcia Matthew Ghidey

THE CLASS OF

Temesgen Ghidey Emiliano Gonzalez Copeland Patrick Grahmann John Kincaid Greb Malachi Weldon Grice

Joseph George Guth Ryan Joseph Hannagan Thuqan Mohammed Hindawi Lucus Christian Killion Nolan John Kilpatrick

Vernon Eugene Leach Victor Arturo Leon Aguilar

Victor Armando Leon Aguilar Carlos Victor Liriano

Jacob Ross McMahon Joseph Alexander Mulvey

Paul Joseph Murphy Luis Fernando Nachon Martinez

ONE: Bayar-Erdene Oldokhbayar '17, Rory Davis '17, Edward Cha '18, Miss Audrain Debrielle Patee-Merrill, Miss Gateway STL Angela Porcelli, Miss Heart of STL Aimee Stockard and Miss Mark Twain Ashley Monasmith. TWO: John Sweetser '18, his date Carley Galloway, Samuel Carr '18, Vernon Leach '18. THREE: Clifton Cline '20, Thomas Kiefer '19, Christian Foster '19, Matthew Ghidey '18. August 21.

Charles Kevin Norman Tamir Nyamdavaa, Jr. Cesar Perera Pelayo Gabriel Perez Andrew Michael Pierson

Lucas Daniel Pranger Erick Sebastian Puente Irvin Daniel Rodriguez Arturo Salazar Alexander Davies Krueger Schaaf

Alexander Joseph Seibert Justin Tyler Shazar Connor Thomas Sims Garrett Henry Stafford John Michael Sweetser

Yinzhou Wang Noah Webster Donald Brown Williams Jiwei Ye Garrison Parker Yeary

Rongyang Yi Zhen Wei Yin Eryao Zhang Jiaxuan Zhou Zihan Zhu

FOOTBALL FANS: Juniors Justin Shazar and Irvin Rodriguez sit in the stands during MMA's 14-13 rainy home win versus Principia. Photo by William English '20.

THE WENTWORTH WIN: Juniors Nyamkhuu Chinguun, Francisco Fletes. Photo courtesy of LTC Willis Kleinsorge.

CLOWNING AROUND: Juniors Samuel Carr, Copeland Grahmann and Lucas Pranger. September 30. Photo courtesy of Cheryl Morris.

HOLLY JOLLY JUNIOR: Gabriel Perez '18 poses in a hat and mustache courtesy of the Parents Committee at the annual holiday luncheon December 16. Photo by Fernando Zahuita '20. For more photos of the holiday luncheon, see page 96.

THE CLASS OF

CLAY CONCENTRATION: Edward Cha '18 adds another layer to his coil pot during art class February 28. Photo courtesy of Cheryl Morris.

BELOW: On December 14, Leonardo Caruzo '17 signs his National Letter of Intent to play soccer for Shawnee State. Pictured: juniors Juan Pablo Cepeda, Francisco Fletes, Temesgen Ghidey, Victor Armando Leon, Victor Arturo Leon, Charles Norman, Donald Williams; seniors Tuguldur Altangerel, Rory Davis, Sean Fitzgerald, Alejandro Gastelum, Julien Mugabo, Javier Salazar, Juan Diego Silva, Hector Villanueva; and head soccer coach MAJ Kevin Farley. As of April 28, the Class of 2017 had accumulated $4,533,928 in scholarships. Photo by James Wilson '22.

THE CLASS OF

Mohammed Saud Aljabri Bravo Company Muscat, Sultanate of Oman Tuguldur Altangerel Band Company Commander Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia "Difficult roads often lead to beautiful destinations." Yednekachew McAllister Atkins Band Company Hanover, New Hampshire United States

CHARLIE CADETS: Penha '20, Chinguun '18 and seniors Balanza, Mugabo and Oldokhbayar pose on September 27. Photo by Liam VanHoesen '19. Jose Maria Balanza Ibanez Charlie Company Platoon Leader Tehuacan, Puebla â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Mexico "Thank you to my parents, who gave me the greatest gift anyone could give another person: They believed in me." Leonardo Caruzo Charlie Company Platoon Leader Americana, Sao Paulo Brazil

Raul Alejandro Correa Zavala Delta Company Platoon Leader Cuidad Victoria Tamaulipas, Mexico "Strong people don't put others down. They lift them up." Sugar Dashdavaa Battalion Logistics Officer (S-4) Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia "Fill your mind with positive thoughts and your life will start to change."

Rory Michael Davis Charlie Company Platoon Leader Hinsdale, Illinois â&#x20AC;&#x201D; United States "Try not to become a man of success, but rather try to become a man of value." Charles Eckardt Delta Company Platoon Leader Snoqualmie, Washington United States Gabriel Elizondo Battalion Sergeant Major San Pedro Garza Garcia Nuevo Leon, Mexico "A year from now you may wish you had started today."

SENIORS ON THE SIDELINES: Upperclassmen pose on the sidelines of MMA's 0-64 home loss to Clopton-Elsberry on August 26. Pictured: junior Victor Arturo Leon and seniors Raul Escarcega, Alejandro Gastelum, Ernesto Melgar, Antonio Montes, Ramon Rodriguez, Juan Diego Silva and Hector Villanueva. Photo by Fernando Zahuita '20.

Raul Rafael Escarcega Martinez Battalion Security and Intelligence Officer (S-2) Monterrey, Nuevo Leon â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Mexico "Be who you are and say what you feel, because does who mind don' matter, and does who matter don' mind." Sean Michael Fitzgerald Band Company Mexico, Missouri United States Cesar Alonso Garza Charlie Company Platoon Leader San Pedro Garza Garcia Nuevo Leon, Mexico "Difficult roads often lead to beautiful destinations."

Alejandro Gastelum Reyes Battalion Commander Culiacan, Sinaloa Mexico "It is our choices that show what we truly are far more than our abilities." Griffin Gilman Band Company Platoon Leader Camden, South Carolina United States "Thus, kindly, we scatter." Mig Raoul Gisa Bravo Company Platoon Leader Kigali City, Rwanda

Oybek Kirkland Delta Company Denver, Colorado United States Parker Gregory Koontz Mexico, Missouri United States Yasheng Lou Bravo Company Yongkang, Zhejiang Province China

POrTRAiâ&#x20AC; S

A SMILING SENIOR: Javier Salazar '17 traces the outline of a redbud leaf on the front lawn August 26 during MAJ Mike Pemberton's fifth period tree observation lesson. For more about the lesson, see page 44. Photo by Erin Chambers.

Ernesto Melgar Bravo Company Platoon Leader Laredo, Texas â&#x20AC;&#x201D; United States "Maybe we tried to leave as many memories of ourselves with each other because we realized one day we wouldn't be together anymore." Antonio Montes, Jr. Band Company First Sergeant Huixquilucan, Estado de Mexico Mexico Ngoga Julien Mugabo Charlie Company First Sergeant Kigali, Rwanda "If you don't stand for something, you will fall for anything."

Bayar-Erdene Oldokhbayar Charlie Company Commander Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia Photsavat Pongsuea Battalion Training Officer (S-3) Mexico, Missouri United States Gregory Mitchell Prinster Battalion Adjutant (S-1) O'Fallon, Missouri United States "If you are born poor, it's not your mistake. But if you die poor, it's your mistake."

Ramon Edmundo Rodriguez Medina Delta Company First Sergeant Tamuin, San Luis Potosi — Mexico "What we do in life echoes in eternity." Javier Salazar Bravo Company Platoon Leader Spring, Texas — United States "Fear nothing but God." Robert Lester Shields Band Company Florissant, Missouri United States

Jean-Luc Shyaka Delta Company Platoon Leader Nydrugenge, Kigali — Rwanda "We all die. The goal in life is not to live forever, but to create something that will." Juan Diego Silva Zuniga Delta Company Torreon, Coahuila — Mexico "To be a hero means you step across the line and are willing to make a sacrifice. Heroes always take a risk. Heroes always deviate. Any of us can be a hero." Benjamin Alexander Snider Battalion Public Affairs Officer (S-5) Corona Del Mar, California United States "He who goes through life without the will to win will achieve nothing." ONE: August 27. Pictured: Erick Trevino '19, Carlos Liriano '18 and seniors Raul Correa, Charles Eckardt, Oybek Kirkland, Ramon Rodriguez, Zenghui Zhang. Photo by Liam VanHoesen '19. FOUR: January 9. Pictured: Victor Arturo Leon '18, Styles Fountain '19 and seniors Tuguldur Altangerel, Julien Mugabo, Photsavat Pongsuea and Robert Shields. Photo by Erin Chambers.

Aaron Michael Thompson Battalion Executive Officer Wildwood, Missouri â&#x20AC;&#x201D; United States "Moderation and mean are always the best. In ownership of all fortune, a middle condition will be the best. Men in this condition are ready to listen to reason." Hector Manuel Villanueva Bravo Company Commander San Pedro Garza Garcia Nuevo Leon, Mexico "Life's most urgent and persistent question is, 'What are you doing to help others?'" Maxwell Preston Weiss Bravo Company Labadie, Missouri â&#x20AC;&#x201D; United States

Lihan Zhang Bravo Company Ningbo, Zhejiang China Zenghui Zhang Delta Company Commander Haikon City, Hainan Province China

TWO: Cesar Garza '17 poses as Becky Thatcher during an English III field trip to Mark Twain's birthplace on October 28. Photo by Erick Puente '18. For more on the trip, see page 64. THREE: Cepeda '18 and seniors Salazar, Melgar and Villanueva pose April 15. Photo by Denver Jenkins '20.

BELOW: Cadets pose April 15 during an Easter Open Weekend picnic. Pictured: freshman Braulio Diaz; sophomores Angel Alcaraz, Yesuntumur Gankhurel; juniors Christian Ashton, Juan Pablo Cepeda, Gabriel Perez; seniors Jose Balanza, Ernesto Melgar, Hector Villanueva. Photo by Denver Jenkins '20. AT RIGHT: MAJ Mike Pemberton helps Ramon Rodriguez '17 remove a hook from the fish he caught September 28. Photo by Erin Chambers. LT Robert Abbott Residential Faculty CPT Murrell Andrew Adams Residential Faculty Larry Anthony Maintenance Chaz Baker Enrollment Counselor Dawn Baker Campus Health Center Edsel Baker Interim Dean, Chaplain Penny Bealmear Executive Assistant Christine Beshears ESL & English Instructor SFC John Biddle JROTC Instructor LT Kevin Bissmeyer Social Studies Instructor David Jesse Blair Maintenance Deanna Blair Campus Health Center Jamie Blair Residential Life Rhonda Blaue Assistant to the President Dr. James P. Bonanno History Instructor Vicki Briggs HS Science Instructor Cassandra Brooks Annual Fund Director Martha Bruce Quartermaster Department Dan Burton Maintenance LCDR William Bushnell Dean of Faculty, English Department Chair Angie Campbell Quartermaster Department Megan Cavaiani English Instructor Erin Chambers Publications Coordinator MAJ Bill Chrismer Residential Faculty Mark Clark Academy Barber

EN PASSANT?: Juniors Oswaldo Fierro and Fabian Campos compete at chess March 2. "The smile on Fierro's face says it all," Chess Club sponsor Christine Beshears said. "He pulled down Chess for Dummies and proved the point." Also pictured: Alejandro Huerta '19. Photo by Erin Chambers. David Cross Maintenance Melody Daly Quartermaster Department Juan Garcia Spanish Instructor, Interim Athletic Director Raymond Garrett Maintenance COL Rick Grabowski Academy Adjutant Amy Adair Groves HR/Financial Aid Director CSGT Mike Harding English Instructor, Director of Curriculum Development Diane Henry Data Administrator Chad Herron Quartermaster CPT David Higgins Residential Faculty James Hilderman Maintenance Julia Hunt Equestrian Program 1SG Randal Jacobson JROTC Instructor Jason Jones Maintenance LTC Willis Kleinsorge MS Science Instructor

CPT Michael Koontz Residential Faculty Michael Kulas Technology Department WO2 Andrew Lomas Bandmaster CPT Steven Manning Mathematics Instructor Shera Martin External Affairs Coordinator CPT Greg Maximovitch Business Instructor, Technology Department LT Stephen Maziarz Mathematics Instructor MAJ Lawrence McClarey Social Studies Dept. Chair Charles McGeorge Academy President Robert McGrath Music Department ONE: During a February 25 field trip to a Union Station history exhibit in Kansas City, Cheryl Morris poses with William English '20, Stamatis Pelekanos '19, Andrew Rittmaster '19 and Jaden Rogge '20. Also pictured: Jack Rufener '20 and Tristen Mason '22. Photo courtesy of Cheryl Morris. TWO: Returning senior Aaron Thompson is fitted for a new sweater by quartermaster Chad Herron during registration August 8. Photo by Erin Chambers. THREE: Dr. Ayanna Shivers and an Air Force ROTC representative present Benjamin Snider '17 with a scholarship February 17. Photo by Erin Chambers.

John Medina Accounts Payable MAJ Keith Morgan Technology Instructor Cheryl Morris Art Instructor Gregory Morton Director of Facilities Pearl Newbrough Executive Assistant to the Academic Dean CPT Robert Owen Residential Faculty MAJ Michael Pemberton Science Department Chair LT Sean Peters Mathematics Instructor Kevin Quinn Director of Development MAJ Peggy Reynard Business Department Chair Linda Rice Quartermaster Department CPT Thomas Roberts Operations Coordinator Fran Robley Academy Librarian LTC Gregory Seibert Director of Enrollment Management Daniel Severns Maintenance William Shelden Residential Faculty Dr. Ayanna Shivers Director of College Placement MAJ Michael Shoemaker Mathematics Instructor LT Lu Shu ESL Instructor Christine Smith VP for External Affairs AT2 Jorge J. Soriano '89 Enrollment Counselor Gary Stewart '72 Associate Director of Enrollment Management Charles Stockdall Maintenance Bernard Strunk Maintenance Renae Stumpe Learning Center Director Michael Templeton Maintenance WO2 Richard Thornton Director of Cadet Life GYSGT Mark Tompkins Director of Transportation Richard VanDuyne Maintenance Kim Walden Campus Health Center Director

POrTRAiâ&#x20AC; S

LOONY LOMAS: WO2 Freddie Lomas poses with a mask of senior soccer player Photsavat Pongsuea while rooting for MMA on the sidelines October 20. The Fighting Colonels ultimately fell 1-2 against Christian High School in the District Championship game. Photo courtesy of LTC Willis Kleinsorge. STAFF MEMBERS NOT PICTURED: Laura Brownlee, Michael Buckallew, Barbara Burson, SGT Jorge I. Bustos, Dewey Fennewald, Nathan Garber, Pheobe Gibbs, Mark Patrick Hanley, Elizabeth Lower, Joyce Lowry, Mila Lowry, Larry Merhoff, J. Marcail Miller, Malek Neman, Barbara Parker, COL Dana Reynard, Doug Scott, Judith Twells, Richard Twells and Wei Xu.

Tyler Walton Transportation Janet Welch Administrative Assistant Julia Welch Accounts Receivable David Wilkins Technology Director Rachel Yim HS Science Instructor

ONE: Alexander Sheldon '22 creates a flarp-like putty mixture October 31 during LTC Willis Kleinsorge's middle school science class. A colloid such as flarp, Kleinsorge explained, is a hybrid with the characteristics of both solid and liquid substances. Photo courtesy of Kleinsorge. TWO: Fernando Zahuita '20 tests the elasticity of his finished flarp September 1. Photo by Erin Chambers.

WHAT ONE WORD BEST DESCRIBES FLARP? Horrifying! Naughton '20 Sticky. Puente '18 Fun! Jenkins '20

THREE: Michael Naughton '20 pauses stirring his flarp ingredients to test the elasticity of his mixture. Also pictured: Shane Heisler '19. Photo by Erin Chambers.

WHAT THE FLARP? Heat 175 milliliters of water. Add 125 ml of glue, 30 ml of borax and a few drops of food coloring. What do you get? Flarp. Cadets in chemistry instructor Veronica Andersonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s classes created batches of flarp, a sticky putty mixture, in a hands-on lesson September 1. After weighing, boiling and mixing ingredients, cadets dumped their solutions onto tabletops and kneaded the mixtures until they reached a dough-like consistency. Slight variations in ingredient amounts left some with liquid messes and spurred re-dos. Others packed their perfect putty into plastic bags to take with them when the bell rang. AT LEFT: Erick Puente '18 and Michael Naughton '20 add glue to hot water during the flarp lab. Photo by Erin Chambers. For more on flarp, see page 44.

HIGH SCHOOL SCIENCE: FLARP & TREE OBSERVATION PAGE 44 MIDDLE SCHOOL BAND & ORCHESTRA PAGE 46 HONOR SOCIETIES & ACADEMIC AWARDS PAGE 48 HIGH SCHOOL SCIENCE: DISSECTIONS PAGE 50 ORGANELLE WARS & CLASS ELECTIONS PAGE 54 SOCIAL STUDIES: HS PAINTBALL & MS OLYMPICS PAGE 56 EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY PAGE 58 MIDDLE & HIGH SCHOOL ART PAGE 60 ENGLISH FIELD TRIPS PAGE 64 MIDDLE SCHOOL SCIENCE & SOCIAL STUDIES PAGE 66 HIGH SCHOOL SCIENCE: KIMCHI & DRY ICE PAGE 70

Science instructors ANDERSON, PEMBERTON and KLEINSORGE captivate cadets with creative lessons, TREE OBSERVATION and making MOLECULE MODELS out of Play-Doh and toothpicks.

MAJ Mike Pemberton’s students gathered August 26 on the front lawn to study trees at the Academy. As he lectured, cadets wove between trees, smelling sap, scribbling notes, studying bark and tracing leaves. Pemberton began the lesson with the white swamp oak, a tree commonly used for furniture and flooring and named for its “musty” leaves which have a “basement smell.” As cadets took rubbings of its leaves, he explained that, according to a core sample taken during the 2015-16 school year, the tree is about 250 years old. Up next was the chinquapin oak donated by the class of 1986 which, like the rare ginkgo tree growing near the middle school building, was planted by MMA students. The extract of the dioecious ginkgo tree, which commonly grows in China and Japan, is often used as an herbal remedy for memory recall. Cadets next stopped to admire the white ash tree, which boasts hard bark with few knots. According to Pemberton, white ash wood is perfect for manufacturing baseball bats, skateboards, rowing oars and gun stocks. Unlike the smooth white ash, the front lawn's hackberry tree features tumorlike burls — these can be sold at a high price and are used to carve decorative items such as coffee tables. MMA’s campus also features the slow-growing pin oak; a redbud tree; a fungus-infected sweetgum; and a cedar tree with sweet-smelling sap.

ONE: Javier Salazar '17, sweetgum tree trunk. TWO: Richard Choy '19. THREE: Rory Davis '17.

SCIENCE BRIEFS

TOP MS SCIENCE STUDENTS: FIRST SEMESTER Grades calculated from August 22 to January 20. Scout Jones '22 100.33% • A+ Peter Casella '21 89.33% • B+ Victor Vielledent '22 87.67% • B+ Jose Karam '21 84.33% • B Tamar Modise '21 84% • B Jiachen Yan '21 83% • B Victor Patino '21 82.67% • B ABOVE: August 9, Jones. Photo courtesy of LTC Willis Kleinsorge.

MICROSCOPES MAJ Mike Pemberton’s cadets studied the parts of a compound light microscope and created newsprint and magazine wet mount slides on September 1. TOP: Flarp lab. Pictured: Veronica Anderson; freshmen Braulio Diaz, Denver Jenkins, Michael Naughton and Fernando Zahuita; sophomores Angel Alcaraz, Joshua Evans and Shane Heisler; juniors Emiliano Gonzalez, Finnegan Malloy, Erick Puente and Zhen Wei Yin; seniors Mohammed Aljabri and Justtin Muilenburg. Photo by Erin Chambers.

RESEARCH PAPERS In October, MAJ Mike Pemberton’s Biology II students created research presentations and wrote papers about environmental issues. “Topics included global warming, nuclear waste management, fishery depletion [and] colony collapse disorder,” he said. “The cadets did an outstanding job.” MOLECULE MODELS On November 10, Veronica Anderson's students explored molecular geometry and chemical bonds by creating molecules with Play-Doh and toothpicks. Cadets also studied Lewis-Dot structures and the periodic table. AT LEFT: Juniors Malachi Grice and Connor Sims. Photos by senior Aaron Thompson. For more about flarp, see page 43.

AT LEFT: As classmate Lucas Pranger '18 watches, senior Javier Salazar inspects a ginkgo tree planted by past Academy students. FOUR: Junior Jacob McMahon takes notes during the tree observation lesson, using a column by the front entrance as a writing surface. FIVE: Zeth Colin '19 takes notes August 26 on his school-issued HP EliteBook Revolve touchscreen laptop. SIX: Juan Diego Silva '17 inspects a cluster of pin oak leaves.

Photo one by freshman Matthew Francis. Photo six by sophomore Christian Foster. Additional tree observation photos by Erin Chambers.

ONE: Alexander Sheldon '22 sketches a scale during art class September 13. Photo courtesy of Cheryl Morris. TWO: Eighth grader Tamar Modise and [THREE] seventh grader Max Pitman construct "Bluesy Es" in third period art class September 27. Several art projects were connected to MS band lessons in the pilot program. Photos courtesy of Cheryl Morris. For more on the MS art program, see page 60. AT RIGHT: Members of the middle school orchestra poses on February 6. Pictured: Lomas; seventh graders Nathan Nolan, Felix Tonella, Victor Vielledent; eighth graders Mario Garcia, Jose Karam, Patricio Valdes and Jiachen Yan. Photo by Erin Chambers.

As part of a new middle school art and music pilot program, seventh and eighth grade cadets studied both violin and clarinet during the first semester. Students then selected either orchestra or band to continue with during the remainder of the school year. For more on the middle school art program, see page 60.

BOW BASICS During third period August 26, MS students gathered in the band room for one of the first violin lessons of the school year.

After each student labeled his instrument case, bandmaster WO2 Freddie Lomas began by introducing the four parts of a violin bow — the frog, nut, stick and horsehair.

According to Lomas, the fragile horsehair should not be handled unless absolutely necessary — fingertips and palms carry harmful germs and oil.

He next demonstrated how to remove a snapped strand of horsehair without yanking out additional hairs and how to use the nut to tighten the bowstrings. Too much tension between stick and

horsehair can cause the bow to snap. After cadets got the hang of tightening their bowstrings, they moved on to rosin — a solid block of tree sap rubbed across the bow to help the horsehair to adhere to the strings. Though each block of rosin was unblemished, throughout the year they became scratched and

MS ORCHESTRA Mario Garcia '21* Jose Karam '21 Nathan Nolan '22 Felix Tonella '22 Patricio Valdes '21 Victor Vielledent '22 Jiachen Yan '21 *denotes Best Middle School Musician Award recipient

grew to resemble Lomas’ own well-worn rosin. CLARINET CLASS On September 29, middle school students continued their study of the clarinet with a group lesson led by instructor Rob McGrath. He began the class by defining rhythm – a mixture of long and short notes – and challenging

cadets to clap to the beat of the ska song Sunset Beach. The ska genre, according to McGrath, is similar to reggae and was named as an onomatopoeia for its characteristic, unusual off-beat rhythm. Having grasped the rhythm of the song, cadets then took turns playing the tune on their clarinets and demonstrating their ability to differentiate rests, whole notes and half notes.

MS BAND Peter Casella '21 Peter Clinton '21 Cyrus Cornelius '21 Tianjun Ma '22 Shane Macon '21 Tristen Mason '22 Alejandro Mercado '22 Tamar Modise '21 Omela Mudogo '22 Victor Patino '21 Max Pitman '22 Kevith Sangster '22 Zedong Shao '22 Alexander Sheldon '22 James Wilson '22 Siwei Zhao '22 Weiming Zhu '22

PLAYING PIZZICATO During third period October 3, MS students met in the music room to continue their violin lessons. While cadets attached their shoulder rests, Lomas made the rounds and tuned their instruments. Students then stowed away their bows for a lesson in pizzicato, or plucking.

BELOW: WO2 Lomas, MS band. February 6. Pictured: seventh graders Ma, Mason, Mudogo, Sangster and Zhu; eighth graders Casella, Clinton, Cornelius and Modise. Photo by Erin Chambers.

HS BAND BUT MS ORCHESTRA: High school band member Scout Jones '22 tries his hand at the violin September 26. Photo courtesy of Cheryl Morris. DEBUT SHOW: The orchestra and choir perform Mad World in the atrium April 5. Pictured: Braulio Diaz, Mario Garcia, Jose Karam, Antonio Montes, Nathan Nolan, Itiel Palacios, Victor Patino, WO2 Freddie Lomas, Matthew Thibodeaux, Aaron Thompson, Erick Trevino, Patricio Valdes, Victor Vielledent, Aocheng Wu, Jiachen Yan, Parker Yeary, Eryao Zhang. Photo by Erin Chambers.

“Most words in music are written in Italian,” Lomas said. “Piano, piano forte, all of that.” He next reminded students of proper pizzicato position – plucking with the right index finger while the thumb rests on the fingerboard. The group then began playing the song "Jim Along Josie."

Throughout the lesson, cadets practiced defining and identifying vocabulary words such as repeats, sharps, clefs and measures. Lomas also challenged cadets to identify the order of the four violin strings (GDAE) using a mnemonic — Greedy Dogs Always Eat.

THE DYNAMIC DUO: Seventh graders Siwei Zhao and Zedong Shao play the clarinet February 6 during middle school band class. Photo by Erin Chambers.

ONE & THREE: National Honor Society and National Junior Honor Society. February 17. Photos by Erin Chambers.

DELTA PHI

STUDENT AWARDS

STAFF AWARDS

Dongyang Chen '20 Mitchell Duing '18 Samuel Guo '19 Julien Mugabo '17 Joseph Mulvey '18 Michael Naughton '20 Gabriel Perez '18 Gregory Prinster '17 Benjamin Snider '17 Yinzhou Wang '18

RICHARD CHOY '19 Pursuing Victory with Honor Award RAUL ESCARCEGA '17 Student of the Month January 2017 SEAN FITZGERALD '17 Presidential Citation, Pursuing Victory with Honor Award THOMAS HUCKINS '20 Pursuing Victory with Honor Award SCOUT JONES '22 Student of the Month November 2016 JOSE KARAM '21 Student of the Month February 2017 GABRIEL PEREZ '18 Student of the Month September 2016 HECTOR VILLANUEVA '17 Student of the Month March 2017 PARKER YEARY '18 Student of the Month October 2016 ZENGHUI ZHANG '17 Student of the Month December 2016

CHRISTINE BESHEARS Teacher of the Month November 2016 LT KEVIN BISSMEYER Bravo Zulu Award MEGAN CAVAIANI Bravo Zulu Award JUAN GARCIA Teacher of the Month February 2017 CSGT MIKE HARDING Bravo Zulu Award JULIA HUNT Bravo Zulu Award LTC WILLIS KLEINSORGE President's Gold Star WO2 FREDDIE LOMAS Teacher of the Month December 2016 MAJ LARRY MCCLAREY Teacher of the Month March 2017 MAJ KEITH MORGAN Teacher of the Month October 2016 DR. AYANNA SHIVERS President's Gold Star GYSGT MARK TOMPKINS Bravo Zulu Award DAVID WILKINS President's Gold Star, Teacher of the Month January 2017 RACHEL YIM Teacher of the Month September 2016

PRESIDENT Julien Mugabo '17 VICE PRESIDENT Francisco Fletes '18

Delta Phi Honor Society member list reflects full members as of the end of Marking Period V on April 5.

TWO: Gary Stewart and Jorge Soriano '89 award the Ambassador Ribbon on January 5 to mid-year cadet guides Alejandro Gastelum '17 and Gabriel Elizondo '17. FOUR: Sophomores Richard Choy and Pedro Risovas share a screen during Dr. James Bonanno's history class on October 20. Photo four sophomore Dario Rodriguez. Photo two by Erin Chambers.

ACADEMIC FOURRAGERE

See the symbol following each cadet's name for the academic periods in which he received fourragere. # Marking Period I = Marking Period II √ Marking Period IV ~ Marking Period V + MP I and II « MP I and III ∆ MP II and III

NATIONAL JUNIOR HONOR SOCIETY Scout Jones '22 Victor Vielledent '22 Jiachen Yan '21

NATIONAL HONOR SOCIETY Mitchell Duing '18 Francisco Fletes '18 Tamir Nyamdavaa '18 Yinzhou Wang '18 PRESIDENT Gregory Prinster '17 VICE PRESIDENT Bayar-Erdene Oldokhbayar '17 SECRETARY Photsavat Pongsuea '17

⁄ MP II and IV ? MP II and V ◊ MP III and V > MP IV and V • MP I, II and III < MP I, II and V � MP II, III and IV % MP II, III and V ± MP II, IV and V * MP III, IV and V ¶ MP I, II, III and IV @ MP I, II, III and V ¤ MP I, II, IV and V & MP I, III, IV and V % MP II, III, IV and V ! MP I, II, III, IV and V

SENIORS Gabriel Elizondo ! Griffin Gilman ~ Oybek Kirkland + Ernesto Melgar ! Julien Mugabo ! Bayar-Erdene Oldokhbayar √ Photsavat Pongsuea • Gregory Prinster @ Jean-Luc Shyaka ± Benjamin Snider > Aaron Thompson ! Hector Villanueva # Zenghui Zhang ~

JUNIORS Christian Ashton * Samuel Carr ~ Edward Cha ~ Juan Pablo Cepeda = Davaasuren Dashdavaa # Jarod Demastus ~ Mitchell Duing ! Alexander Ebersole ~ Francisco Fletes ± Matthew Ghidey ¤

JUNIORS Temesgen Ghidey & Malachi Grice # Joseph Mulvey ⁄ Luis Nachon % Gabriel Perez ! Alexander Schaaf ! Alexander Seibert < Justin Shazar % Yinzhou Wang ! Parker Yeary ! Jiaxuan Zhou ◊

SOPHOMORES Angel Alcaraz • Luis De Leon = Shuo Dong % Khaliguun Enkhbayar ∆ Yesuntumur Gankhurel = Samuel Guo ! Griffin Henry ~ Thomas Kiefer √ Pedro Risovas =

FRESHMEN Dongyang Chen ¤ Clifton Cline ! Braulio Diaz ? William English ! Thomas Huckins ! Michael Naughton ! Derek Nguyen % Itiel Palacios • Gabriel Penha ! QiTao Wang # Fernando Zahuita >

EIGHTH GRADE Peter Casella & Mario Garcia √ Jose Karam ¶ Patricio Valdes √ Jiachen Yan « SEVENTH GRADE Scout Jones # Felix Tonella � Victor Vielledent &

RIBBIT: In Rachel Yim's class March 2, sophomore Pedro Risovas and freshman Thomas Huckins cut into the organ bundle of their grass frog specimen, which the duo affectionately named Stroganoff. All photos by Erin Chambers.

TOP MIDDLE: Yutong Dongfang reacts as fellow sophomore Zhicheng Mao peels back a flap of their fish's skin. TOP RIGHT: Luis De Leon '19 and junior Fabian Campos pry open their fish's mouth. BOTTOM RIGHT: Richard Choy '19.

TOP LEFT: Gabriel Pro '20 and Oswaldo Fierro '18 cut into their specimen.

BOTTOM LEFT: Gabriel Perez '18 views a slice of grasshopper eye.

Top three photos shot February 9. Bottom left shot March 17. Bottom right shot February 17.

AT RIGHT: Samuel Guo '19 inspects his earthworm specimen under a magnifying lens February 17. Also pictured: MAJ Mike Pemberton.

Armed with probes, scissors, forceps and scalpels, cadets in Rachel Yim’s high school science classes began their dissection of FRESHWATER DRUM February 9. Each group chose a fish, placed it on a pan and began by identifying the five types of fins. After prying open the mouth, cadets used their forceps to lift back and cut off the operculum, or gill cover, to study the finger-like gill filaments underneath.

Cadets next cut a rectangular chunk out of their specimen’s side, making incisions along the fish’s lateral line and belly. With the flap of skin removed, students scraped away tissue to reveal internal organs including the air bladder, stomach, intestine, liver, kidneys, heart, ribs and vertebrae. "Fabian Campos '18 was very successful at the brain dissection and removed it nearly intact," Yim said.

As the class period came to a close, groups washed their dissection tools and wrapped their fish in a wet paper towel. The specimens were sealed in plastic bags and stowed away for the night; the dissections continued the next day.

The following week, high schoolers in MAJ Mike Pemberton’s science classes dissected a much smaller creature: the EARTHWORM. Due to the size of the specimen, students dissected the earthworms individually and used metal pins to expose tiny organs including the esophagus, gizzard, intestine and hearts.

On March 2 and 3, cadets in Yim’s classes dissected their second specimen of the school year: GRASS FROGS. After selecting their specimens, cadets studied the toe pads on the front legs of their frogs to make an educated guess about gender. While it is not possible to definitively determine gender based on external genitalia alone, male frogs generally have thickened thumb pads. Each group’s gender hypothesis was later proven or disproven by the presence of either egg sacs or testes.

ABOVE: Ashton Knipfer '20 and Tyler Henigman '19 peek inside their freshwater drum February 9.

With the ventral (belly) side of their frog facing up, cadets next pried open the mouths – and quickly discovered that a frog’s tongue, unlike a human tongue, is attached to the front of the mouth. CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE

CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE Since the frogs spent the previous night soaking in water, most specimens were bloated; for many groups the eyedropper proved an invaluable tool throughout the wet dissection. As per the dissection protocol, students pinned the limbs of their frogs to the pan. They made their first cut from the pelvis to the tip of the jaw followed by short lateral cuts to form skin flaps. After peeling back and pinning the flaps, cadets cut through the sternum to expose the frog’s organs. Upon cutting into the bladder and stomach, many groups discovered what appeared to be small stones or partially-digested bugs. Cadets also studied the muscular back legs and dissected the tiny heart and brain. “My sixth period class dissected the brain,” Yim said. “The brain was dissected out by Gabriel Penha '20 and Derek Nguyen '20. … It is very difficult to remove the brain that cleanly from a frog without using a scalpel, so their work is impressive.” Thanks to a clean dissection, the class was able to view the optic lobes, cerebrum and cerebellum. On March 17, cadets in Pemberton’s classes dissected another bug – the LUBBER GRASSHOPPER. Cadets began by twisting off the three sets of delicate legs and two pairs of wings. Students also took a stab at determining gender based on the shape of the abdomen. They then cut into bug’s body and back to expose the insect’s internal organs. Cadets also noted the eardrums, or tympanum, of their grasshoppers – instead of on the head, these are located by the hind wing and legs. After completing their dissection, cadets used scalpels to slice off very thin pieces of their grasshopper’s eye. They then made slides and viewed them under the microscope to get a glimpse at the tiny geometric shapes that make up a grasshopper’s compound eyes. In April, Yim's students dissected sparrows, rats and fetal pigs while Pemberton's cadets dissected symmetrical echinoderms, AKA starfish.

DID YOU ENJOY THE DISSECTION OVERALL? ASHTON KNIPFER '20 Yes. It's pretty gross, but it's fun when you do it with a friend. DEREK NGUYEN '20 Yes, because you get to learn new things and what an organism's insides look like. RHYS BULLINGTON '19 Yes. You get to learn something new every time you dissect something else.

WHAT ONE WORD BEST DESCRIBES DISSECTING? ASHTON KNIPFER '20 Disgusting. DEREK NGUYEN '20 Relentless. RHYS BULLINGTON '19 Educational. MATTHEW SEIBERT '19 Fun. LUIS DE LEON '19 Impressive. GABRIEL PENHA '20 Weird. SAMUEL CARR '18 Good.

WHICH DISSECTION WAS HARDER: THE FISH OR FROG? MATTHEW SEIBERT '19 The frog, because we had to be careful of the internal organs. LUIS DE LEON '19 The frog dissection was harder for me because it was more disgusting, and it was harder to cut the bones without doing something wrong. GABRIEL PENHA '20 The frog dissection because it had stronger muscles [which are] hard to cut.

ONE: Dario Rodriguez '19, Itiel Palacios '20. TWO: Arturo Salazar '18, Rhys Bullington '19, Joao Souza '19. THREE: Yesuntumur Gankhurel '19, Alejandro Huerta '19. FOUR: Lucas Pranger '18. FIVE: Zeth Colin '19. SIX: A dissected starfish. SEVEN: Chandler Bolinger '19. EIGHT: MAJ Mike Pemberton, Javier Salazar '17. NINE: Styles Fountain '19. TEN: Clifton Cline '20. ELEVEN: A lubber grasshopper. TWELVE: Victor Arturo Leon '18, Jiaxuan Zhou '18. THIRTEEN: Juan Diego Silva '17. FOURTEEN: Gabriel Penha '20, Dongyang Chen '20, Derek Nguyen '20. FIFTEEN: Zihao Li '19. SIXTEEN: Gabriel Penha '20 inspects the stomach contents of his frog. SEVENTEEN: Samuel Carr '18. EIGHTEEN: Rory Davis '17. RIGHT PAGE: William English '20 holds up his handiwork — the internal organs of his grass frog, removed intact in one bundle. Photo five and six courtesy of MAJ Mike Pemberton. All additional photographs by Erin Chambers.

WAS DISSECTING EASIER OR HARDER THAN YOU EXPECTED? ASHTON KNIPFER '20 Harder. I had to cut in awkward positions, and the feeling when you cut bone is just nasty. DEREK NGUYEN '20 A lot easier than expected. RHYS BULLINGTON '19 Easier, because I already did the same thing in the past.

WHICH DISSECTION WAS HARDER: THE EARTHWORM OR GRASSHOPPER? SAMUEL CARR '18 Earthworm, because it was the first one we did so I was more hesitant than when we dissected the grasshopper.

FOUR: Rory Davis '17 addresses the senior class in the mess hall during class officer elections October 6. FIVE: Sophomore Jorge Quiros drinks from a water fountain October 6 underneath junior Nyamkhuu Chinguun's campaign poster. Photos one, two, three and five by Erin Chambers. Photo four by Connor Pearson.

First Period Winner: Team Mitochondria Arturo Salazar '18 Itiel Palacios '20 Zhicheng Mao '19 Joao Souza '19 Rhys Bullington '19 ABOVE: Pedro Da Rocha, Sean Fitzgerald, Oybek Kirkland, Charles Norman, Robert Shields and Sky Thunderchild joined 350 fellow Missouri students at the Youth in Government Convention from November 10 to 12. Photo courtesy of Dr. James Bonanno. POLITICAL POSTER: Donald Williams hangs up a flyer promoting his junior class treasurer campaign October 6. Photo by Erin Chambers.

Second Period Winner: Team Chloroplasts Thomas Huckins '20 Pedro Risovas '19

Fifth Period Winner: Team Chromosomes Dawson Lane '19 Robert Abbott '20 Kenny Gisa '20 Lucus Killion '18 Sixth Period, Overall Winner: Team Cell Membrane Dongyang Chen '20 Yesuntumur Gankhurel '19 Images at right are Twitter posts written by Organelle Wars competitors.

WHY DID YOU DECIDE TO RUN FOR CLASS OFFICE?

ONE, THREE: Campaign posters. Fernando Zahuita '20, Sky Thunderchild '19. TWO: Griffin Gilman '17 poses October 6 with his campaign poster in Barnard Hall.

FERNANDO ZAHUITA '20 I can understand my fellow classmates and step up to what they need from me and what they expect. SKY THUNDERCHILD '19 Because I want to grow up [and be] in politics and the best time to start is now. DONGYANG CHEN '20 I want to make the freshman class better, make everyone happy. DAWSON LANE '19 It sounded fun. [I want] to help my fellow sophomores succeed and give them what they want. JUSTIN SHAZAR '18 I want to represent my peers' views, voices and opinions on important school matters pertaining to academics and general cadet life.

WHAT WOULD BE YOUR FIRST ACT AS A CLASS OFFICER? DEREK NGUYEN '20 My first act as class secretary would be to help the class president suggest what we should do. CONNOR SIMS '18 My first act would be to give the junior class senior food for a week! My goal is to help the junior class go on a field trip.

CLASS OFFICERS SENIORS Pres: Gabriel Elizondo VP: Julien Mugabo Secretary: Cesar Garcia Treasurer: Ernesto Melgar Class Rep: Javier Salazar JUNIORS Pres: Francisco Fletes Secretary: Carlos Liriano Treasurer: Donald Williams Class Rep: Pedro Da Rocha SOPHOMORES Pres: Khaliguun Enkhbayar VP: Richard Choy Treasurer: Angel Alcaraz Class Rep: Jorge Quiros FRESHMEN Pres: Dongyang Chen VP: Ashton Knipfer Secretary: Derek Nguyen Treasurer: Robert Abbott Class Rep: Fernando Zahuita

CHANDLER BOLINGER '19 My first act would probably be to figure out how to go to the St. Louis City Museum or go somewhere fun and exciting. JUSTIN SHAZAR '18 Things seem to be balanced. No persistent issues have been brought to my attention and no immediate adjustments are required. ALEXANDER SEIBERT '18 I would work on finishing the Valentine Ball then work on getting the junior class trip ready. PEDRO DA ROCHA '18 I will: plan more academic field trips; encourage students to practice more sports and exercise; create recycling programs and support planting trees on and off campus; try to ban bullying and hazing ... and build an environment of peace, friendship and respect. CHARLES ECKARDT '17 To increase the amount of privileges seniors have — carpets and refrigerators.

Cadets — and organelles — learn the basics of GOVERNMENT, campaign for political power in ELECTIONS

CLASS ELECTIONS In early October, cadets competed for five student government positions per grade level: president, vice president, secretary, treasurer and class representative. Class representatives serve on the Cadet Council and must be first-year cadets. After being nominated, many candidates created political ads encouraging their peers to vote and posted them in Barnard Hall. Each grade level met separately on October 6 to give campaign speeches and vote for positions.

“There were clear winners in some positions, and closely fought battles in others. However, in all positions, there was a definite winner and no ties," LT Sean Peters said of the freshmen class elections. ORGANELLE WARS In late September, students in Rachel Yim’s biology classes ran mock political campaigns to promote cell components. The prize for the winning team in the "Organelle Wars" contest: extra credit. Nine groups of competing cadets created informational posters and brochures,

ran Twitter campaigns and gave speeches in support of their assigned candidates. Teams included Cell Membrane, Mitochondria, Flagella, Chloroplasts, Central Vacuole, Ribosomes and Chromosomes. The winning group in each class and overall winning group were "elected" by MMA faculty and staff members.

ACADEMiCS

IN YOUR OWN WORDS What do you think of the Southern Duel tradition?

They solved their conflicts in the most extreme way. But then again, that is how much their honor meant to their culture. I think it's a very interesting and entertaining method of settling disputes. Emiliano Gonzalez '18

The way that LT Bissmeyer taught us was very fascinating because you combine work with fun and that is a great way to learn. Raul Escarcega '17

I think that the idea of recreating a duel is very original and is a different and interesting way to learn. Luis Nachon '18

It is a good method, because unlike today — where people can't take insults and just cry about it on social media — you would duel over it. Petty things that some people fight about now would go away because they would be too scared to duel. Paul Murphy '18

READY, AIM: Parker Yeary fires at his opponent fellow junior Luis Nachon. "In my opinion, this was a good way to settle things, because most men back in the day were very honorable," he said of the tradition. "If you were challenged, you would accept. If not, you’re a coward. In most cases, duels were fought over very stupid things. But it was still very honorable and entertaining to watch or participate in." All photographs by sophomore Christian Foster.

ACAĐEM¡CS

HIGH SCHOOL: SOUTHERN DUEL On September 5, social studies instructor LT Kevin Bissmeyer hosted his third annual Southern Duel, a realistic battle in which cadets wield paintball guns instead of pistols. The Civil War-era tradition “highlights the differences in culture that existed between the North and the South,” he said. “Dueling was a high society way of defending one’s honor.” The event began with a confrontation between two parties, after which quarrelers then each

appointed a "second" to negotiate the time and place (the parade field) of the duel. With a crowd of students and staff in the stands, Raul Escarcega '17 and second Victor Armando Leon '18 faced Garrett Stafford '18 and second Paul Murphy '18.

At 35 yards apart in the second round, Stafford defeated Escarcega with a shot to the upper torso. Parker Yeary '18 next beat Luis Nachon '18 in the fourth round with a head shot at 20 yards. “The entire process is in reality a long, drawn-out type of public display of courage which only occasionally, about 20 percent of the time, ended in fatality," Bissmeyer said. According to Bissmeyer, the gentleman’s duel is derived from 18th century Victorian customs carried to America by the British. Etiquette dictated that a gentleman should never cause indignity to himself, nor to others.

CATCH ME IF YOU CAN: Seventh grader James Wilson competes in the Stadion, an 100-meter sprint, during the Ancient Olympics on September 2. “The hardest event was both runs. The javelin throw was the easy one,” he said. “Shotput was a weighted ball, and that was somewhat easy but heavy.”

CROWNING ACHIEVEMENT: As James Wilson '22 and Jose Karam '21 watch, Peter Clinton '21 (top left) throws the "javelin" in the Ancient Olympics. Later, LT Kevin Bissmeyer crowns Clinton (bottom left) the winner of the contest. According to Bissmeyer, historic Olympians would "receive a wreath to wear around their head instead of the gold medals we have become accustomed to."

MIDDLE SCHOOL: ANCIENT OLYMPICS On September 2, instructor LT Kevin Bissmeyer and his fifth period social studies class held a five-event Ancient Olympics on the football field. A trio of athletes — James Wilson '22, Jose Karam '21 and Peter Clinton '21 — prepared for the contest by tracing the roots of Olympic events and creating PowerPoint presentations on individual sports. The competition was a nod to the Summer

Olympics held in August 2016 in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil. The event began with the Stadion (an 100-meter sprint) followed by a javelin (lacrosse stick) toss. Clinton took first in the first two events but lost the Dualos, a full-track run, to Karam. Up next was a shotput throw using a medicine ball, followed by the final contest: the Hoplitodromos, or a half-track run in full armor. To simulate the armor of the ancient Olympians, cadets carried heavy

objects and wore lacrosse helmets, lacrosse pads and padded gloves. Clinton took first place in the shotput and Hoplitodromos and was crowned the Olympic champion. Karam came in second while Wilson took third. “That was the best time I’ve had with my class,” Wilson said of the Olympics. “I don't care [that] I got third place. I was having fun!”

A GENTLEMANLY GROUP: Participants pose following the Southern Duel. Pictured: Lucas Pranger '18, Phoenixsun Jumper '19, Lucus Killion '18, Garrett Stafford '18, Tamar Modise '21 and Sky Thunderchild '19; Luis Nachon '18 and his second Emiliano Gonzalez '18; Parker Yeary '18 and his second Charles Eckardt '17; Raul Escarcega '17 and his second Victor Armando Leon '18; and LT Kevin Bissmeyer.

KOSTER CLASS: Juan Garcia and his Spanish students chat with Randolph School students April 10 in the Koster Media Center. Pictured: Styles Fountain '19, Parker Koontz '17, Victor Arturo Leon '18 and Matthew Seibert '19. Photo by Erin Chambers.

FOUR: Carlos Liriano brushes up on his Portuguese during Chinese class. According to language acquisition program Duolingo, the junior was 3 percent fluent in Portuguese as of fifth period on February 1. Photo by Erin Chambers.

SOPHOMORE SPOTLIGHT: GRIFFIN HENRY

What have you learned as a technology intern? I have learned to route cable through roofing to connect a new wifi access point, how to inventory electronics and make a digital electronic blueprint map. ... I have learned a lot [for] if I choose to go into the field of computer science. What do you like best about being a technology intern? Messing around with Mr. Wilkins and Mr. Kulas while working on various projects.

TECHNOLOGY INTERNS

Alexander Ebersole '18 Malachi Grice '18 Griffin Henry '19 Victor Armando Leon '18 Victor Arturo Leon '18 Alexander Schaaf '18 Jean-Luc Shyaka '17 Benjamin Snider '17 Aaron Thompson '17 Liam VanHoesen '19 Noah Webster '18

AT LEFT: Zenghui Zhang '17 uses his laptop as a reference while sketching the London skyline. Photo courtesy of Cheryl Morris.

ONE: Members of MMA's CyberPatriot team pose January 15 in the Koster Media Center. Cadets placed first and second in the Missouri All Service Division silver tier state round. Pictured: juniors Malachi Grice, Ryan Hannagan, Alexander Schaaf; seniors Griffin Gilman, Aaron Thompson. Photo courtesy of Thompson.

MMA launched the fifth year of its one-to-one laptop program in August, assigning each student a Hewlett Packard EliteBook Revolve model featuring a touchscreen swivel display. Technology classes offered during the 2016-17 school year included: Office Suites, covering programs such as Microsoft Word, Excel and Powerpoint; and Website Design, with an introduction to the study of Human Computer Interaction (HCI) and user-centered website design techniques. SPANISH SKYPE On April 10, Juan Garcia’s students practiced their Spanish in the Koster Media Center via a video chat with Rosa Almodovar and her Spanish II students from Randolph School in Alabama. According to Garcia, cadets prepared sample questions and answers, corrected their grammar and practiced delivering their answers prior to the Skype session. Cadets were graded on their ability to express their JROTC ranks, favorite books,

birthdays and other facts in Spanish. Additional topics of conversation included sports, weather and personality traits. INTERNSHIP PROGRAM At an all-school assembly March 16, Director of Technology David Wilkins was named Teacher of the Month for January 2017 thanks to his work with the information technology cadet internship program. Wilkins also received the President's Gold Star later in the school year. “It could be pushing a cart around the building and collecting computers,” interim dean MAJ Edsel Baker said. “Wilkins has pushed that internship to writing code to developing tools for other instructional staff members. ... [Interns] have written code for the monitor that displays upcoming announcements in Barnard Hall. It’s really a vast internship opportunity.” "Cadets obtain an inside look into how a real world IT Department functions and how to properly service hardware and interact with the end users," Mike Kulas said of the program.

TURN IT OFF AND BACK ON AGAIN: IT interns, staffers. April 6. Pictured: Ebersole, Grice, Henry, Kulas, Leon, Leon, Schaaf, Shyaka, Snider, Thompson, VanHoesen, Wilkins. Photo by Erin Chambers.

AT LEFT: Alejandro Mercado '22 and Jack Rufener '20, field trip February 25 to Kansas City. Photo courtesy of Cheryl Morris.

TWO: MAJ Keith Morgan, Erick Trevino '19. November 15. Photo by Connor Pearson. THREE: Samuel Carr '18, September 15. Photo by Alican Yumuk '19. FIVE: Gregory Prinster '17 and Brooke Ransom use a smartphone February 11. Photo by Erin Chambers. For more on the Valentine Ball, see page 104.

ACADEMiCS

HS ART AWARDS In late January, middle schoolers set aside their pencils and paintbrushes in favor of hammers, nails and balls of yarn. Using stencils and cardboard slivers to ensure straight lines, each cadet hammered 28 nails partway into a square wooden block. They then tied yarn to a nail and wove geometric patterns, cutting and tying the yarn off once satisfied with their designs. High schoolers BELOW: Junior Juan Pablo Cepeda on September 29. Photo courtesy of Cheryl Morris.

also expressed themselves with yarn, gluing strands to flat sheets to create “yarn paintings” in the style of the Huichol people. HIGH SCHOOL ART On October 23, art instructor Cheryl Morris accompanied seniors Parker Koontz and Zenghui Zhang as they showed their artwork to college representatives at the National Portfolio Day event at Washington University. TEN: Eighth grader Victor Patino on January 24. Photo by Erin Chambers.

In mid-November, cadets completed the second annual Painted Shoe Project, designing and hand-painting pairs of white canvas shoes which were sent to impoverished Haitian children. In December, students made dioramas of theatre sets and sports stadiums using glue and cardboard. On December 13, Morris’ painting class took a field CONTINUED ON PAGE 63 SEVEN: Dawson Lane '19 on October 27. Photo courtesy of Cheryl Morris.

SAMUEL CARR '18 The Heart & Soul Award for dedication to projects NYAMKHUU CHINGUUN '18 The Vincent Van Gogh Award for the best painter SHUO DONG '19 The Michelangelo Art Award for best sculpture GABRIEL ELIZONDO '17 Most Improved Artist Award MIG GISA '17 Banksy Graffiti Art Award PARKER KOONTZ '17 Creative Arts Plaque and Leonardo Da Vinci Award for a writer, artist and renaissance man LUIS NACHON '18 Norman Rockwell Award for superior illustration skills GABRIEL PENHA '20 Art Achievement Plaque GREGORY PRINSTER '17 TIMOTHY DE GROOT '18 The Jackson Pollock Award, for the most active students during the second semester MAURICIO TREVINO '20 RORY DAVIS '17 The Pablo Picasso Art Award for hard work & improvement YINZHOU WANG '18 Best Unconventional Artist ZENGHUI ZHANG '17 The Senior Award for portfolio achievement

ADVANCED ART

Members of the 2016-17 advanced art class were juniors Wulan Bateer, Juan Pablo Cepeda, Edward Cha, Victor Armando Leon and Cesar Perera; and seniors Alejandro Gastelum, Gregory Prinster and Zenghui Zhang. ONE: Leon, September 8. TWO: Cha, April 6. THREE: Leon, September 8. FOUR: Prinster, February 24. FIVE: Perera, April 6. SIX: Cepeda, September 27. Photos courtesy of Cheryl Morris.

EIGHT: Kenny Gisa '20, October 20. Photo courtesy of Cheryl Morris.

NINE: Alejandro Mercado '22 on January 24. Photo by Erin Chambers.

SMILING SENIOR: Rory Davis and his completed yarn painting, October 27. Photo courtesy of Cheryl Morris.

BELOW: Cheryl Morris and seventh graders Tianjun Ma, Zedong Shao. January 24. Photo by Erin Chambers.

HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE ART CLASS IN ONE WORD? ERICK PUENTE '18 Freedom. You are free to use the style you like the most and you are free to express yourself. PEDRO DA ROCHA '18 Relaxing. Because from the moment I walk in class I forget about all my problems. It's kind of a therapy for me.

ONE: Eighth grader Tamar Modise. TWO: Seventh grader Aexander Sheldon. THREE: Sophomore Zhicheng Mao.

CONCENTRATED CASELLA: Eighth grader Peter Casella shapes his clay project March 9. Photo courtesy of Cheryl Morris.

FOUR: Lucas Pranger '18. FIVE: Omela Mudogo '22. SIX: Zedong Shao '22. SEVEN: Victor Patino '21. EIGHT: Mauricio Trevino '20. NINE: Jack Mitchell '19. TEN: Alejandro Mercado '22. ELEVEN: Victor Armando Leon '18. TWELVE: Kevith Sangster '22. THIRTEEN: QiTao Wang '20. FOURTEEN: Nolan Kilpatrick '18. FIFTEEN: Alexander Hamm '19. SIXTEEN: Siwei Zhao '22. SEVENTEEN: Parker Koontz '17. EIGHTEEN: Dawson Lane '19.

WATERCOLOR LANDSCAPE: Gabriel Penha '20, September 29. Photo courtesy of Cheryl Morris.

BELOW: Yinzhou Wang '18, Ruochen Xue '19 and Yutong Dongfang '19. Photo courtesy of Cheryl Morris.

WHAT DESIGN DID YOU CHOOSE FOR YOUR SHOES? PEDRO DA ROCHA '18 I painted the Nike, Adidas and Jordan logos because I like those brands.

MIDDLE SCHOOL ART AWARDS SHANE MACON '21 Middle School Art Achievement Plaque ALEJANDRO MERCADO '22 Most Improved Artist TAMAR MODISE '21 Banksy Graffiti Art Award VICTOR VIELLEDENT '22 The Heart and Soul Award for dedication to projects

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 60 trip to study architecture in St. Louis. Stops included Union Station, Crown Candy ice creamery, the Missouri History Museum and Delmar Loop in University City. Additional fall semester projects included wood burning, figure drawing, oil and watercolor painting, abstract drawings and geometric sketches. Cadets also studied advertising and design and created banners which the football team burst through during home games. During the spring semester, Morris utilized MMA’s kiln to fire clay sculptures ranging from mugs to flowers to miniature toilets. Additional projects included graffiti lettering and sculpting 3D figures with wire. MIDDLE SCHOOL ART MS music and art were connected with projects such as deconstructing sheet music, drawing a musical scale to represent one’s personality and creating a “Blusey E." “Bluesy E was the name of a song we played on the clarinet,” Nathan Nolan ’22 said. “Since you’re playing with Es … [we made] a bunch of E sculptures.” Additional projects included “carving” construction paper pumpkins, molding with clay, creating totem poles and coloring holiday ornaments. For more on the middle school art and music pilot program, see page 46.

A DAY IN THEIR SHOES: Members of Cheryl Morris' middle and high school art classes pose November 17 with their creations for The Painted Shoe Project. Pictured: Morris; seventh graders Jones, Mercado, Mudogo, Nolan, Pitman, Sheldon, Tonella, Vielledent, Wilson, Zhao and Zhu; eighth graders Casella, Clinton, Garcia, Karam, Macon, Modise, Patino, Valdes and Yan; freshmen Cohen, Francis, Gisa, Harants, Penha and Trevino; sophomores Dongfang, Hamm, Jumper, Lane, Risovas and Shagdarsuren; juniors Carr, Cepeda, Chinguun, Da Rocha, Grahmann, Guth, Killion, Leon, Leon, Nachon, Pranger and Puente; seniors Dashdavaa, Davis, Gisa, Jin, Koontz, Nixon and Shyaka. Above photo by Erin Chambers. Photo eleven by Connor Pearson. Additional photos courtesy of Cheryl Morris.

ONE & TWO: Juniors Juan Pablo Cepeda, Davaasuren Dashdavaa, Jeremy Elkins, Copeland Grahmann, Victor Armando Leon, Victor Arturo Leon, Luis Nachon, Tamir Nyamdavaa, Irvin Rodriguez, Arturo Salazar, Connor Sims and Donald Williams; and seniors Tuguldur Altangerel, Cesar Garza, Alejandro Gastelum, Ernesto Melgar and Bayar-Erdene Oldokhbayar. THREE: Ernesto Melgar '17, Bayar-Erdene Oldokhbayar '17, Victor Armando Leon '18 and Victor Arturo Leon '18. Photos shot by Erick Puente '18 on October 28 in Hannibal, Missouri.

KANSAS CITY SKYLINE: Weiming Zhu '22 and Kevith Sangster '22, February 25 trip to Union Station. Photo by Connor Sims '18.

COPELAND CUTOUT: Copeland Grahmann '18 poses as Tom Sawyer during an October 28 English class field trip. Photo by Erick Puente '18.

CLEMENS' CAVE: Juniors Malachi Grice, Connor Sims, Akele Carpentier and Garrett Stafford pose October 28. Photo courtesy of LCDR William Bushnell.

SEPTEMBER On September 15, cadets in MAJ Mike Pemberton, Rachel Yim, LCDR William Bushnell and Victoria Anderson’s classes attended the 2016 Hancock Symposium at Westminster College. The event, entitled Audacious Ingenuity: Pushing the Boundaries of Science, explored how scientific inquiry, deduction and passion have shaped the world. Cadets were introduced to assistive technology like webcams and keyboards before eating lunch at a Westminster dining hall, where they played ping pong and pool between lessons. OCTOBER On October 28, English instructors CSGT Mike Harding, Bushnell and Megan Cavaiani accompanied more than 30 English III students on a field trip to Hannibal — birthplace of author Mark Twain. Trip highlights included a stop at the September 11 memorial; senior Ernesto Melgar reading the Native American myth at Lover's Leap; a tour of the Mark Twain Cave; a riverboat ride past Jackson Island; a tour of Twain's boyhood home; and a stop to whitewash Tom Sawyer’s fence. For more Hannibal photos, see page 82.

CHOO CHOO: Eighth grader Peter Casella, Jarod Demastus '18 and Matthew Seibert '19 pose February 25 at a Union Station exhibit during a field trip to Kansas City. Photo by Connor Sims '18.

NOVEMBER On November 16, MMA’s Academic Writing dual-credit class visited Westminster. Cadets listened in on an Early American Literature lecture on Harriet Jacob's Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl; received a tour of Reeves Library; and enjoyed lunch at Mueller Leadership Hall.

SPRING SEMESTER Nine dual credit students returned to Westminster College on March 1 to attend the Cherry-Price Leadership Lecture. "These students had the privilege of hearing Arnold Donald — chairman and CEO of Carnival Cruise Lines and other brands — give an open, honest, and often inspiring talk," Bushnell said.

FOUR: Berlin Wall at Westminster College. Pictured: Sky Thunderchild '19, juniors Pedro Da Rocha, Mitchell Duing, Carlos Liriano, Yinzhou Wang, Jiaxuan Zhou; seniors Yasheng Lou, Photsavat Pongsuea, Robert Shields. FIVE: Yinzhou Wang '18 lines up a shot September 15 while visiting Westminster College. Photos courtesy of Aaron Thompson '17.

CARDBOARD COLOSSEUM

On December 6, cadets in LT Kevin Bissmeyer’s first period middle school social studies class finished creating and decorating cardboard weapons. The project was the culmination of a unit on the ancient Greek world and conflicts such as the Persian and Peloponnesian wars.

"As we learned about different city-states around the Greek world, we learned about the many different fighting styles and types of weapons and armor," Bissmeyer said. Cadets then researched fighting strategies, weapon construction and armor design. Each cadet presented his findings to his classmates. Next each cadet constructed a

shield and weapon using duct tape and thick layers of cardboard. According to Bissmeyer, students then practiced battle techniques including the testudo, which was "a defensive formation created by the linking of shields around and above the soldiers to create a shell-like defense from arrows."

BELOW: Cadet gladiators battled one another in the gymtorium February 13. Pictured: LT Kevin Bissmeyer and seventh graders Alejandro Mercado, Omela Mudogo, Max Pitman, Felix Tonella, Victor Vielledent, James Wilson, Siwei Zhao and Weiming Zhu. Photo by sophomore Christian Foster.

TOP LEFT: Eighth grader Mario Garcia conducts his viscosity experiment January 26. Garcia clamped a cafeteria tray to his workstation, tied twine to a spring scale and coated the bottom of a plastic tub in shampoo. He then weighted down the tub with materials including brick, cardboard, wood and sandpaper and slid the tub across the tray. As he pulled each material, he recorded the force required to slide the tub across each brand. Photo Erin Chambers.

TOP RIGHT: Alejandro Mercado '22 shows off his sword design November 30. Photo by Erin Chambers. BOTTOM LEFT: As the Corps watches from above, seniors Griffin Gilman and Aaron Thompson demonstrate kendo sword fighting technique. Photo by Clifton Cline '20. BOTTOM RIGHT: During a field trip to a Union Station history exhibit in Kansas City, Weiming Zhu '22 and Jiachen Yan '21 pose for a photo February 25. Photo by Connor Sims '18.

ONE: Jiachen Yan searches for a product on the viscosity experiment supply shelf February 7. The eighth grader conducted a unique experiment, first filling a plastic tube with syrup and leaving an air bubble trapped at the top.

After sealing both ends with corks, Yan turned the tube upside-down. He then used a stopwatch to time how long it took the bubble to rise to the top.

Yan presented his findings in a PowerPoint on February 14, asserting that Mrs. Butterworth’s syrup was the best brand. “Mrs. Butterworth’s makes your pancakes taste so good,” he said. “You are going to have an addiction for Mrs. Butterworth’s because it is so viscous and delicious!”

FIVE: Jose Karam '21 demonstrates his syrup experiment February 9. Also pictured: Peter Casella '21, Victor Patino '21, Patricio Valdes '21. "Log Cabin syrup is 100 percent natural. They have more than 100 years of serving their clients," Karam said. "It has the right price. You pay just $2.98 for a 20 fl oz bottle."

MMA middle school instructors LTC WILLIS KLEINSORGE and LT KEVIN BISSMEYER engage young cadets with creative lessons The keyword was “viscous” in LTC Willis Kleinsorge’s classes throughout late January and early February. Students conducted experiments to test the viscosity, or magnitude of internal friction, of syrup and shampoo brands.

For their viscosity project, partners Tamar Modise ’21 and Alexander Sheldon ‘22 dropped a marble in samples of five shampoo brands — Herbal Essences, Johnson’s Baby, Suave, VO5 and Garnier Fructis.

The duo then recorded how long it took the marble to sink to the bottom of the graduated cylinder. Armed with stopwatches, Shane Macon ’21 and Nathan Nolan ’22 conducted similar experiments — Macon with shampoo and Nolan with syrup. Each cadet poured products on an incline and measured the time it took for brands to slide to various points along the slope. Seventh graders Alejandro Mercado and Max Pitman chose a unique topic by thinking outside the box — or rather, inside a cereal box. The duo crushed three types of cereal (Total, Cheerios and Rice Krispies) with a mortar and pestle and tested the iron content of each.

After completing their viscosity projects, Kleinsorge’s students demonstrated their experiments and shared their findings with the aid of YouTube videos, PowerPoint presentations, posters and hand-drawn charts. Eighth grader Patricio Valdes tested five types of syrup in his experiment. Despite being one of the most expensive brands, Valdes concluded his presentation by recommending cadets choose Aunt Jemima due to its high viscosity. Eighth grader Peter Casella's project was entitled, “Viscosity of Shampoo and Why You Should Buy Prell.”

He demonstrated Prell's superiority by pouring three shampoo brands down a plastic-covered ramp. The slowest-moving was Prell; the fastest was Johnson’s Baby Shampoo. “It is the least viscous,” Casella said of Johnson’s. “It has less stuff in it because it’s baby shampoo and you don’t want your baby crying when you accidentally get shampoo in its eyes.” The “brand advocate” ended his presentation by playing a commercial from the 1950s which claimed Prell produced a thicker lather. “You want a richer lather. You get a richer lather by being the thickest, like Prell," Casella said.

TWO: Cyrus Cornelius '21 presents his shampoo viscosity experiment February 16. “[Suave] is cheap and will be the best for you because it is the most viscous and will make your hair soft after every shower," Cornelius concluded. THREE: Tamar Modise '21 runs the stopwatch during an Aunt Jemima viscosity test January 26. The syrup took 20 seconds to travel 40 cm down a ramp. Also pictured: Alexander Sheldon '22. FOUR: As Jiachen Yan '21 assists, Peter Clinton '21 demonstrates his shampoo viscosity experiment. Photos one and three by Erin Chambers. Photos two, four and five courtesy of LTC Willis Kleinsorge.

RIGHT PAGE: On February 20, Sugar Dashdavaa '17 and junior Nyamkhuu Chinguun hang up a sign they created. Photo courtesy of Cheryl Morris.

SPANISH SPOTLIGHT: DESCRIBE YOUR DREAM HOME

Written by Devonte Knight '20 for Juan Garcia's Spanish I class IN SPANISH: Mi casa ideal sería en los suburbios de Chicago. Tiene 6 habitaciones, una cocina, comedor y garaje. Tres dormitorios y tres para uso personal. Una de las habitaciones sería una sala de juegos, sólo para jugar videojuegos y ver películas. Otra habitación sería para mi colección de zapatos. La última habitación disponible sería una biblioteca llena de los mejores libros que pueda encontrar. Mi habitación favorita sería la biblioteca. ¡Esta casa sería mi casa ideal! Mis abuelos van a ser bienvenidos a esta casa porque yo siempre estoy invitado a su casa. IN ENGLISH: My ideal home would be in the suburbs of Chicago. It would have six bedrooms, a kitchen, dining room and garage. Three bedrooms and three for personal use. One of the rooms would be a game room, just to play video games and watch movies. Another room would be for my shoe collection. The last available room would be a library full of the best books you could find. My favorite room would be the library. This house would be my dream home! My grandparents would always be invited to this house because I am always welcome in their home. ABOVE: Knight checks out a book from Academy librarian Fran Robley on February 7. Photo by Erin Chambers.

ONE: Ruochen Xue '19, April 10. TWO: Brandon Lane '20, February 28. THREE: Timothy De Groot '18, January 27. FOUR: Cyrus Cornelius '21, March 1. FIVE: Tianjun Ma '22, April 7. SIX: Andrew Rittmaster '19, March 30.

SEVEN: Thuqan Hindawi '18, February 22. EIGHT: Alejandro Huerta '19, February 21. NINE: Parker Koontz '17, January 26. TEN: Vernon Leach '18, January 9. ELEVEN: Shuo Dong '19, February 13. TWELVE: Malachi Grice '18, December 17.

THIRTEEN: Tristen Mason '22, April 7. FOURTEEN: Alejandro Gastelum '17, January 16. FIFTEEN: Michael Naughton '20, February 22. SIXTEEN: Pablo De Saro '19, February 26. SEVENTEEN: Nolan Kilpatrick '18, February 14. EIGHTEEN: Jaden Rogge '20, January 5.

Photos one to nine, eleven, thirteen, sixteen and seventeen courtesy of Cheryl Morris. Photo twelve by Aaron Thompson '17. Photo fourteen by Alexander Seibert '18. Photos ten and fifteen by Erin Chambers. Photo eighteen by Clifton Cline '20.

SPRING FAMILY WEEKEND EPPLE MEMORIAL ART SHOW WINNERS JUAN PABLO CEPEDA '18 Commandant's Award and Best in Painting NYAMKHUU CHINGUUN '18 Dean's Award ALEJANDRO COHEN '20 Third Place Overall SHANE MACON '21 President's Award GREGORY PRINSTER '17 Best in Clay, Best of Show and President's Award QITAO WANG '20 Second Place Overall ZENGHUI ZHANG '17 First Place Overall and Best in Drawing

On December 15, cadets in Rachel Yim’s first, second and sixth period science classes participated in the second annual kimjang. “Kimjang is a community event in which families, neighborhoods or villages make enough kimchi to last through the winter,” Yim explained.

The three classes created seven quarts of kimchi, a traditional Korean side dish, during their study of community biology and natural lacto-ferments. Cadets also made brine and mixed it with cucumbers and spices to create their own pickles. “The fermentation process is basically the same as the kimchi, but cucumbers take longer to ferment,” Yim said.

After donning gloves, cadets mixed ingredients including fish sauce, carrots, green onion and eleven pounds of cabbage by hand. They then packed the final product into an airtight container. Two days later, the batch of kimchi was fully fermented and ready to enjoy.

ONE: Rachel Yim. TWO: Alexander Ebersole '18; sophomores Tyler Henigman and Yesuntumur Gankhurel; freshmen Dongyang Chen, Ashton Knipfer, Gabriel Penha and Derek Nguyen. THREE: Gabriel Penha '20, Dongyang Chen '20 and Yesuntumur Gankhurel '19. FOUR: Thomas Huckins '20. FIVE: Justin Shazar '18. Photos shot December 15 by Erin Chambers.

SEVEN: Alejandro Huerta '19 inspects a bone March 17 during a comparative skeletal anatomy activity in Rachel Yim's class. Cadets examined coyote, snake, cow, human and cat remains. "They should have observed that mammalian skeletons are very similar, even though body shapes and sizes differ," Yim said. "They should have seen an impact of diet on teeth. ... The coyote and cats had sharper teeth for cutting through meat and omnivores like the human have a combination of sharper incisors for cutting and flatter molars and premolars for grinding." Photo by Aaron Thompson '17.

High schoolers escape from BREAKOUT EDU boxes, blow DRY ICE bubbles, extract STRAWBERRY DNA, study anatomy with animal SKULLS and ferment PICKLES and kimchi in hands-on lessons BREAKOUT EDU On August 26, science instructor Rachel Yim's classes completed a zombie apocalypsethemed Breakout EDU challenge. During Breakout EDU escape room simulations, players have a fixed amount of time to solve a series of challenges and riddles using items such as directional locks, blacklights, invisible ink pens and flash drives. “We had to solve a lot of different puzzles and each one opened

On September 27, the Academy received a huge — 111 pounds, to be exact — gift: an Orion Premium Deep Space Explorer 12.5" Dobsonian Reflecting Telescope.

a different lock on a huge box with four to five locks on it. It was really fun and kind of challenging for our class,” Clifton Cline ’20 said. “The items [inside] were the ‘antivirus’ to the zombie virus we were trying to defeat. The antivirus was Jolly Ranchers.” “Each class was able to finish with time to spare. They found the antivirus and saved the world!” Yim said. On November 22, cadets completed a second breakout challenge: a Descent of Man puzzle about Charles Darwin written by Yim. “Every class solved the puzzles and broke out!” she said.

Donor Don Mason, a former MMA bus driver, and his wife Vicki live in Mexico, Missouri. “We are very grateful for this generous donation,” science department chair MAJ Mike Pemberton said. “We are looking forward to using the telescope for many years to come!”

HEATING HYDRATES On February 23, cadets in Vicki Briggs’ science classes transformed copper sulfate pentahydrate to anhydrous copper sulfate by introducing heat and water. Materials included a ring stand, wire gauze, a stirring rod, a burner, crucible tongs, evaporating dishes and a digital scale. Cadets weighed the substance before, during and after heating to measure water loss.

ABOVE: Pemberton's first period students senior Yasheng Lou, sophomore Khaliguun Enkhbayar and juniors Noah Webster, Tamir Nyamdavaa and Davaasuren Dashdavaa pose with the telescope September 29. Photo by Erin Chambers.

ABOVE: Vernon Leach '18 slides a burner toward the evaporating dish balanced on his ring stand February 23. Also pictured: junior John Sweetser. Photo by Erin Chambers. SIX: Juniors Mitchell Duing, Connor Sims and Jiwei Ye participate in a dry ice lab December 17 in Joyce Lowry's science class. Photo by Aaron Thompson '17. EIGHT: Mario Garcia '21, December 6. Photo courtesy of LTC Willis Kleinsorge. NINE: Griffin Henry '19 participates in a hydrate heating lab February 23. Photo by Erin Chambers. TEN: Oswaldo Fierro '18 extracts DNA from a small slice of octoploid strawberry in an October 11 biology lab. Photo courtesy of Rachel Yim.

ABOVE: The Crucible, William English '20. Photo by sophomore Christian Foster. For more about the Crucible, see page 98.

ONE: Jarod Demastus '18 stands at attention during the Adjutant's Inspection on January 27. Photo by Clifton Cline '20.

TWO: Gabriel Pro '20 serves as a waiter at the Valentine Ball on February 11. Photo by Erin Chambers.

THREE: Jack Mitchell '19 cooks a can of beans during a Duke of Edinburgh's Award Adventurous Journey on February 17. Photo by junior Connor Sims.

FOUR: Nathan Nolan '22, April 8 at Maroon & Gold. Photo by Erin Chambers.

LIONS AND TIGERS AND BEARS: Summer campers pose July 30 during a field trip at the St. Louis Zoo. ESL campers: seventh graders Alejandro Mercado, Felix Tonella, Victor Vielledent and Weiming Zhu; eighth grader Jose Karam; freshmen QiTao Wang and Haoming Yang; sophomores Luis De Leon, Shuo Dong, Jorge Quiros, Sodbileg Shagdarsuren, Yiliyang Song and Haoyang Yuan; and juniors Luis Nachon and Zhen Wei Yin. Photo courtesy of LT Lu Shu.

RELAXING ON THE RIVER: Camp Credit sophomore Barrington Stanford rides an innertube at Big Surf Waterpark on June 26. Photo courtesy of LT Robert Abbott.

LEADERSHIP CAMP July 10 to 24 Rhys Bullington '19 Connor Sims '18 CAMP CREDIT June 19 to July 15 Robert Abbott '20 Emiliano Gonzalez '18 Joseph Guth '18 Lucus Killion '18 Parker Koontz '17 Dawson Lane '19 Alexander Seibert '18 Matthew Seibert '19 Barrington Stanford '19 Parker Yeary '18

SUMMER SURVEY: DAWSON LANE '19

WHAT DID YOU LEARN AT CAMP? I learned how to do algebra in an easier way. WHAT DID YOU LIKE BEST ABOUT SUMMER CAMP? The coolest thing about summer camp was all the trips we did on the weekends. My favorite memory is hanging out with my friends in the barracks. BELOW: Lane moves out of Bravo barracks after graduating from Camp Credit on July 15. Photo by Erin Chambers.

ESL CAMP July 24 to August 12 Luis De Leon '19 Shuo Dong '19 Tingkai Gu '19 Jose Karam '21 Alejandro Mercado '22 Luis Nachon '18 Jorge Quiros '19 Yiliyang Song '20 Felix Tonella '22 Victor Vielledent '22 QiTao Wang '20 Aocheng Wu '19 Haoming Yang '20 Zhen Wei Yin '18 Haoyang Yuan '20 Siwei Zhao '22 Weiming Zhu '22

COUNSELORS Malachi Grice '18 Aaron Thompson '17

SUMMER SNACKS THE TOP TWO: SUMMER AWARDS

ONE: Sophomore Rhys Bullington receives the Top Physical Fitness Award for ages 14 to 15 from camp director CPT Steven Manning at the Leadership Camp closing ceremony July 24. Photo by Christine Smith. According to Bullington, his camp experience left him well-prepared for new recruit training at MMA. "Nothing was hard in the Crucible because I did the same thing, if not harder, in summer camp ... plus a five-mile-long walk," Bullington said. "It was not hard at all." TWO: Parker Yeary '18 receives the Character in the Classroom Award from former dean Dr. Frank Giuseffi at the Camp Credit closing ceremony July 15. Photo by Erin Chambers.

Cadets snack during an ESL Camp field trip to Big Surf Waterpark on August 9. Photos courtesy of LT Lu Shu. TOP LEFT: Victor Vielledent '22. BOTTOM LEFT: Seventh grader Alejandro Mercado. TOP RIGHT: Felix Tonella '22. BOTTOM RIGHT: Freshman Yiliyang Song.

THE WILD WATERSLIDE: ESL campers Jorge Quiros '19 and Jose Karam '21 take a ride on a water slide August 9 at Big Surf Waterpark. "I felt scared, but it was fun," Quiros said of the ride. While Karam's favorite moment of camp was the Big Surf trip, Quiros said he enjoyed "living and having fun with new people ... [and] meeting new people and learning English." Photo courtesy of LT Lu Shu. THREE: Emiliano Gonzalez '18 receives a fencing lesson in the Centennial Gymtorium on July 15. Photo by Erin Chambers.

150 BOYS FROM FOUR COUNTRIES AND 26 STATES ATTEND FIVE MMA CAMPS

More than 150 boys ages 8-18 — hailing from four countries and 26 states — converged on campus from June to August 2016 for MMA’s summer camp season. The Academy offered five camps in the summer of 2016: Camp Credit, Camp Core Skills, ESL Camp, Leadership Camp and Confidence Camp.

ACADEMIC CAMPS The four-week Camp Credit allowed high school students to earn remedial or advanced credit while honing their subject knowledge and study skills. Courses included Algebra I and II, Chemistry, English I and II, Geometry and Spanish. Camp Credit's concurrent

counterpart Camp Core Skills served students in grades 7 and 8. The 21-day English as a Second Language Camp helped acclimate foreign students to American culture while boosting their language learning. Field trips included the St. Louis Zoo on July 30 and Big Surf Waterpark on August 9.

LEADERSHIP & CONFIDENCE CAMPS The summer Leadership Camp for boys ages 12-17, and its counterpart Confidence Camp for boys ages 8-11, introduced the concepts of leadership and responsibility. Activities included team-building exercises and physical training challenges.

REGISTRATION The first batch of students to register for the school year were leadership, soccer, football and ESL campers August 1, followed by New Boys on August 12 and returning students August 19. On registration days, cadets first reported to admissions and accounting to turn in their paperwork and passports. Up next was a visit with the Cadet Clinic staff and a quick chat with Athletic Director MAJ Kevin Farley. In the library, students signed up for classes and band membership and received their personal laptops.

After a check-in with the Commandant, cadets received their first high-and-tight hair cut of the school year. Next, as staff members wove shopping carts through the aisles of the Quartermaster Store, each student was fitted for a hat, sweater, gloves, shorts, shirts and other uniform pieces. NEW RECRUIT TRAINING After completing registration on August 12, New Boys settled in their barracks bedrooms before reporting for New Recruit Training. The crash course in marching, military courtesy and MMA life began with the New Cadet Ceremony on the evening of their arrival.

WHAT IS NEW RECRUIT TRAINING? During this one-week period, it is just cadet leaders and new cadets. They go over a lot of critical topics â&#x20AC;&#x201D; everything from our Honor Code to basic physical training to drill and even how to keep your room clean and tidy. It is the cadet leader's job to teach new recruits as much as possible until the rest of the cadets get to MMA. It really is the most important part of getting ready for the school year. AARON THOMPSON '17

During New Recruit Training, each cadet was issued an ACU uniform and Cadet Handbook, which they read and studied at length in preparation for the Handbook Test administered in September. Activities throughout the week included camping, rappelling, paintball and speeches on MMA history and traditions by staffers AT2 Jorge Soriano '89 and Gary Stewart '72. OPENING WEEK Following the last of MMA's three spring registration sessions, cadets enjoyed the annual ice cream social

on the front lawn August 19. On August 21, chaplain MAJ Edsel Baker led the first of many weekly Vespers services to be held throughout the year. School officially began the following day with an all-school assembly, after which the Corps and faculty members filed out to prepare for first hour classes. All photographs on this spread shot by Erin Chambers.

BELOW: Eighth grader Mario Garcia bids farewell August 12 immediately following the New Cadet Ceremony.

Cadets are fitted for uniform pieces in the Quartermaster Store on August 1 and 12.

TOP LEFT: Benjamin Snider '17. TOP RIGHT: Jiaxuan Zhou '18. BOTTOM LEFT: Julien Mugabo '17. BOTTOM RIGHT: Zihan Zhu '18.

GET YOUR HANDBOOKS OUT: Matthew Seibert '19 studies a Cadet Handbook in the mess hall during a lecture about school traditions on August 16.

ABOVE: ESL instructor Christine Beshears gives Aocheng Wu '19 directions to his next class. AT RIGHT: Michael Naughton '20 and his classmates carry chairs from an empty room to MAJ Keith Morgan's class. Photos shot August 22 on MMA's first day of classes.

WHAT'S AT THE TOP OF YOUR BACK-TO-SCHOOL BARRACKS SURVIVAL SHOPPING LIST? Shampoo. Ramon Rodriguez '17 Deodorant. Clifton Cline'20 Food, toilet paper, cleaning products. ... Cleaning is a daily thing for us so we need supplies. Food is just always necessary. And chargers, video game cables, speakers â&#x20AC;&#x201D; you never know when you're going to need them. Freshman Alican Yumuk Food like protein bars or noodles, because only three meals a day is not enough! ... I used to eat six times a day back in Brazil. Pedro Da Rocha '18 Air fresheners so my room smells good. Lucas Pranger '18 A bleach pen, since stains on shirts are a pain to deal with. Samuel Guo '19 The best thing to buy when we go to Walmart is air fresheners, because we boys stink! Dario Rodriguez '19 Athletic equipment. Sky Thunderchild '19

AT LEFT: New Boy Lucas Pranger '18 receives a shave on August 1 courtesy of Academy barber Mark Clark.

CLARK CUTS COHEN: On August 1, MMA barber Mark Clark prepares to shave his next high-and-tight recipient: Alejandro Cohen. "I was a little bit scared but excited to start a new life at MMA," the freshman said of registration day.

AT RIGHT: Following the end of MMA's final registration day, cadets enjoy a cold treat August 19 at the annual Teardrop Lake ice cream social. Cadets pictured, from top to bottom: Joseph Mulvey '18, Akele Carpentier '18 and Yuan Cui '20.

On Friday, September 23, more than 330 alumni, parents, donors and community members converged on campus to celebrate Homecoming 2016. The festivities began with the "FOREver MMA" Golf Tournament at Arthur Hills. Proceeds from the MMA-sponsored event benefited the Mexico Help Center and the MMA Athletic Department. Following an Alumni Association-sponsored Tailgate Party and Pep Rally, the MMA football

DRILLDOWN DEFEAT: Despite their best efforts, MMA's eight best-drilled cadets (seniors Jose Balanza, Gabriel Elizondo, Ramon Rodriguez and Juan Diego Silva; and juniors Juan Pablo Cepeda, Francisco Fletes, Victor Arturo Leon and Victor Armando Leon) lost the annual cadet versus alumni Homecoming drilldown. Cepeda, pictured at right on September 24, outlasted all but three alums â&#x20AC;&#x201D; John Schuchmann '86 ultimately took first in both the alumni-only and cadet versus alumni drilldown contests. Photo by Erin Chambers. FOOTBALL FANATIC: Seventh grader Max Pitman shows his school spirit at the Homecoming football game September 23. The Fighting Colonels ultimately fell 42-44 versus Harrisburg High School. Photo courtesy of LTC Willis Kleinsorge. IN THE MIDST OF BATTLE: Senior Parker Koontz plays dead during a World War II re-enactment with the Railsplitters at the annual Walk Back in Time Festival on September 25. The Corps of Cadets also marched WBIT, which was the final event of Homecoming 2016. Photo courtesy of LTC Willis Kleinsorge.

BEHIND THE SCENES: MMA'S HOMECOMING FOOTBALL GAME MIDDLE: On October 10, juniors Pedro Da Rocha and Nyamkhuu Chinguun paint a banner celebrating senior football players.

RIGHT: Joseph Guth '18 paints a similar banner September 19 which the team burst through during the Homecoming game on September 23. "Coach Mitchell Jenkins asked if we could do something special for the boys," art instructor Cheryl Morris said of the project. Photos courtesy of Cheryl Morris.

team faced the Harrisburg Bulldogs at Colonels Field. At twilight, the somber Silver Taps ceremony began. As the name of each MMA community member who passed away during the 2015-16 school year was read, a cadet on the parade field ignited a light in the deceased individual’s honor.

From the bleachers, the letters MMA were revealed. Saturday kicked off with an Alumni Association meeting and a battalion review featuring an Alumni Company march and drilldowns. Guests next met in the Memorial Chapel for the Convocation. Notable

alumni were recognized, senior Gabriel Elizondo delivered an address and the Cadet Chorus performed. Following the Convocation, attendees gathered at Senior Walk to re-dedicate a plaque honoring MAJ Samuel R. Bird ’57. Cadets and alumni then marched as one to the mess hall for

lunch followed by a home soccer victory versus Soldan International. After a short break, Saturday night’s festivities concluded with the third annual Homecoming Picnic on the front lawn. Entertainment included performances from the MMA Jazz Band and the Norm Ruebling Band. Homecoming concluded with an MMA Band breakfast fundraiser and a Walk Back in Time Festival march.

At the annual Homecoming Picnic on September 24, Delta Company was declared the winner of the Barracks Decoration Contest for the second consecutive year. Delta’s lawn featured streamers, banners, a “mowing over the competition” display, mannequins and sports props including trophies, lacrosse helmets and football pads. Charlie, Band and Bravo also incorporated sports with displays featuring trophies and props from football, tennis, soccer and baseball. Band's display also included wooden signs featuring each member of the band KISS. TWO: Band cadet Christian Foster '19 paints a sign September 23. Award-winning photo by sophomore Liam VanHoesen. See page 200 for details. Band and Charlie cadets also constructed a helmet-shaped arch with balloons. ONE: Band juniors Malachi Grice and Temesgen Ghidey pose under the arch September 24. Photo by Erin Chambers.

FAR LEFT: Seniors Sugar Dashdavaa and Lihan Zhang wrap burgers at the concession stand during the Colonels' Homecoming game September 23. Photo courtesy of LTC Willis Kleinsorge.

AN ESPECIALLY FUN-DRAISER: On September 23, as a crowd of cadets cheer, senior Rory Davis prepares to throw a pie in the face of trash bag-clad instructor MAJ Lawrence McClarey. The event was the culmination of a Homecoming fundraiser organized by English instructor Megan Cavaiani. “The goal was to see what class could [raise] the most money. The winning class then could pick a representative to throw the pie,” Davis said. “I was the selected representative to throw the pie.” Also pictured: LTC Gregory Seibert; seventh grader Weiming Zhu; freshman QiTao Wang; sophomore Samuel Guo; juniors Connor Sims, Zhen Wei Yin and Zihan Zhu; seniors Gabriel Elizondo, Yasheng Lou, Aaron Thompson and Lihan Zhang. Photos by Jeremy Elkins '18.

N EW BOYS JOIN CORPS OF CA DE TS AND SENIORS RECEIVE RING S AT FA LL FAMILY WEEK END 2016

From October 14 to 15, parents, grandparents, siblings and community members gathered for Fall Family Weekend â&#x20AC;&#x201D; one of the first opportunities to visit cadets during the 2016-17 school year. FRIDAY Following a pancake breakfast benefitting the MMA Boy Scouts, seniors traveled to the MMAsponsored College Fair at Mexico High School while their family members attended parent-teacher conferences. Families visiting LTC Willis Kleinsorge's middle school science classroom viewed cadet-created posterboard displays detailing experiments and demonstrating the Scientific Method. Friday's festivities ended with an MMA football

matchup against the Central Home School Panthers of Arnold, MO. At halftime, each senior player was recognized, escorted across the field and presented with flowers in honor of his contribution to the Fighting Colonels. PASSING THROUGH After several weeks spent studying the basics of being a cadet at MMA, 54 new students were formally welcomed into the 128th Corps of Cadets at the biannual Passing Through ceremony. Each new student shook hands with a line of Academy administrators and gave a salute to Battalion Commander Gregory Prinster '17 before joining their company formation. As a result of the ceremony, via Special

AT RIGHT: Boy Scout freshman William English. MMA Dining Hall, October 15. Photo by Erin Chambers. ABOVE: MOACAC College Fair. Cesar Garza '17, Jose Balanza '17, Victor Armando Leon '18, Victor Arturo Leon '18. Photo courtesy of LTC Willis Kleinsorge.

Order No. 3, cadets were officially authorized to wear MMA's hat brass and the JROTC Honor Unit with Distinction Gold Star on their uniforms. BATTALION REVIEW AND CONVOCATION During the annual Fall Family Weekend Battalion Review, graduating seniors left their companies to form up in front of the reviewing stand. Staffers and family members swarmed the parade field with boxes in their hands and cameras at the ready. Proud parents presented a senior ring to and posed for photos with members of the Class of 2017.

Following the Review, attendees gathered in the Memorial Chapel for the Fall Family Weekend Convocation. Highlights included three songs by the Cadet Chorus and speeches by Prinster and Francisco Fletes '18. SENIOR RING DANCE At the fourth annual Senior Ring Dance, upperclassmen posed one-by-one to show off their new senior rings. Guests enjoyed a meal, participated in MMA's traditional Grand March, posed for photos with their dates under a largerthan-life ring and hit the dance floor.

DURING REVIEW: Seniors Sugar Dashdavaa, Gabriel Elizondo, Raul Escarcega, Alejandro Gastelum, Photsavat Pongsuea, Gregory Prinster and Aaron Thompson pose October 15 shortly after receiving their senior rings during the FFW Battalion Review. "I have been here for the past six years and I am finally going to graduate, so I feel really good about it. It means a lot to me to have a senior ring," said Pongsuea, who received his ring from his mother. "In a way, [it is] a symbol of my future and what I want to do with my life." Photo courtesy of LTC Willis Kleinsorge.

THE BAKING SODA AND VINEGAR PROJECT by Peter Clinton '21 and Patricio Valdes '21 Our hypothesis: If we add different amounts of baking soda to the vinegar, then the greatest amount of baking soda will produce the greatest volume of gas. Constants: The types of vinegar and baking soda, and the amount of vinegar. Independent variable: The different amounts of baking soda that we added to the vinegar. Dependent variable: The volume of gas produced. ABOVE: Valdes mixes vinegar and baking soda in a graduated cylinder October 4. Photo courtesy of LTC Willis Kleinsorge.

SENIOR RING DANCE

Cadets, families and friends gathered October 15 in the Centennial Gymtorium for the fourth annual Senior Ring Dance. TOP: Seniors Rory Davis, Yuqi Jin, Yasheng Lou, Lihan Zhang, Yuchen Zhang and Zenghui Zhang. Photo by Akele Carpentier '18. BOTTOM LEFT: Raul Correa '17 and his parents on October 15. Photo by Christine Smith. BOTTOM RIGHT: Senior Robert Shields and his girlfriend Hannah Ghidey. Photo by Christine Smith.

CONVOCATION: Rob McGrath, first-year Cadet Chorus director, conducts October 15 at the Fall Family Weekend Convocation. Pictured: freshmen Braulio Diaz, Michael Just and Itiel Palacios; sophomores Matthew Thibodeaux, Erick Trevino and Aocheng Wu; juniors Parker Yeary and Eryao Zhang; and seniors Antonio Montes and Justtin Muilenburg. Photo by Liam VanHoesen '19. GISA GRINS: During the Passing Through ceremony on October 15, freshman Kenny Gisa (one of 14 Delta recruits formally accepted into the Corps) beams at Battalion Commander senior Gregory Prinster. Photo by Erin Chambers.

Corps contributes thousands of hours of COMMUNITY SERVICE on Tyronn Lue Day of Service and in Lunch Buddy, Buddy Pack programs In order to progress to the next grade, students must complete a minimum of 10 to 20 hours of community service each school year.

Cadets picked up a few hours here and there with

one-time jobs like serving as waiters at local events or ushers at Presser Hall Performing Arts Center. The bulk of the requirement, however, was met by year-long programs like Buddy Packs and Lunch Buddies as well as all-school service days. TYRONN LUE DAY OF SERVICE MMA's Fall Community Service Day was held in conjunction with Mexico's Tyronn Lue Day of Service on October 18. Local businesses, CONTINUED ON PAGE 84

JENNINGS CLEANUP: For the second consecutive year, cadets volunteered to help tidy up an impoverished neighborhood in Jennings. Pictured: MAJ Keith Morgan; juniors Erick Puente and Connor Sims; and freshmen Michael Naughton, Dongyang Chen and William English. October 22. Photo courtesy of Naughton.

VETERANS DAY VOLUNTEERS: Sophomore Railsplitter Alican Yumuk clips an American flag to a pole November 9. In honor of Veterans Day, members of the Boy Scouts and Railsplitters post dozens of flags each year at the Missouri Veterans Home. Photo courtesy of Cheryl Morris. SENIOR SERVICE: Senior students Robert Shields, Antonio Montes, Benjamin Nixon and Rory Davis pause for a photo in the Mosers parking lot while picking up litter October 18. Photo courtesy of LTC Willis Kleinsorge.

WHITE (AND SILVER) WASHING AT LEFT: Juniors Victor Arturo Leon, Pedro Da Rocha, Francisco Fletes and Wulan Bateer pose while painting a fence at a housing complex near campus October 18. Photo by Erin Chambers.

ABOVE: During an October 28 field trip to Hannibal, cadets (left) Juan Pablo Cepeda '18, (right) Ernesto Melgar '17, Luis Nachon '18 and Alejandro Gastelum '17 whitewash Tom Sawyer's famous fence. Photos by junior Erick Puente. For more on the English class field trip to Hannibal, see page 64.

CROWD CONTROL: Armed with flashlights, cadets pose December 1 while volunteering as ushers at the Presser Hall Performing Arts Center's production of Into the Woods. Pictured: Connor Sims '18; sophomores Christian Foster and Rhys Bullington; and freshmen Kenny Gisa, Itiel Palacios and Clifton Cline. Photo by Erin Chambers.

BELOW: Akele Carpentier '18 and Charles Eckardt '17 pose with Buddy Pack boxes March 15. Photo by Erin Chambers. CONTINUED FROM PAGE 82 churches and schools joined the Academy to celebrate Mexico native and rookie Cleveland Cavaliers head coach Tyronn Lue. He made national news in June 2016 as the Cavaliers won their first NBA Championship; Lue thus became the first coach in NBA history to win his first ten post-season games. A street in Mexico was renamed Tyronn Lue Boulevard in his honor. BUDDY PACKS Every Monday evening throughout the school year, under the watchful eyes of MAJ Keith Morgan, cadets gathered to assemble Buddy Packs. Buddy Packs are bags of kid-friendly nutrition given to local, underprivileged children to take home during weekends and holidays. In many cases, children report that this is the only food they have when they are not at school. An assembly line of students add items such as canned pasta and granola bars to individual bags, which are passed down the line and filled before being packed in boxes. "It allows us to be part of the community by helping out, but it's also fun to get together," Mitchell Duing '18 said of the program, which is coordinated by The Food Bank for Central and Northeast Missouri. "It bonds us together and it bonds us with the community." MMAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Buddy Pack program and similar volunteer operations help distribute food to 104,000 people a mo 32 counties. "It helps us relate with our teachers and also with other cadets," Sky Thunderchild '19 said. "It makes us stronger." "It exposes them to a part of a world they might not otherwise be exposed to," Morgan said. "It's a great way to give back." During the 2015-16 school year, the Corps of Cadets contributed a total of 4,291 hours of community service. For more on the Lunch Buddy program, see page 164.

BELOW: Dawson Lane '19. Photo courtesy of Cheryl Morris.

WHAT DO YOU LIKE ABOUT BEING A LUNCH BUDDY? MATTHEW GHIDEY '18 The best part of being a Lunch Buddy is just hanging out with my little buddy. And just talking about what has been happening in his life and just having fun. JUAN DIEGO SILVA '17 I like being a positive influence on people and I like to feel like somebody looks up to me. FRANCISCO FLETES '18 Playing with all of the kids at recess. You really get to see them enjoy themselves. All the teachers tell us how much fun they have when we are over. It makes you feel good about yourself.

WHAT DO YOU LIKE TO DO WITH YOUR LUNCH BUDDY? MATTHEW GHIDEY '18 My buddy's name is Houston. Houston is a very funny, outgoing [kid]. One of my favorite things to do with my buddy Houston is to play kickball and talk about our favorite NFL team: the New York Giants. VICTOR ARTURO LEON '18 We like to play tag, or in the classroom I just help him with his homework. FRANCISCO FLETES '18 Play around during recess. I ask him if he likes Legos or PokĂŠmon. ... I want him to feel like I'm an actual big brother.

ABOVE: Sophomore Alexander Hamm cleans debris February 19. Photo by sophomore Liam VanHoesen. AT LEFT: Lunch Buddy Pedro Da Rocha '18. Photo courtesy of Cheryl Morris.

ONE: Brandon Lane '20 and Jaden Rogge '20. TWO: Sophomore Stamatis Pelekanos. THREE: Richard Choy '19 and Nolan Kilpatrick '18. FOUR: Nolan Kilpatrick '18. FIVE: Alejandro Cohen '20. All photos shot March 27 by Erin Chambers.

SIX: Michael Naughton '20 poses with debris cleared October 22. Photo courtesy of Naughton. SEVEN: Lunch Buddy Leonardo Caruzo '17, October 10. Photo courtesy of Cheryl Morris.

ABOVE: Andrew Rittmaster '19 and Tyler Henigman '19 rake the front lawn February 20. EIGHT: Patricio Valdes '21 serves as a waiter February 11. Photos by Erin Chambers. NINE: Seniors Ramon Rodriguez and Javier Salazar volunteer at the Williams Family Support Center during the One Hundred Man Luncheon on March 8. Photo by Clifton Cline '20.

THE MEN BEHIND THE MASCOT The following is an interview with MMA's costumed cadets Connor Sims '18 and Alican Yumuk '19. FAR RIGHT: Sophomore costume contest finalists Rhys Bullington, ghillie suit, and Sky Thunderchild, dinosaur, stand before the Corps as cadets vote for their favorite outfits. Thunderchild took third place â&#x20AC;&#x201D; first place went to Jose Balanza '17 and second to Cesar Garza '17. "I picked it because I knew it would be different from everyone else," Thunderchild said of his inflatable costume. Photo by Erick Puente '18.

What do you like about being the mascot? Sims: I always get to see the game and Corps from a different perspective. Yumuk: It's just something I always wanted to do. It's on my bucket list.

PUMPKINS TWO WAYS

While LTC Willis Kleinsorge's advisory carved real pumpkins on October 27, members of Cheryl Morris' MS art class mixed things up and created unique paper pumpkins October 31. FOUR: Nathan Nolan '22. FIVE: Peter Casella '21. SEVEN: Mario Garcia '21. Photos courtesy of Morris. SIX: Scout Jones '22. Photo courtesy of LTC Kleinsorge.

What is it like in the suit? Sims: You sweat a lot inside the costume and you get tired very fast. Yumuk: All the heat trapped inside that costume! Hot, hairy and you can barely see anything.

BOOKWORMS : Costumed staff members pose October 31. Pictured: Chaz Baker, Christine Beshears, LT Kevin Bissmeyer, LCDR William Bushnell, Megan Cavaiani, CSGT Mike Harding, Kylie Huck, Rob McGrath, Cheryl Morris, LT Sean Peters, Fran Robley, Dr. Ayanna Shivers, Christine Smith and Rachel Yim. Photo by Erin Chambers.

THE SCARLET LETTER Christine Beshears Q: What was your literary costume? A: Hester Prynne from The Scarlet Letter. This was the first book assigned to me in junior high. Q: Why did you choose Hester? A: She had the guts to face the town. ONE: Sims, September 23. TWO: Sims, October 20. THREE: Sims, senior Sugar Dashdavaa, senior Zenghui Zhang and sophomore Erick Trevino. September 30, home football game. Photos courtesy of LTC Willis Kleinsorge.

HARRY POTTER Chaz Baker Q: What was your literary costume? A: Harry Potter. I read the first book when I was in sixth grade. Q: Why did you choose Harry? A: You meet Harry when he started out with hardly anything. His bedroom as boy was in a cupboard under the stairs. As the story continues, Potter transforms into a powerful wizard. That's great! We can all transform into something great if we work hard.

PRIDE AND PREJUDICE Megan Cavaiani Q: What was your literary costume? A: I chose to be Elizabeth Bennett from Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen. Q: Why did you choose Elizabeth? A: I think this character is independent, strong-willed, intelligent and classy. It is everything I want to be. THE CATCHER IN THE RYE LCDR William Bushnell Q: What was your literary costume? A: My costume was Holden Caufield from The Catcher in the Rye. Q: Why did you choose Holden? A: I admire his empathy. He's the kind of young man who will stand in the rain to make sure his younger sister won't spin off the carousel.

BAD RELIGION: Joshua Evans '19, Emiliano Gonzalez '18, Tyler Jansing '19, Ashton Knipfer '20, Jacob McMahon '18 and Alican Yumuk '19 pose October 29. Photo by Aaron Thompson '17.

ORWELL'S 1984 Rachel Yim Q: What was your literary costume? A: I chose Julia, the female protagonist from George Orwell's 1984. Q: Why did you choose Julia? A: Because she's one of the main characters in one of my favorite books. THE LORD OF THE RINGS LT Kevin Bissmeyer Q: What was your literary costume? A: I chose Frodo Baggins from the Lord of the Rings book series. Q: Why did you choose Frodo? A: I have always admired Frodo because he took on tremendous responsibility without asking for anything in return. He set out to help people simply because it was the right thing to do.

HS HOLIDAY: Cadets pose during the annual Halloween celebration October 29. Pictured: juniors Juan Pablo Cepeda, Victor Arturo Leon and Luis Nachon; and seniors Jose Balanza, Raul Escarcega, Cesar Garza, Alejandro Gastelum, Ernesto Melgar, Antonio Montes, Ramon Rodriguez, Javier Salazar and Hector Villanueva. Photo by Erick Puente '18.

MS MAZE: Seventh graders Max Pitman, Felix Tonella and Victor Vielledent and eighth graders Tamar Modise, Patricio Valdes and Jiachen Yan pose October 28 during a field trip to Shyrocks corn maze. Photo courtesy of LTC Willis Kleinsorge.

BELOW: Jiachen Yan '21 at Maroon & Gold. All photos by Erin Chambers.

CADET FUNDRAISING CHALLENGE The second annual Maroon & Gold Cadet Fundraising Challenge began February 14 and ended on March 1. Gift card drawings were held each day at noon mess while team meetings were held each evening in the Canteen. The Corps was split into four teams and competed for a team trip to Worlds of Fun and raffle tickets for the Maroon & Gold event â&#x20AC;&#x201D; co-captains juniors Carlos Liriano and Joseph Mulvey ultimately led Team Four to victory.

By noon mess on day two, the Corps had already raised $4,125. By day twelve, cadets were up to $17,770, eventually climbing to a final total of $20,420. Eighth grader Cyrus Cornelius and juniors Nolan Kilpatrick and Carlos Liriano received $1,000 Amazon gift cards at noon mess March 1 for their participation in the Maroon & Gold Cadet Fundraising Challenge. (Pictured in photo FOUR.)

[ONE] Nicholas Callahan '19, [THREE] Antonio Montes '17, [FIVE] Thomas Kiefer '19 and [SIX] Mitchell Duing '18 perform April 8 at the Maroon & Gold gala fundraiser. TWO: Senior Gregory Prinster addresses the crowd at Maroon & Gold 2017. SEVEN: William English '20, Charles Eckardt '17, Robert Abbott '20 and Griffin Gilman '17 attend a Cadet Fundraising Challenge team meeting February 14.

EIGHT: Griffin Henry '19 and William English '20 sign thank-you notes February 16 for Maroon & Gold donors. NINE: Erick Trevino '19 and Itiel Palacios '20 perform with the Cadet Chorus at Maroon & Gold on April 8.

MAROON & GOLD MMA supporters gathered April 8 at the Chase Park Plaza Hotel in St. Louis for the 2017 Maroon & Gold gala fundraiser. The event raised a net revenue of $60,363 and marked the highestever Maroon & Gold attendance with a total of 258 guests. More than 120 raffles and live and silent auction items raised a total of $19,775

while the Art Department received $10,000 toward the purchase of new pottery wheels thanks to the Raise the Paddle. MMA also received a $100,000 commitment for expanding the back campus facilities. Thomas Huckins '20 was named the first-ever Major General Robert Flanagan Endowed Scholarship recipient. Lt. Gen. John F. Sattler received the annual Gen. Clifton B. Cates Class of 1910 â&#x20AC;&#x153;I Will Holdâ&#x20AC;? Award for Leadership.

TWO: Jorge Quiros '19. THREE: Mauricio Trevino '20, Arturo Salazar '18, Justin Shazar '18. FOUR: Samuel Guo '19. FIVE: Ruochen Xue '19 and Zihao Li '19. SIX: Pedro Da Rocha '18, Pablo De Saro '19. SEVEN: Yednekachew Atkins '17. EIGHT: Lihan Zhang '17. NINE: Charles Eckardt '17. TEN: Brandon Lane '20. ELEVEN: Alexander Seibert '18, Wulan Bateer '18. TWELVE: Michael Naughton '20. THIRTEEN: Dario Rodriguez '19. FOURTEEN: Cyrus Cornelius '21.

ONE: Gabriel Pro '20 and Kenny Gisa '20. Photo by freshman Derek Nguyen. BELOW: Victor Armando Leon '18 and senior Julien Mugabo. Photo by freshman Clifton Cline.

AT RIGHT: Stamatis Pelekanos '19. Photo by William English '20. BELOW: Victor Arturo Leon '18, seniors Gabriel Elizondo, Ramon Rodriguez, Juan Diego Silva. Photo courtesy of LCDR William Bushnell.

School parties, DPs, football games and field trips â&#x20AC;&#x201D; THE LIGHTER SIDE of MMA

Photos one, five, six by Denver Jenkins '20. Photo two by Liam VanHoesen '19. Photos three, nine by Clifton Cline '20. Photos four, fourteen by Erin Chambers. Photo seven by Garrett Stafford '18. Photo eight by Christian Foster '19. Photo ten by Derek Nguyen '20. Photos eleven, twelve by Aaron Thompson '17. Photo thirteen by Alican Yumuk '19.

ABOVE: Pine Ridge trip attendees Tyler Henigman '19 and Matthew Thibodeaux '19. Photo by Liam VanHoesen '19.

TWELVE: Sophomores Angel Alcaraz, Rhys Bullington; juniors Carlos Liriano, Joseph Mulvey, Alexander Seibert; seniors Jose Balanza, Alejandro Gastelum, Mig Gisa. THIRTEEN: Yinzhou Wang '18 and Weiming Zhu '22. FOURTEEN: Charles Eckardt '17, Tingkai Gu '19, Yanlin Chen '18, Jiachen Yan '21, Siwei Zhao '22, Weiming Zhu '22. LEFT PAGE: Carlos Liriano '18 and seniors Charles Eckardt and Zenghui Zhang. Dumpling Festival, October 27.

Cadets celebrate Lunar New Year with decorations, calligraphy and Chinese cuisine

FALL SEMESTER Four chaperones and 27 cadets ate a traditional seven course dinner October 27 at the ninth annual Friends of China Chinese Dumpling Festival in Columbia, Missouri. Columbia Friends of China volunteers prepared approximately 5,000 handmade dumplings for the roughly 260 attendees. SPRING SEMESTER Students decked Barnard Hall with paper dragons and lanterns January 18 to celebrate Lunar New Year. On January 27, in addition to MMA's same-day Lunar New Year lunch held in the cafeteria, several students enjoyed a second holiday meal during a dinner outing at ABC Chinese Cuisine and Hong Kong Market in Columbia, Missouri. Members of foreign language instructor Wei Xu's Chinese class experimented with calligraphy February 2, copying the symbol fĂş, or "good luck." Left page, inset and photos 1 to 3, 6 to 9, 12 to 14 by Erin Chambers. Photos 5, 10 and 11 by freshman Clifton Cline. Photo four by junior Connor Sims.

HOW IS YOUR HOME COUNTRY'S FOOD DIFFERENT THAN U.S. FOOD? JULIEN MUGABO '17 I actually like the food here better. ... There is so much variety of food. You can have different options. But in Rwanda, it's the same stuff. JEAN-LUC SHYAKA '17 Here there is a lot of fast food. It's a lot of frozen food. Here there are french fries in a bag in the freezer. BAYAR-ERDENE OLDOKHBAYAR '17 The most common thing is meat. We eat a lot of meat. I like U.S. food better because there is a lot of variety. ONE: Joseph Mulvey '18. TWO: Yanlin Chen '18. THREE: Jose Balanza '17. FOUR: Timothy De Groot '18. FIVE: Jiachen Yan '21. SIX: Rhys Bullington '19. SEVEN: Chinese instructor Wei Xu and Alejandro Gastelum '17. EIGHT: Garrett Stafford '18, Denver Jenkins '20 and Arturo Salazar '18. NINE: Yiliyang Song '20. TEN: Garrett Stafford '18, Charles Eckardt '17 and Yuan Cui '20. ELEVEN: Aocheng Wu '19, Siwei Zhao '22, Yuan Cui '20 and Haoyang Yuan '20.

Cadets left their shoes outside their rooms on December 8 and, upon waking the following morning, each received a chocolate Santa and a scroll describing the St. Nickâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s tradition. The Parents Committee hosted Milk & Cookies Night on December 11 while the Corps hosted Missouri School for the Deaf students at the annual MSD holiday party the following evening. Middle schoolers in Cheryl Morris' third period art class celebrated by creating Christmas ornaments December 14. LUNCH BUDDY BASH On December 14, nearly 30 cadets and more than 20 elementary school students from Mexico Public Schools gathered in the MMA library for a Lunch Buddy holiday party. The elementary school students and several parents arrived by bus for the party, which included refreshments, music from the band and gifts for students. Each student posed for a photograph with Santa (senior Javier Salazar) and decorated a holiday picture frame to hold it. Also in attendance were Fran Robley, Ms. Claus (Penny Bealmear) and two elves (eighth graders Victor Patino and Peter Casella.) HEADED HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS On December 16, the final day of school before leaving on furlough, students and staffers spread some holiday cheer by singing carols in the halls between second and third period. A few hours later, cadets donned hats and mustaches courtesy of the Parents Committee during the annual holiday luncheon. The 76th annual Evensong, a musical telling of the Christmas story, was canceled due to inclement weather.

CORPS OF CADETS CELEBRATES WITH CHRISTMAS PARTIES, COMMUNITY SERVICE, CRAFTS AND CAROLING

HITTING THE SLOPES: Four chaperones and 18 cadets enjoyed skiing and snowboarding at Hidden Valley Ski Area on January 29. Pictured: Juan Pablo Cepeda, Gabriel Elizondo, William English, Elian Harants, Denver Jenkins, Victor Armando Leon, Ernesto Melgar, Javier Salazar, Connor Sims, Felix Tonella, Patricio Valdes and Victor Vielledent. CHRISTMAS CRAFTS: Eighth grader Victor Patino shows off the ornament he made in Cheryl Morris' third period middle school art class December 15. Photo courtesy of Morris.

THANKSGIVING TURKEY CHICKEN On November 23, two students — eighth grader Shane Macon (top) and freshman Fernando Zahuita (bottom) — enjoyed a unique "turkey day" experience. The duo wrangled chickens, rode a tractor and fed cows at a local farm owned by admissions representative Chaz Baker's parents. Photos courtesy of Chaz Baker.

DECKING THE HISTORICAL HALLS: Cadets decorate the Audrain County Historical Society. November 16. Pictured: Tuguldur Altangerel, Zhuoli Cai, Yanlin Chen, Zhicheng Mao, QiTao Wang, Jiwei Ye, Zhen Wei Yin, Lihan Zhang, Jiaxuan Zhou, Zihan Zhu. Photos courtesy of LT Lu Shu.

DECEMBER DOOFUSES

TOP: Dawson Lane '19 and eighth grade "elves" Peter Casella and Victor Patino pose December 16 during the Lunch Buddy holiday party. Photo courtesy of Cheryl Morris. BOTTOM: Gabriel Penha '20 poses with a Christmas decoration in the Charlie lobby December 17. Photo by Fernando Zahuita '20.

HOLLY JOLLY JUNIOR: Junior Oswaldo Fierro wears his glasses on top of a silly hat December 16 during the annual holiday luncheon. Photo by Fernando Zahuita '20.

PHOTO 1: Cassandra Brooks, Christian Foster '19. PHOTO 2: Scout Jones '22. PHOTO 3: Matthew Thibodeaux '19, Luis De Leon '19. PHOTO 4: Paul Murphy '18. PHOTO 5: Mitchell Duing '18. PHOTO 6: Jorge Quiros '19. PHOTO 7: Rory Davis '17, Yuan Cui '20, Sergio Contreras '19. PHOTO 8: Sugar Dashdavaa '17. PHOTO 9: Chaz Baker. PHOTO 10: Lucas Pranger '18.

PHOTO 11: Zhicheng Mao '19. PHOTO 12: Donald Williams '18. PHOTO 13: Wulan Bateer '18, Patricio Valdes '21. PHOTO 14: Cheryl Morris; sophomore Alexander Hamm; juniors Nyamkhuu Chinguun, Pedro Da Rocha, Joseph Guth, Victor Arturo Leon, Erick Puente and Yinzhou Wang; seniors Sugar Dashdavaa, Parker Koontz and Jean-Luc Shyaka. PHOTO 15: Gabriel Penha '20, SFC John Biddle and Connor Sims '18. PHOTO 16: Akele Carpentier '18. PHOTO 17: Arturo Salazar '18. PHOTO 18: Michael Naughton '20. PHOTO 19: Mauricio Trevino '20. PHOTO 20: Victor Armando Leon '18. PHOTO 21: Alejandro Gastelum '17, Raul Escarcega '17. PHOTO 22: Justin Shazar '18, Emiliano Gonzalez '18

PHOTO 23: Javier Salazar '17. PHOTO 24: Victor Arturo Leon '18. PHOTO 25: Clifton Cline '20. PHOTO 26: Parker Koontz '17, juniors Alexander Seibert and Erick Puente. PHOTO 27: Nyamkhuu Chinguun '18.

Cadets make the most of their Christmas gifts from the Parents Committee: goody bags, mustaches and silly hats

PHOTO 28: Derek Nguyen '20, WrayVauze Givens '20. PHOTO 29: Haoyang Yuan '20. PHOTO 30: Pedro Risovas '19, Justin Shazar '18. PHOTO 31: Max Pitman '22 and Irvin Rodriguez '18. PHOTO 32: Christine Beshears. PHOTO 33: Shuo Dong '19. Photos 7, 14, 20 and 27 courtesy of Cheryl Morris. Photos 1, 6, 8, 9, 11-13, 15, 21-23, 26 and 30-32 by Fernando Zahuita '20. Photos 2-5, 10, 16, 17, 19, 24, 25, 28, 29 and 33 by Erin Chambers. Photo 18 by Liam VanHoesen '19.

HOW DID YOU FEEL WHEN YOU FINISHED THE CRUCIBLE? CONNOR SIMS '18 I felt like all of the new cadets in Delta Company came together and helped each other finish. HAOYANG YUAN '20 Happy [with a] sense of accomplishment. PEDRO DA ROCHA '18 Exhausted!

WHAT WAS THE HARDEST PART OF THE CRUCIBLE? ALEJANDRO COHEN '20 Walking with the rucksack. PEDRO DA ROCHA '18 The water combat, because my shoulders and arms started to fatigue and I felt panicked. JOSEPH GUTH '18 The swimming was the hardest by far because I'm not a very good swimmer.

VICTOR VIELLEDENT '22 Tired, but good.

DENVER JENKINS '20 The ruck march. It was a very fast pace.

JOSEPH GUTH '18 Exhausted. It was one of the hardest athletic activities that I have done.

JUSTIN SHAZAR '18 The mile run. I hate running!

RHYS BULLINGTON '19 I can accomplish more physically.

ALICAN YUMUK '19 The ruck march. ... Your heels are being torn apart.

CLIFTON CLINE '20 Dead! QITAO WANG '20 Very tired. VICTOR PATINO '21 I felt tired but at the same time I felt so good.

All photos shot September 17. Photos two, three, four, five and seven by Christian Foster '19. Photo six by Liam VanHoesen '19. Award-winning photo one by Erick Puente '18. For details, see page 200.

TWO: Wulan Bateer '18.

ONE: Mario Garcia '21. FOUR: Phoenixsun Jumper '19.

RUCK MARCH, TIMED MILE RUN, OBSTACLE COURSE, PAINTBALL BATTLE, RAPPELLING AND WATER SURVIVAL — CADETS PUSHED TO THEIR LIMITS IN PHYSICAL TRAINING CHALLENGE

THREE: Haoming Yang '20. FIVE: Seventh grader Victor Vielledent. SIX: Barrington Stanford '19. SEVEN: Yesuntumur Gankhurel '19.

New cadets were welcomed into the Corps following the biannual Crucible, a series of physical exercises designed to push students to their limits. “The Crucible is the capstone event all recruits have to undertake before they are recognized as new cadets and accepted into the Corps of Cadets,” Director of Cadet Life WO2 Rik Thornton said. “All necessary skills required to complete the course have been taught and practiced during New Recruit Training so that the event is completed in a high-speed, professional manner.” On September 17, each cadet completed events including a PT test with push-ups, pull-ups and a timed mile run; a two-mile ruck march

carrying a 35-pound sandbag; an obstacle course; a paintball battle demonstrating knowledge of small unit tactics; a 40-foot climb up and 50-foot rappel down the MMA tower; and a combat water survival swim. Recruits donned ACUs and dove into the pool one-byone during water training. Students hugged a rifle to their side while holding their other arm out for a greater surface area upon impact. Once submerged, while still toting their rifles, cadets each tread water for 30 seconds and swam two lengths of the pool without touching the bottom or sides. Cadets next practiced creating a makeshift floatation device using a pair of ACU pants. Their goal: use the pants to remain buoyant for at least two minutes. The spring Crucible was held February 4 for mid-year boys. For more on combat water survival, see page 106.

AT RIGHT: Cadets pose January 27 for the annual Facebook post wishing the MMA community a happy Lunar New Year. Pictured: seventh graders Ma, Shao, Zhao and Zhu; freshmen Chen, Cui, Song, Wang, Yang and Yuan; sophomores Dong, Dongfang, Gu, Li, Mao and Wu; juniors Bateer, Wang, Ye, Yi, Yin, Zhang and Zhou; and seniors Eckardt and Pongsuea. Photo by Erin Chambers.

WHAT DO YOU MISS MOST ABOUT YOUR HOME COUNTRY? THUQAN HINDAWI '18 Wearing the traditional clothes because it's more comfortable. JORGE QUIROS '19 More than anything, my brother and parents. PEDRO DA ROCHA '18 The thing that I miss most about my home country is my house, because nothing makes me feel more relaxed. MAURICIO TREVINO '20 Everything — the people, the food, the way I live.

WHAT DO YOU LIKE ABOUT AMERICA?

ONE: Panelists Cai, Dashdavaa, Gisa, Hindawi, Montes, Perera. Photo by Erin Chambers.

THUQAN HINDAWI '18 Americans, they care a lot about their country. They respect their country. MIG GISA '17 People here are more friendly. It's easy to talk. SUGAR DASHDAVAA '17 The weather is nice. In my country it's usually cold, and even in the summer it's really cold. It's always raining. We barely see the sun. ZHUOLI CAI '18 It's easy to move cities or leave. In China we don't really move. We just stay in the city — study, work.

TAN'S TRIP: Cadets pose October 7 with MMA's international admissions representative Jason Tan. Pictured: seventh graders Siwei Zhao and Weiming Zhu; freshmen Yuan Cui and QiTao Wang; sophomores Richard Choy, Shuo Dong and Zhicheng Mao; juniors Zhuoli Cai, Yinzhou Wang, Jiwei Ye, Zihan Zhu and Jiaxuan Zhou; and seniors Yuqi Jin and Zenghui Zhang. Photo by Erin Chambers.

THREE: Rory Davis '17, Yesuntumur Gankhurel '19, Timothy De Groot '18, Mig Gisa '17, Zhicheng Mao '19 and Luis Nachon '18 in the art room February 7. Photo courtesy of Cheryl Morris.

A panel of 12 cadets and three Mexico High School foreign exchange students addressed members of the

MHS junior class February 24 at the 7th annual Mexico Global Roundtable. The panel discussed topics including food, geography, stereotypes, school structure, weather and national issues.

MMA participants were: juniors Zhuoli Cai and Jiaxuan Zhou of China; seniors Mig Gisa, Jean-Luc Shyaka and Julien Mugabo of

Rwanda; seniors Sugar Dashdavaa and Bayar-Erdene Oldokhbayar of Mongolia; seniors Jose Balanza and

Antonio Montes of Mexico; junior Thuqan Hindawi of the United Arab Emirates; Cesar Perera â&#x20AC;&#x2122;18 of Spain; and Pedro Da Rocha â&#x20AC;&#x2122;18 of Brazil. Gisa, Cai and Mugabo served as panelists for the second consecutive year.

TWO: Cadets pose January 27 for the annual Facebook post wishing the MMA community a happy Lunar New Year. Pictured: sophomores Khaliguun Enkhbayar, Yesuntumur Gankhurel, Zhicheng Mao and Sodbileg Shagdarsuren; juniors Wulan Bateer, Edward Cha, Nyamkhuu Chinguun, Davaasuren Dashdavaa; and seniors Tuguldur Altangerel, Sugar Dashdavaa and Bayar-Erdene Oldokhbayar. FOUR: Panelists Jean-Luc Shyaka '17, Jiaxuan Zhou '18, Julien Mugabo '17 and Jose Balanza '17. February 24. Photos by Erin Chambers.

BIRTHDAY BOYS (AND GIRL)

ONE: Band members pose with 95-year-old Ruby Blaisdell and her family after playing Happy Birthday for her September 27. Blaisdell and her late husband worked in the Canteen for 17 years. Pictured: Bolinger, Chen, Duing, Kiefer, Grice, Lomas, Yeary and Yi. TWO: The Corps celebrated the birthday of Gen. Clifton B. Cates of the Class of 1910 on August 31. Gregory Prinster '17 cut Cates' birthday cake at noon mess â&#x20AC;&#x201D; with a saber rather than a knife. THREE: February 23, Prinster at Dos Arcos. FOUR: Senior Ed Tour participant Juan Diego Silva in New Zealand on February 25. Right page photos and photos one and two by Erin Chambers. Photo three courtesy of LTC Willis Kleinsorge. Photo four courtesy of LCDR William Bushnell.

ABOVE: Seventh grader Alexander Sheldon, science class on his birthday: February 21. Photo courtesy of LTC Willis Kleinsorge.

RIGHT PAGE: Cadets receive the Soldiers Bar on March 10. Pictured: Cepeda, Chen, Cline, Da Rocha, Gisa, Grice, Kiefer, Leon, Leon, Tompkins.

SOLDIERS BAR Having displayed "outstanding military courtesy, bearing, neatness, attitude and performance of duty" during the month of March, the following students received the Soldiers Bar on March 10 via Special Order No. 26. Angel Alcaraz '19 Juan Pablo Cepeda '18 Yanlin Chen '18 Clifton Cline '20 Pedro Da Rocha '18 Sugar Dashdavaa '17 Mig Gisa '17 Malachi Grice '18 Thomas Kiefer '19 Victor Armando Leon '18 Victor Arturo Leon '18 Luis Nachon '18 Tamir Nyamdavaa '18 Gabriel Perez '18 Justin Shazar '18 Aaron Thompson '17 Jiachen Yan '21

SALAD-SERVING SOPHOMORE: Jorge Quiros '19 sets out salads at the Valentine Dinner and Dance. Photo by Erin Chambers. All photos shot February 11.

FOUR: Tristen Mason '22 salutes Gregory Prinster '17 during the Passing Through ceremony. SEVEN: Miss Missouri Outstanding Teen and Miss Missouri local pageant queens pose with librarian Fran Robley.

DO YOU FOLLOW YOUR HEAD OR YOUR HEART? MICHAEL NAUGHTON '20 I follow my head because it's smarter than my heart. CHRISTIAN FOSTER '19 My heart, because my heart knows what's right. CHRISTINE BESHEARS My head. The heart gets broken too easily. ALICAN YUMUK '19 I follow both because both have their advantages and disadvantages.

[ONE] Pablo De Saro '19 and [THREE] fellow new boys stand at parade rest in the field house prior to the Passing Through ceremony. Photos three and four courtesy of LTC Willis Kleinsorge. TWO: Pedro Da Rocha '18 escorts Valentine Ball Queen Ashtyn Lagemann to the stage for her crowning. Photos one, two, five and six by Erin Chambers. Photo seven by Christine Smith.

LOCAL QU EENS A ND TEENS STE P I N DU RI NG MISS M I S S O U RI 'S ABSE NCE, AT T END VA LENT I NE DI NNER A ND DA NCE EN MASSE

Valentine Weekend began bright and early with a Boy Scout pancake breakfast fundraiser, Parents Committee meeting and parent-teacher conferences. Eighteen new boys were formally welcomed into the 128th Corps of Cadets via Special Order No. 22 at the biannual Passing Through ceremony in the field house. The mid-year boys were recognized for completing their four-week Maroon Phase, during which they studied the Cadet Handbook, practiced the basics of military drill and learned how to keep their rooms and uniforms to standard. The new boys first recited an Honor Pledge in unison before being called one-by-one. As each cadetâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s name was read, he marched forward and shook hands with administrators and Battalion Commander senior Gregory Prinster. Recruits then joined their companies and participated in a Battalion Review. The day was capped off with the winter wonderlandthemed Valentine Dinner and

Dance sponsored by the junior class and coordinated by librarian Fran Robley. Guests shook hands with receiving line members including: Prinster; Academy President Charles McGeorge and his wife Joy; Miss Audrain Debrielle Patee-Merrill; LTC Greg Seibert and his wife Mary; and Interim Dean Edsel Baker and his wife Dawn. Though Miss Missouri was not in attendance, guests included more than ten local pageant queens at the Miss Missouri and Miss Missouri Outstanding Teen levels. The event culminated in the crowning of Valentine Ball Queen Ashtyn Lagemann by PateeMerrill.

FIVE: Junior Alexander Seibert dances with Katie Pugh at the Valentine Ball. SIX: Sophomores Barrington Stanford and Thomas Kiefer set tables at the Valentine Ball. HORSE AND CARRIAGE: Temesgen Ghidey '18 and freshmen WrayVauze Givens, Robert Abbott and Derek Nguyen pose with fellow Valentine Ball attendees.

WHAT WAS THE HARDEST THING ABOUT SCUBA TRAINING? CLIFTON CLINE '20 Getting used to breathing in a constant pattern underwater. LIAM VANHOESEN '19 Fixing the weights and keeping pressure equalized in my ears. ... Learning how to breathe while underwater. You have to learn how to use an oxygen tank. It just feels weird. You have to always be breathing. You can't just stop breathing for a minute or you will die and your lungs will explode or collapse. RAUL ESCARCEGA '17 The hardest thing is equalizing your ears.

At MMA, we have an amazing pool on hand for anything that we could throw at it. We host SCUBA classes, lifeguard classes, and also Combat WATER SURVIVAL Skills during the Crucible. The CWSS class teaches basic skills that may be needed in a water situation. We teach cadets how to swim with a rifle. We also have them tread water and practice staying afloat for a long time. After that, they create a life vest out of ACU pants to show them what to do if they are in a crash. And these skills are very useful in everyday life as well. We do a lot more, but this is the minimum requirement for all new boys and leaders. — AARON THOMPSON '17

WHAT DOES IT FEEL LIKE TO BE UNDERWATER?

PATINO'S PLUNGE

CHRISTIAN FOSTER '19 It feels like you are in a place with no worries and that you can see anything from down there.

The following is a Q&A with Polar Plunge participant eighth grader Victor Patino. Why did you decide to take the Polar Plunge? I liked the idea of helping [support the] Special Olympics — and I wanted to see if I was tough. How did the water feel? The water was cold but it wasn't freezing at first. When we walked in I couldn't feel my legs or anything below my waist. When we got completely in the water I couldn't feel anything at all. How long did it take to get warm and dry again? It didn't take that long, about two to three minutes.

CLIFTON CLINE '20 It's just this weird feeling of being somewhere else in the world. LIAM VANHOESEN '19 The fish are very curious. They will swim up to you and wonder who you are. ... It is very, very amazing and something you have to experience to completely understand. SIX: SCUBA divers pose February 15. Pictured: Clifton Cline '20; sophomores Christian Foster and Liam VanHoesen; juniors Victor Armando Leon, Luis Nachon and Arturo Salazar; and seniors Raul Escarcega, Ernesto Melgar and Juan Diego Silva.

COLD COMMUNITY SERVICE Eight cadets and two staffers took the Polar Plunge at Mexico's Kiwanis Lake in Plunkett Park on February 17. A total of 165 participants raised more than $20,000 to benefit Special Olympics Missouri. SCUBA DIVING The Academy and Captain Nemo's Dive Shop of Columbia, Missouri, offered a first semester SCUBA diving course for interested cadets. "I wanted to experience new things and this was probably the only time in my life I would ever think to do this," SCUBA participant Liam VanHoesen '19 said. "I wanted to be certified. It could be useful in the military." Participants were required to purchase gear including a rebreather, wet suit, fins, boots, goggles and snorkel. The course included self-study, classroom presentations, pool training and safety lessons. Cadets learned about the dangers of descending too quickly — including decompression sickness and ruptured eardrums. On October 8, cadets completed four dives in Rolla, Missouri. Their goal: to earn an accredited Open Water Diver certification.

FIVE: Cadets and staffers prepare to take the Polar Plunge on February 17. Pictured: Angel Alcaraz '19, Alejandro Cohen '20, Jose Karam '21, Shane Macon '21, Victor Patino '21, LT Sean Peters, Connor Sims '18, senior Aaron Thompson and WO2 Rik Thornton.

TEN: Alexander Ebersole, Nicholas Kotzamanis, Justin Meshell, Jaden Rogge. January 20. ELEVEN: Yednekachew Atkins '17, eighth grader Peter Casella. October 31.

THE DEEP END: As Wulan Bateer '18 watches, Alican Yumuk steps off the diving board into the pool September 17. "I was tired but still pumped," the sophomore said of the Crucible. "I wanted to get it over with, but still wanted to do more with my brothers." Also pictured: Wulan Bateer '18. Photo by Christian Foster '19. For more on the Crucible, see page 98.

CANNONBALL! ONE: Ryan Hannagan '18. TWO: Freshman Elian Harants. THREE: Nicholas Kotzamanis '19. FOUR: Junior Joseph Guth. Photo four shot August 29 by Liam VanHoesen '19. Additional photos shot January 20 by Christian Foster '19.

SCUBA DIVERS

Clifton Cline '20 Raul Escarcega '17 Christian Foster '19 Styles Fountain '19 Victor Armando Leon '18 Ernesto Melgar '17 Luis Nachon '18 Arturo Salazar '18 Juan Diego Silva '17 Liam VanHoesen '19

SEVEN: Freshman QiTao Wang. Big Surf, August 9. Photo courtesy of LT Lu Shu. EIGHT: Sophomore SCUBA diver Styles Fountain. Photo by Emiliano Gonzalez '18. NINE: Sophomore Dario Rodriguez at the MMA pool. Photos nine, eleven by Erick Puente '18. Photo six by Erin Chambers. Photo five by Denver Jenkins '20. Photo ten by Christian Foster '19.

WHAT WAS THE BEST PART OF YOUR AJ? JOSEPH MULVEY '18 Being able to go out with friends and do physical activities, as well as sleep outside under the stars. FERNANDO ZAHUITA '20 Finally being able to see the campsite. MALACHI GRICE '18 Cooking on the camping stoves with propane. GABRIEL PEREZ '18 The fishing I was able to do. The area we camped at was breathtaking!

WHAT WAS THE HARDEST PART OF YOUR AJ? JOSEPH MULVEY '18 Hiking the last stretch toward campus. FERNANDO ZAHUITA '20 The hardest part of the AJ was coming back because I was super sore.

DOYRMS FELLOWS In early May 2016, senior Benjamin Snider and junior Edward Cha were selected to spend the fall 2016 semester studying abroad in England as the 2016-17 Duke of York’s Royal Military School Fellows. “I thought the program was something very different than most other study abroad programs and the more I looked into the Duke of York school, the more I wanted to go there,” Snider said. The selection process for the program, which marked its fourth consecutive year at MMA, included a resume, essay and face-to-face interviews. “The selection process was tough,” Cha said. “You can’t even apply if you do not have a GPA above a 3.25.” ADVENTURES ABROAD On September 15, Snider and Cha took part in Combined Cadet Force Training, a program similar to JROTC. On September 22, Cha and Snider were both promoted to the rank of Lance Corporal. On October 13, the duo enjoyed dinner at American restaurant Five Guys Burgers and Fries

MALACHI GRICE '18 The hardest part was walking the 23 miles — 12 miles on the first day, 11 on the second. GABRIEL PEREZ '18 The hardest part of my Adventurous Journey was the hike. The terrain was mostly gravel roads and was anything but easy! courtesy of DOYRMS Vice Principal Steven Saunderson during a two week school break. On November 7, Cha and Snider participated in a Westminster Abbey ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. “Snider and Cha represented both MMA and their country well during this exceptionally high profile event,” Saunderson said. On March 16, cadets gathered in the Memorial Chapel for the final all-school assembly before Spring Break. Juniors Alexander Schaaf and Matthew Ghidey were announced as the 2017-18 Duke of York’s Royal Military School Fellows. (Photo eight.)

DOE AWARD For the third consecutive year, the Academy offered cadets the opportunity to earn Duke of Edinburgh's Award medals. To earn a DOE award, cadets must provide community service, cultivate a skill, complete physical training and plan and embark on an Adventurous Journey. During an April 28 ceremony, president Charles McGeorge and LT Sean Peters presented nine cadets with the bronze award and junior Garrett Stafford with the silver award. "It is a display of continuous commitment and development in character," Peters said of the award.

NINE: Victor Arturo Leon '18 receives his Duke of Edinburgh's bronze medal during a Spring Family Weekend ceremony in the field house April 28. Photos one, five, seven by Connor Sims '18. Photos two, ten by Fernando Zahuita '20. Photos three, twelve courtesy of LTC Steven Saunderson. Photo eleven by WO2 Rik Thornton. Photo four by Gabriel Perez '18.

DUKE OF EDINBURGH'S AWARD MEDALISTS BRONZE MEDAL Jose Balanza '17 Samuel Guo '19 Victor Armando Leon '18 Victor Arturo Leon '18 Gabriel Perez '18 Ramon Rodriguez '17 Alexander Schaaf '18 Benjamin Snider '17 Aaron Thompson '17 SILVER MEDAL Garrett Stafford '18

FOUR & ELEVEN: Adventurous Journey, October 8. Pictured: Luis De Leon, Khaliguun Enkhbayar, Cesar Garza, Mig Gisa, Malachi Grice, Victor Arturo Leon, Tamir Nyamdavaa, Victor Patino, Gabriel Perez, Michael Raffkind, Erick Trevino, Fernando Zahuita. TEN: Victor Patino '21, October 7. TWELVE: Snider, Cha, MAJ David Cresswell, LTC Steven Saunderson, MAJ Andrew Nunn. Photos six, eight and nine by Erin Chambers.

TOP CHEF: Khaliguun Enkhbayar '19 cooks chicken ramen during an Adventurous Journey on October 7. Photo by freshman Fernando Zahuita. ONE: Jack Mitchell '19, February 17. TWO: Junior Gabriel Perez, October 7. THREE: Duke of York fellows Edward Cha '18 and Benjamin Snider '17 at Westminster Abbey. FIVE: Oswaldo Fierro '18 and Jose Karam '21. SIX: Juniors Joseph Guth, Donald Williams. SEVEN: Alejandro Cohen '20, February 17.

Two chaperones and 20 cadets participated in the annual Educational Tour from February 18 to 27. This yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s destination: New Zealand. The trip, which was coordinated by Worldstrides International Discovery Programs, included visits to Christchurch, Kaikoura, Wellington, Taupo, Rotorua and Matamata. The following is an account of each day's events written by LCDR William Bushnell, Samuel Carr '18, Juan Pablo Cepeda '18, Victor Arturo Leon '18, Luis Nachon '18, Ramon Rodriguez '17 and Patricio Valdes '21.

DAY ONE: CHRISTCHURCH

Nachon: After 14 hours on the airplane, we finally arrived at the airport in Auckland. Then we took another airplane to a city called Christchurch. Carr: When we first got there, we went to visit the International Antarctic Center. We also learned about the clothing that the people who work in Antarctica have to wear to survive the cold. I was glad to be able to stretch my legs after such a long flight and ride in the Antarctic vehicles. Nachon: Something that I liked a lot was a room where you could experience the extremely low temperature in the Antarctic. I was freezing! To conclude, we went on a ride on a snowmobile made for really extreme conditions. Valdes: We saw some penguins and learned about them. We even saw a 4D movie about Antarctica.

DAY TWO: KAIKOURA

The travelers woke early, taking a bus ride to Kaikoura. Cadets then boarded a boat at the beach for some whale watching. Cepeda: The crew spotted whales with the help of an airplane and a helicopter. When the boat stopped completely, we could move around and go on top of the boat to watch and take photos. Nachon: The boat was going really fast. I felt really seasick. Out of the 20 cadets, five threw up â&#x20AC;&#x201D; including me! Carr: I thought I was going to die of sea sickness the whole time! Leon: The boat was really fast. We were going around 90 km/h! People started to feel dizzy and barf. It was kind of funny because my brother was feeling sick. Five minutes later, I was the same position.

DAY THREE: CHRISTCHURCH

Bushnell: The day started at Adrenalin Forest, a high ropes confidence course that would make WO2 Rik Thornton cry with envy. Carr: I got stuck on the hardest course because pigeons were living inside of one of the obstacles. Valdes: I got trapped in a tree for 30 minutes. Alejandro Gastelum '17 helped me get to the other part of the tree. My friend saved my life! The MMA group next took a jet boat ride through the Waimakariri Gorge. Carr: The scenery was so beautiful. The water was all melted snow and ice so it was as blue as the sky. We could also go very close to the canyon walls. Nachon: We were going really fast and I could feel the wind in my face. The landscapes were astonishing. Cepeda: We ended up being completely soaked! Our boat captain played a prank on us and had a little fun with his driving. The day ended with a BBQ dinner cooked by Bushnell. CONTINUED ON PAGE 112

ONE: New Zealand Ed Tour participants pose following their whale watching trip. THREE: Silva '17 at Adrenalin Forest. Photos courtesy of LCDR William Bushnell.

Two chaperones and nine cadets embarked February 24 on the annual Educational Tour to Oglala Lakota reservation in Pine Ridge, South Dakota. Unlike MMA's annual international Ed Tour, the purpose of the Pine Ridge

trip is community service. Cadet volunteers are dispatched to work sites through the non-profit organization Re-Member, whose mission is to help improve the lives of impoverished Native Americans. While in South Dakota, according to CSGT Mike Harding, cadets chopped firewood and delivered

it "to thirty families on the reservation over three days." "In addition, the boys cut, measured and made ten wooden bunk bed frames from scratch," Harding said.

Trip highlights included a visit to the badlands, a tour of a local college and a "smudging" prayer ceremony in which herbs are burned to purify the soul. Upon returning to MMA, Harding ensured cadets were awarded a sleep-in due to "the physically hard work they completed in wintry and often sub-zero conditions."

PINE RIDGE ED TOUR Elian Harants '20 Tyler Henigman '19 Lucus Killion '18 Jacob McMahon '18 Garrett Stafford '18 Matthew Thibodeaux '19 Sky Thunderchild '19 Liam VanHoesen '19 Fernando Zahuita '20 CHAPERONES CSGT Mike Harding LTC Paul Gillette '70 TWO: Erick Trevino '19 does a wheelie on his electronic bike. Photo courtesy of LCDR Bushnell. For more about the Wellington ride, see page 160. FOUR: Pine Ridge Ed Tour participants and chaperones pose March 3. Photo courtesy Liam VanHoesen '19.

NEW ZEALAND ED TOUR Fabian Campos '18 Samuel Carr '18 Juan Pablo Cepeda '18 Luis De Leon '19 Braulio Diaz '20 Gabriel Elizondo '17 Francisco Fletes '18 Alejandro Gastelum '17 Victor Armando Leon '18 Victor Arturo Leon '18 Luis Nachon '18 Itiel Palacios '20 Irvin Rodriguez '18 Ramon Rodriguez '17 Justin Shazar '18 Juan Diego Silva '17 Felix Tonella '22 Erick Trevino '19 Patricio Valdes '21 Victor Vielledent '22 CHAPERONES LCDR William Bushnell Megan Cavaiani

DAY SIX: TAUPO

On day six, cadets were bused toward Rotorua. Nachon: While we were on the road, we saw a town called Taupo with a beautiful lake. We decided to stop and have a break. We realized that the beach was really nice so we changed plans and stayed at Huka Falls in Taupo for three hours. The Ed Tour group then continued to Rotorua. Cepeda: Everyone noticed the horrible smell when we entered the city. Our guide explained us that this was the excess of sulfur due to the geothermal water in Rotorua. Rodriguez: The whole town smelled like sulfur because of all of the underground boiling lakes. We found out that the whole area was on top of a magma river, making it a really hot place to live.

DAY FOUR: WELLINGTON

On day four, cadets boarded a plane and flew from Christchurch to Wellington, where they bicycled around Wellington Bay. For more about the ride, see page 160. Rodriguez: Next we had lunch at a market next to our hotel. This was the first time I tried a kebab or Turkish food, which I really enjoyed. Nachon: We went to the Pukeahu National War Memorial Park and we experienced a ceremony in which they lower the flag each day. I think it was a really good way to represent MMA. We also had time to talk with some military officers in New Zealand. Leon: It was an honor to lower the NZ colors in the capital city. And LCDR Bushnell was really proud of us because we did a great job. For more about the Last Post Ceremony, see page 177.

DAY SEVEN: ROTORUA

DAY FIVE: WELLINGTON

On day five, cadets visited the Te Papa Museum and the parliament building. Nachon: Today was the intellectual part of the trip. In the morning we had the opportunity to visit New Zealand's parliament. At the beginning we had a quick lesson about how New Zealand's government works. Carr: It was very interesting to see the similarities and differences between how it is in New Zealand and back in America. I did not expect it to be so similar. I found it very interesting that only small amounts of animals actually originated in New Zealand. It took a very long time for people to even arrive. Valdes: Another thing that we learned about New Zealand is that there are 10,000 earthquakes per year. Most of the time, New Zealand is moving throughout the earthquakes.

TWO: Felix Tonella '22 at Adrenalin Forest. Photo courtesy of LCDR William Bushnell.

ANIMAL ENCOUNTER

On day seven of the Ed Tour, senior Juan Diego Silva (top) and juniors Victor Arturo Leon and Francisco Fletes (bottom) participated in the Agrodome stage show in Rotorua, New Zealand. Photos courtesy of LCDR William Bushnell.

Nachon: First we went to the Agrodome, a place where you can see types of sheep and other animals like cows, dogs and alpacas. We watched a show in which we learned a little bit about sheep breeds. Rodriguez: The host, who was the owner of the farm, showed us around 15 kinds of sheep. He did a lot of tricks with the sheep and at the end he sheared an entire sheep in front of everyone! Nachon: After that we went to Rainbow Springs Nature Park. We saw lots of birds, fish and reptiles. Rodriguez: This was one of the few places in New Zealand that allow tourists to see the kiwi, their national symbol. It is a bird that is now facing extinction warning. There are only 50,000 kiwis left in the whole world. The group then headed to Whakarewarewa, a traditional Maori village featuring geothermal geysers, hot springs and mud pools. Nachon: We learned about the Maori way of life and how they live in a geothermal area. I saw a way of life completely different than mine that I never could have imagined. We also had the opportunity to taste the food they cook in the boiling geyser water.

ALL BUNDLED UP: Ed Tour participants pose February 26 at Pine Ridge. Photo courtesy of Liam VanHoesen '19.

ONE: Cadets take "The Big Splash" at Rainbow Springs Nature Park on day seven of the New Zealand Ed Tour. Pictured: Samuel Carr, Luis De Leon, Victor Armando Leon, Jose Nachon, Erick Trevino, Justin Shazar and Ramon Rodriguez. Photo courtesy of LCDR William Bushnell.

DAY EIGHT: MATAMATA

Nachon: On day eight we went to visit Hobbiton, the Lord of the Rings movie set. We learned that they built the houses in different sizes, one for the hobbits at a human size and the other ones smaller to make the non-hobbits look taller. Cepeda: The little houses were amazing. This was an experience that I can't compare with anything else! Nachon: The tour lasted about one hour and we walked all around the movie set. After that we went straight to the airport and headed back to the United States.

MOUNTAIN MAN: Matthew Thibodeaux '19 poses February 26 while visiting the site of the Massacre at Wounded Knee. Photo courtesy of Liam VanHoesen '19.

ABOVE: Cadets pose at the Pukeahu National War Memorial Park on day four of the New Zealand Educational Tour. AT LEFT: Luis De Leon '19 rides a three-wheeled luge cart on day seven. Photos courtesy of LCDR William Bushnell.

MID-YEAR BOYS

Fabian Campos '18 Cyrus Cornelius '21 Timothy De Groot '18 Jarod Demastus '18 Pablo De Saro '19 Jorge Garcia '18 Griffin Henry '19 Thuqan Hindawi '18 Alejandro Huerta '19 Nolan Kilpatrick '18 Devonte Knight '20 Nicholas Kotzamanis '19 Brandon Lane '20 Vernon Leach '18 Zihao Li '19 Tianjun Ma '22 Tristen Mason '22 Justin Meshell '20 Jack Mitchell '19 Cesar Perera '18 Andrew Rittmaster '19 Jaden Rogge '20 Jack Rufener '20 Kevith Sangster '22 Zedong Shao '22 John Sweetser '18 Maxwell Weiss '17 Ruochen Xue '19

WHAT WORD BEST DESCRIBES YOU? BRANDON LANE '20 Athletic. I like to play sports. I would like to be a professional basketball player. NICHOLAS CALLAHAN '19 Funny. I always put a smile on people's faces, no matter what I'm doing or if their day is bad. TRISTEN MASON '22 Independent. ROBERT ABBOTT '20 Impressive. SKY THUNDERCHILD '19 Funny and caring. DARIO RODRIGUEZ '19 Brave. I'm never afraid to jump in and defend someone and I don't fear the consequences if it's the right thing to do. CHRISTIAN FOSTER '19 Benevolent, because I think the best of everyone when I first meet them. OMELA MUDOGO '22 Good person, because I like to be nice. ALICAN YUMUK '19 Extraordinary.

ABOVE: Mid-year students pose January 5. Pictured: seventh graders Tianjun Ma, Kevith Sangster, Tristen Mason and Zedong Shao; eighth grader Cyrus Cornelius; freshmen Brandon Lane, Jaden Rogge, Jack Rufener, Justin Meshell, Alan Jean and Joseph Kelting; sophomores Nicholas Kotzamanis, Zihao Li, Jack Mitchell and Andrew Rittmaster; juniors Fabian Campos, John Sweetser, Andrew Pierson, Timothy De Groot, Jorge Garcia, Vernon Leach and Cesar Perera; and senior Maxwell Weiss. Photo by Erin Chambers. SIX: Pablo De Saro '19 stands at attention January 27 during an inspection. Photo by Clifton Cline '20. LEFT PAGE: Kevith Sangster '22, Gabriel Pro '20 and Dawson Lane '19 pose February 10 with Sangster's famous relative: Rick Harrison of the Pawn Stars television show. Photos by Erin Chambers. Photo three by sophomore Liam VanHoesen. Photo five courtesy of LTC Willis Kleinsorge.

PEDRO DA ROCHA '18 Fun. I always try to be friends with everybody and be known as a comical and happy person. DENVER JENKINS '20 Kinda crazy. Because I'm all over the place!

ABOVE: Cadets wait in line for snacks at a Super Bowl party February 5. Pictured: Angel Alcaraz, Richard Choy, Jarod Demastus, Oswaldo Fierro, Joseph Guth, Elian Harants, Thomas Kiefer, Nolan Kilpatrick, Dawson Lane, Tianjun Ma, Zhicheng Mao, Jack Mitchell, Victor Patino, Gabriel Pro, Andrew Rittmaster, Jaden Rogge, Jack Rufener, Alexander Sheldon, John Sweetser, Sky Thunderchild, Ruochen Xue, Jiwei Ye. Photo by Clifton Cline '20. ONE: Brandon Lane '20 adds granola bars to Buddy Packs in an assembly line March 27. For more about Buddy Packs, see page 84. TWO: Devonte Knight '20 shakes senior Gregory Prinster's hand at the Passing Through ceremony February 11. For more about Valentine Weekend, see page 104. THREE: Junior Christian Ashton, senior Charles Eckardt and senior Zenghui Zhang, August 27. FOUR: Griffin Henry '19 and Shannon Anderson pose February 11 at the Valentine Ball. FIVE: Maxwell Weiss '17 and Ruochen Xue '19 participate in the spring Cadet Challenge on March 15. Photos one, two and four by Erin Chambers.

The MMA Equestrian Program, which was previously an athletic offering, transitioned during the 2016-17 school year into an “eighth period” for-credit elective. SEPTEMBER Cadets in the horseback program received a lesson on equine dentistry September 14 as Dr. Jessi Ross of Mexico Animal Hospital “floated,” or filed, the teeth of Hercules, an Academy horse. According to equine instructor Julia Hunt, prior to the lesson Hercules developed a TMJ (temporo-mandibular joint disorder) called hooks, meaning his cheek teeth were not aligned. The process began with a check of Hercules’ temperature, respiration rate and heart rate. Ross next examined Hercules’ gum color before sedating him and flushing his mouth with a large syringe to clear out any grass and grain. In order to keep Hercules’ mouth open during the filing process, Ross and her assistant attached a metal dental speculum to his jaw. With his mouth safely held open, students were able to stick their hands inside and feel the points on Hercules’ teeth. Ross then used an electric grinder to file the points on the horse’s maxilla (upper) and mandible (lower) jaw. According to Hunt, a horse’s teeth should be filed at least once a year to prevent pain while chewing, loss of weight and behavioral problems. OCTOBER Cadets attended a horse show October 1 at Timberline Stables in New Bloomfield, Missouri. Up next was a “No Hoof, No Horse” farrier demonstration by Joe Moore on October 12 in the MMA stable. Cadets observed as Moore cleaned and trimmed a horse’s foot and got a

Photos two, three and five by Liam VanHoesen '19. Photo four by Erin Chambers. Photo one by Christian Foster '19.

sneak peek at horse anatomy as they inspected a cadaver hoof. NOVEMBER On November 9, the MMA equine studies class traveled to St. Louis and shadowed the Forest Park Mounted Police Department, visiting the stables and receiving a lesson in horseback equipment and training. “There is much training involved with the horses, getting them to be safe mounts during crowd situations,” Hunt said. “Some horses never make the cut.” A typical day for a member of the FPMPD involves 5 to 6 hours of patrolling a 1,300-acre area. Officers also assist with traffic control and ride in parades. SPRING SEMESTER On January 20, equine studies cadets shadowed a local veterinarian and took a close-up look at some microscopic parasites which commonly affect horses. Hoping to earn a gold or silver Horseman’s Certificate, cadets were assessed February 10 in the areas of balance and timing, skill at cueing the horse to move forward, trotting, turning, backing, halting, mounting and dismounting. Paul Murphy '18 earned the gold level while seventh grader James Wilson and junior Ryan Hannagan took home silver certificates. “Cadets take a course that I think is fairly rigorous in terms of horsemanship,” event judge MAJ Edsel Baker said, “learning [the] anatomy of a horse, parts of a saddle, different showing styles.”

EQUESTRIAN STUDENTS Mohammed Aljabri '17 Ryan Hannagan '18 Paul Murphy '18 Itiel Palacios '20 Stamatis Pelekanos '19 Liam VanHoesen '19 James Wilson '22

ONE: With a dental speculum holding the horse's jaws open, Ryan Hannagan '18 reaches into Hercules' mouth to feel his teeth. Also pictured: Dr. Jessi Ross, Shelby Vassos. THREE: Mohammed Aljabri '17, Julia Hunt, Paul Murphy '18, Itiel Palacios '20 and James Wilson '22 pose October 12 following a farrier demonstration at the MMA stable. FOUR: Wilson, Hannagan and Stamatis Pelekanos '19 pose February 1. FIVE: While shadowing Ross on January 20, Hannagan studies photos of common equine parasites. SIX: Murphy, VanHoesen, Wilson, Aljabri and Hunt pose November 9. Also pictured: Amy Robbins and Frank Kartmann, Senior VP of Park Operations at Forest Park.

TWO: John Sweetser '18 tidies up the Academy stable February 19 while on in-school suspension.

SOCCER STARS: Varsity soccer players Leonardo Caruzo '17, Pedro Da Rocha '18, Alejandro Gastelum '17, Joao Souza '19 and Donald Williams '18 pose at the new soccer field on August 19. Photo by Erin Chambers. All additional photos courtesy of LTC Willis Kleinsorge.

ONE: Pedro Da Rocha '18 takes a shot January 12 versus Russellville. THREE: Seventh grader Felix Tonella strikes a crooked pose September 11 during a middle school soccer trip.

NICE CATCH: Nolan Kilpatrick '18 shows off his stick skills during lacrosse practice March 30. TWO: Maxwell Weiss '17 mans the goal March 30 during lacrosse practice.

WHAT IS THE BEST THING ABOUT LACROSSE? SKY THUNDERCHILD '19 Getting back in touch with my roots as a native of the Iroquois Nation — which was the nation of native Americans [that created] the game. ALICAN YUMUK '19 Its just an overall fun game. Keeps me fit and in shape. Full contact, which I really like because I get to lay people out. JOSEPH GUTH '18 The adrenaline rush of scoring a goal. DEREK NGUYEN '20 The brotherhood.

SOCCER PAGE 120 MIDDLE SCHOOL SPORTS PAGE 124 FOOTBALL PAGE 126 WRESTLING PAGE 130 BASKETBALL PAGE 134 GOLF & RUGBY PAGE 138 RIFLE TEAM PAGE 142 LACROSSE PAGE 144 TENNIS PAGE 146

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Right photo by Garrett Stafford '18. Left photo by Jean-Luc Shyaka '17.

RIGHT: August 24 versus Ritenour. Pictured: Managers Malachi Grice '18, Shane Macon '21, Michael Just '20. LEFT: September 1 versus Helias. Pictured: Victor Vielledent '22, Sergio Contreras '19, Jose Balanza '17.

VARSITY Yednekachew Atkins '17 Leonardo Caruzo '17 Pedro Da Rocha '18 Luis De Leon '19 Francisco Fletes '18 Matthew Ghidey '18 Mig Gisa '17 Eric Juarez '18 Oybek Kirkland '17 Ernesto Melgar '17 Antonio Montes '17 Julien Mugabo '17 Luis Nachon '18 Gabriel Penha '20 Gregory Prinster '17 Pedro Risovas '19 Juan Diego Silva '17 Joao Souza '19 Donald Williams '18 JUNIOR VARSITY Jose Balanza '17 Robert Abbott '20 Zeth Colin '19 Alejandro Cohen '20 Sergio Contreras '19 Braulio Diaz '20 Shuo Dong '19 Raul Escarcega '17 Khaliguun Enkhbayar '19 Kenny Gisa '20 Emiliano Gonzalez '18 Elian Harants '20 Derek Nguyen '20 Photsavat Pongsuea '17 Michael Raffkind '20 Mauricio Trevino '20 Fernando Zahuita '20

BELOW: As fellow soccer player freshman Michael Raffkind watches, new boy Leonardo Caruzo makes a save October 18 during a pregame practice at Winfield High School. The senior boasted 1103 minutes and 81 saves in goal during his single season as a Fighting Colonel. Photo by Justtin Muilenburg '17.

Goal of the Year Workhorse Award Best New Boy Award Most Valuable Player First Team All-District Most Improved Player Senior Leadership Award All-State Honorable Mention Most Positive Attitude Award Most Outstanding Offensive Player Most Outstanding Defensive Player

COACHES MAJ Kevin Farley Kylie Huck LT Sean Peters TEAM CAPTAIN Alejandro Gastelum '17 CADET MANAGERS Malachi Grice '18 Michael Just '20 Shane Macon '21

ABOVE: Members of the junior varsity team pose October 13. Pictured: assistant coach Kylie Huck; freshmen Robert Abbott, Braulio Diaz, Kenny Gisa, Derek Nguyen, Michael Raffkind, Mauricio Trevino and Fernando Zahuita; sophomores Zeth Colin, Sergio Contreras and Khaliguun Enkhbayar; and senior Photsavat Pongsuea. Photo by Erin Chambers.

Fighting Colonels finally break in their new soccer field September 1 following summer construction With only 15 preseason practices under their belt, the Class 2 Colonels opened the 2016 campaign with three matches against Class 4 opponents. “We have started the season with a brutally tough schedule,” head coach Kevin Farley said. “Opening up our season against these strong Class 4 programs ... forces our players to step up right away and play at a high level.”

FORT ZUMWALT KICKOFF CLASSIC First up was an August 20 match against Francis Howell in which MMA ultimately fell 1-2 to the Vikings. “This is going to be a difficult season,” Farley said. “We have

really strengthened our schedule ... and that means we are going to experience more losses and learn from those losses.” After sophomore Joao Souza scored the team’s first goal of the season, MMA remained tied with the Vikings for much of the game. With 16 minutes remaining in the match, a defensive mistake helped the Vikings sink the winning shot. The Colonels faced their second tournament challenger August 22, coming up short 1-4 against Fort Zumwalt North in what Farley deemed a “very disappointing” and “uninspired” effort. “We had some really good individual efforts that I hope will help to Inspire the other players,” Farley said. “Leonardo Caruzo '17 of Brazil is a phenomenal goalkeeper. He really works hard in goal and he is going to keep us in a lot of games.” With minutes left in the match, junior Eric Juarez put the Fighting Colonels on the scoreboard in

MMA's sole goal — and his first of the season. “Pedro Da Rocha ’18 of Brazil has really impressed me with his work ethic, leadership and attitude. His main sport is basketball, but he is really doing a good job on the soccer pitch,” Farley said. “Junior Matthew Ghidey ... is really beginning to get comfortable. His speed and work ethic will help us a lot.” On August 24, cadets proved victorious (2-1) against Ritenour High School in their final match of the Fort Zumwalt Kickoff Classic. CONTINUED ON PAGE 122

ABOVE: Juan Diego Silva '17 and Gabriel Penha '20 face a Battle player during MMA's home win October 13. Also pictured: juniors Williams, Da Rocha. The field, which was expanded to playoff regulation size in summer 2016, features new sod and an irrigation system. Photo by James Wilson '22.

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 121 Yednekachew Atkins ’17 scored the first goal of the game, facing the Ritenour keeper oneon-one and sinking a shot into the lower right corner of the net. The Colonels switched to a 3-4-3 formation at halftime, with Atkins scoring again early in the second half. “Our boys didn’t get frustrated and are learning from each game, win or lose," Farley said.

Following a 3-4 road loss August 30 to Southern Boone, MMA broke in its new field September 1 with a 1-4 loss to Helias Catholic. The Colonels hammered Fatima with 19 shots in their 2-1 home victory September 13. The breakthrough to tie the match came when a shot by Souza ricocheted off the post, where sophomore Pedro Risovas hit the rebound home. With only seven

minutes in the match and the score tied, senior Alejandro Gastelum passed to Atkins, who shot the winning goal. “This is by far the hardest we have worked," Farley said. "It is a sign of things to come."

PARKVIEW SHOWDOWN On September 17, after a match the previous day was rained out, MMA took on a double header at the Parkview Showdown. The Colonels fell 0-1 to Carthage in the first game, with keeper Caruzo notching ten saves.

"Carthage scored really early on us,” Farley said. "The boys really stepped up and kept playing hard throughout the game. I was impressed." The Colonels next out-shot Lebanon by 34-1 to win 2-0. Da Rocha scored the Colonels’ second goal on an assist

from fellow junior Donald Williams while Lebanon’s sole shot was saved by goalkeeper Antonio Montes '17. "Da Rocha is a really solid young man. He has great character and works really hard," Farley said.

REGULAR SEASON 8/30 vs. Southern Boone: 3-4 L 9/1 vs. Helias Catholic: 1-4 L 9/13 vs. Fatima: 2-1 W 9/20 vs. Hannibal: 0-1 L 9/22 vs. Mexico HS: 9-0 W 9/24 vs. Soldan International: 1-0 W 9/27 vs. Francis Borgia: 1-3 L 10/4 vs. Elsberry: 10-0 W 10/11 vs. Boonville HS: 2-3 L (2OT) 10/13 vs. Battle HS: 1-0 W (2OT) FORT ZUMWALT KICKOFF CLASSIC 8/20 vs. Francis Howell: 1-2 L 8/22 vs. Fort Zumwalt North: 1-4 L 8/24 vs. Ritenour High School: 2-1 W

RISOVAS VERSUS HANNIBAL: As teammate Photsavat Pongsuea '17 watches, sophomore Pedro Risovas fights for control of the ball September 20. Award-winning photo by Christian Foster '19. For details, see page 200. DISTRICT DONALD: Donald Williams '18 races against a Christian High School player October 20 in the District Championship. Photo by Dario Rodriguez '19.

TOP LEFT: Junior Francisco Fletes and seniors Oybek Kirkland, Leonardo Caruzo and Photsavat Pongsuea pose October 20. Photo by Justtin Muilenburg '17. TOP MIDDLE: Seniors Gregory Prinster and Raul Escarcega pose September 1. Photo by Jean-Luc Shyaka '17. TOP RIGHT: Shuo Dong '19, Robert Abbott '20 and Derek Nguyen '20 pose October 13. Photo by Erin Chambers.

PARKVIEW SHOWDOWN 9/17 vs. Carthage: 0-1 L 9/17 vs. Lebanon: 2-0 W DISTRICT PLAY 10/18 vs. Winfield HS, Playoff: 4-0 W 10/20 vs. CHS, Championship: 1-2 L SEASON RECORD: 8-9-0

BOTTOM LEFT: Braulio Diaz '20, Julien Mugabo '17, Emiliano Gonzalez '18 and Photsavat Pongsuea '17. Photo courtesy of LTC Willis Kleinsorge. BOTTOM MIDDLE: Alejandro Cohen '20 rests after facing Southern Boone on August 30. Photo by Wyatt Brewer '19. BOTTOM RIGHT: Freshman Elian Harants and junior Copeland Grahmann watch the Colonels' home opener September 1. Photo by Jean-Luc Shyaka '17.

ONE: Yednekachew Atkins '17 battles for the ball against a Boonville High School opponent October 11. Also pictured: sophomore teammate Joao Souza. Photo by Erin Chambers.

SHUTOUT LOSSES AND VICTORIES Cadets next faced Hannibal on the road September 20, falling 0-1. Two days later, MMA stole a 9-0 shutout victory against Mexico.

Oybek Kirkland ’17 scored just 16 seconds into the match, followed shortly thereafter by scorers Risovas and Gregory Prinster ’17. "They were quick. Three goals in two minutes!" Farley said.

Thanks to two more goals by Prinster and one each from Risovas and Souza, MMA entered halftime with a 7-0 lead. The second half featured a single goal each by Souza and Atkins. Cadets then hosted Soldan International, winning 1-0

on September 24 in MMA’s Homecoming matchup. Following a 1-3 road loss September 27 to Francis Borgia, the Colonels crushed Elsberry 10-0 in an away game October 4.

“Our brutal schedule is beginning to pay off and our boys are gaining confidence,” Farley said of the match, which ended 13 minutes into the second half due to MSHSAA regulations. “Our boys continue to improve every day.” In the first six minutes of the game, Gastelum scored thrice

for a hat trick. Also scoring were senior Mig Gisa with two goals and Souza, Prinster, Kirkland and Gabriel Penha '20 with one each. DOUBLE DOUBLE OVERTIME In their final games before the Class 2, District 8 playoffs, the Colonels fought both opponents into the second overtime half. Cadets out-shot their Boonville High School opponents 37-16 on October 11 but fell 2-3. MMA’s goals were courtesy of Atkins, assisted by Souza; and Souza, assisted by Gastelum. Senior keeper Caruzo put on what Farley deemed “a magnificent performance” with seven saves including a penalty kick stop. Boonville ultimately scored with only two minutes remaining in the second overtime half. Two days later, the Fighting Colonels defeated Battle High School by 1-0, out-shooting their opponent 32-6.

In the second overtime half, MMA was awarded a free kick just outside the penalty box. Souza chipped the ball across the front of the goal. With 6.9 seconds left, Da Rocha headed the ball into the net to score and finish the match. POSTSEASON The No. 2-seeded Colonels kicked off their Class 2, District 8 run October 18 against Winfield HS, defeating their host 4-0. MMA returned to Winfield to face Christian High School in the Championship match October 20, falling 2-1 to end their season.

ABOVE: Members of the varsity team pose October 13. Pictured: assistant coach Kylie Huck; head coach MAJ Kevin Farley; freshman Gabriel Penha; sophomores Luis De Leon, Pedro Risovas and Joao Souza; juniors Matthew Ghidey, Eric Juarez, Pedro Da Rocha, Luis Nachon and Donald Williams; and seniors Yednekachew Atkins, Leonardo Caruzo, Alejandro Gastelum, Mig Gisa, Oybek Kirkland, Ernesto Melgar, Antonio Montes, Julien Mugabo, Gregory Prinster and Juan Diego Silva. Photo by Erin Chambers.

COACH'S CORNER

Comments by MS soccer coach LTC Willis Kleinsorge. "Omela Mudogo '22 was a very good goalie!" "Shane Macon '21 was probably our strongest defensive player and helped to prevent more goals from being scored." "Felix Tonella '22 and Victor Vielledent '22 are cousins, so they knew each otherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s strengths and moved the ball very well between themselves."

OUTNUMBERED: Victor Vielledent '22 takes a shot on the BSA Ravens' goal October 23. Middle school athletes competed on a small field with five players per team. Broken into two 22-minute halves, the games featured miniature goals, no off-sides and kick-ins instead of throw-ins. Photo courtesy of LTC Willis Kleinsorge.

TOP LEFT: Joao Souza '19, Sky Thunderchild '19, Pedro Da Rocha '18 and Leonardo Caruzo '17 pose for the camera in the gym mezzanine November 15 as the middle school basketball team faces Columbia Independent School. Photo courtesy of LTC Willis Kleinsorge. TOP RIGHT: Felix Tonella '22 prepares to take a shot on November 29 during a pregame practice. Photo courtesy of MAJ Kevin Farley.

BOTTOM LEFT: Seventh grade goalkeeper Omela Mudogo lines up a kick September 11 versus Boonville Soccer Academy. Photo courtesy of LTC Willis Kleinsorge. BOTTOM RIGHT: Tamar Modise '21, Peter Clinton '21 and Weiming Zhu '22 on November 30. Photo courtesy of LTC Willis Kleinsorge.

FOLLOWING A YEAR-LONG HIATUS, BASKETBALL REJOINS SOCCER ON THE MIDDLE SCHOOL SPORTS SCHEDULE

SOCCER On September 11, MMA's U-14 soccer squad kicked off their season with a doubleheader defeat (7-3 and 11-1 victories) of Boonville Soccer Academy. Cadets scored a total of 18 points during the two matches. Victor Vielledent '22 scored 8 goals; Felix Tonella '22 scored 7 goals; Patricio Valdes '21 scored two goals; and Alejandro Mercado '22 made one goal.

Cadets next faced another double-header October 2 at Kemper Military Academy. MMA first fell 5-9 versus the Columbia Sporting Navy. During their second game, the Colonels defeated the Boonville Soccer Academy Ravens 11-6. "It certainly makes a difference in soccer when a team plays as a team and they work together," head coach LTC Willis Kleinsorge said.

ABOVE: MS soccer and basketball teams. Pictured: eighth graders Paul Bennett, Peter Clinton, Mario Garcia, Shane Macon, Patricio Valdes, Jiachen Yan; seventh graders Scout Jones, Alejandro Mercado, Omela Mudogo, Max Pitman, Felix Tonella, Victor Vielledent, Siwei Zhao. Photos by LTC Willis Kleinsorge.

MS SOCCER Mario Garcia '21 Shane Macon '21 Alejandro Mercado '22 Omela Mudogo '22 Max Pitman '22 Alexander Sheldon '22 Felix Tonella '22 Patricio Valdes '21 Victor Vielledent '22 Jiachen Yan '21 Siwei Zhao '22 denotes Team Captain HEAD COACH LTC Willis Kleinsorge

HIP HIP HOORAY: Players and coach LTC Willis Kleinsorge huddle up October 2. Pictured: seventh graders Alejandro Mercado, Max Pitman, Alexander Sheldon and Victor Vielledent; eighth graders Mario Garcia, Shane Macon and Patricio Valdes. Award-winning photo by Mauricio Trevino '20. For more information, see page 200.

MS BASKETBALL Peter Clinton '21 Mario Garcia '21 Scout Jones '22 Tamar Modise '21 Alejandro Mercado '22 Omela Mudogo '22 Felix Tonella '22 Patricio Valdes '21 Victor Vielledent '22 Siwei Zhao '22 Weiming Zhu '22 denotes Team Manager HEAD COACH Juan Garcia

The Fighting Colonels finished their season October 23 with another doubleheader against the BSA Ravens. MMA lost their first game 5-6 but bounced back to win their second match 11-4. BASKETBALL After a 2015 hiatus, the middle school basketball team reformed in fall 2016.

Cadets kicked off their season November 8 with an away 39-9 defeat of the Missouri School for the Deaf Eagles. Seventh graders Omela Mudogo and Scout Jones made eight points each. Up next was a 47-21 victory over Columbia Independent School on November 15 followed by a 42-19 defeat of the Missouri School for the Deaf on November 21. MMA then played four games in four days, going

2-2 to take fourth at the St. Pius X Invitational Basketball Tournament. Ahead 15-0 by the second period, cadets defeated St. Pius X on November 29 by 39-17 to start their tournament run. Cadets fell 52-53 in OT versus St. Paul and St. Peter the following day. The Colonels were down 15-21 at the half but,

with seven seconds left in the game, a basket by Mudogo forced the overtime. Mudogo led the team with 21 points. “It was a great game and the kids gave their 110 percent in a great battle,” coach Juan Garcia said. On December 1, the middle school Fighting Colonels defeated Mary Immaculate 43-21. The following day, MMA fell 42-43 against Joe Salisbury.

Up next was a face off against Troy South on December 6 and, with 4.5 seconds left in the game, MMA pushed ahead to win 44-42. Mudogo contributed 23 points and Tonella added 11. The following day, MMA suffered a 32-42 road loss to WellsvilleMiddletown R-1. Cadets closed out their season with a 27-59 loss to the Hannibal Pirates on December 15.

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GROUP PHOTO: Members of the 2016-17 football team pose October 7. Pictured: freshmen Matthew Francis, WrayVauze Givens, Thomas Huckins, Denver Jenkins and Ashton Knipfer; sophomores Wyatt Brewer, Styles Fountain, Alexander Hamm, Dawson Lane, Jorge Quiros, Barrington Stanford, Sky Thunderchild and Alican Yumuk; juniors Samuel Carr, Francisco Fletes, Copeland Grahmann, Lucus Killion, Carlos Liriano, Charles Norman and Lucas Pranger; and seniors Tuguldur Altangerel, Rory Davis, Gabriel Elizondo, Sean Fitzgerald, Justtin Muilenburg, Bayar-Erdene Oldokhbayar and Javier Salazar. Photo by Erin Chambers.

FOOTBALL ROSTER Tuguldur Altangerel '17 Wyatt Brewer '19 Samuel Carr '18 Juan Pablo Cepeda '18 Rory Davis '17 Gabriel Elizondo '17 Jeremy Elkins '18 Sean Fitzgerald '17 Francisco Fletes '18 Styles Fountain '19 Matthew Francis '20 Cesar Garza '17 WrayVauze Givens '20 Copeland Grahmann '18 Alexander Hamm '19 Thomas Huckins '20 Denver Jenkins '20 Lucus Killion '18 Ashton Knipfer '20 Dawson Lane '19 Carlos Liriano '18 Justtin Muilenburg '17 Charles Norman '18 Bayar-Erdene Oldokhbayar '17 Lucas Pranger '18 Jorge Quiros '19 Dario Rodriguez '19 Javier Salazar '17 Barrington Stanford '19 Matthew Thibodeaux '19 Sky Thunderchild '19 Erick TreviĂąo '19 Alican Yumuk '19 denotes Team Manager HEAD COACH Mitchell Jenkins ASSISTANT COACHES LT Kevin Bissmeyer Clifton Cooper Nate Lamberson

Newcomer of the Year Mr. MMA Football Award Tribune All-Area Football Team Most Outstanding Player Overall Player of the Game Defensive Player of the Year Offensive Player of the Year Defensive Player of the Game Offensive Player of the Game Offensive Lineman of the Year Defensive Lineman of the Year Special Teams Player of the Game Pursuing Victory with Honor Award

SMILING SOPHOMORE: Above, Erick Trevino on August 26. Photo by Juan Diego Silva '17.

MMA kicked off the season with a new head coach at the helm. Mitchell Jenkins, who joined the MMA staff as an assistant coach in 2013, led the Colonels to their winningest season since 1989. AUGUST MMA hosted Van-Far on August 19, falling 37-75 in the Colonels’ home opener. The Indians jumped to a quick 8-0 lead and MMA responded with a threeyard touchdown run by Matthew Thibodeaux '19. A back-and-forth second quarter had MMA trailing 21-43 at the half. The teams traded scores in the final half but, despite a late rally, MMA fell short. “We battled. We played hard for 48 minutes,” Jenkins said. “This was a great learning experience.”

Bayar-Erdene Oldokhbayar '17 led the receivers, catching two balls for 38 yards and two touchdowns. Rory Davis notched six tackles; fellow senior Javier Salazar added two receptions for 64 yards. MMA next fell 0-64 at home to Clopton-Elsberry on August 26. The Colonels shot down the field on their first possession, but the drive stalled at CloptonElsberry’s 39-yard line. MMA did not complete a pass during the game, which was a “tough one to swallow” according to Jenkins. Sean Fitzgerald '17 was the leading rusher with 29 yards on 16 carries. Dario Rodriguez '19 had 13 yards on 5 carries; Fitzgerald and Davis each contributed 7 tackles. During the second half, a display of good sportsmanship earned Fitzgerald a Pursuing Victory with Honor Award, a Presidential CONTINUED ON PAGE 128

THE GOLDEN FOOTBALL: Seniors Altangerel, Davis, Elizondo, Fitzgerald, Oldokhbayar, Muilenburg and Salazar pose with the State Military Championship trophy. Photo courtesy of LTC Willis Kleinsorge. FLYING FITZI: Quarterback Sean Fitzgerald zooms down the field August 19 during MMA's home opener versus Van-Far. The senior completed 9 passes for 139 yards, two touchdowns and an interception; ran for 259 yards and three touchdowns; and notched 14 tackles in the 37-75 loss. "Football is my world. I revolve around it. It keeps me going and it's my drive," Fitzgerald said of the sport, which he has played since second grade. Photo by Erin Chambers.

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A†HLET¡CS

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 127 Citation and praise from Academy football fans including MAJ Lawrence McClarey. “One of our players made a tackle and began to celebrate,” he said. “Fitzgerald told him and the rest of the MMA team to respect our opponents and help them up after every tackle. This was one of the finest examples of leadership, honor, character

quarter, an onside kick recovery and TD pass to junior Francisco Fletes brought the score within two points. “Four things happen: win big, lose big, win small, lose small,” Jenkins said. “We’ve experienced all these things. I’m proud.” Fitzgerald threw for 248 yards and four

and good sportsmanship that I have ever witnessed.” SEPTEMBER On September 2, the Colonels fell 7-78 at home versus the Brentwood Eagles. MMA’s sole touchdown came courtesy of Fitzgerald in the first quarter. After being outscored 44-217 in their first three weeks of play, the Colonels won 41-16 against Slater on September 9. “We came out hot and kept the gas pedal down,” Jenkins said. “The kids worked their tails off in practice. We’ve told them to stay the course and things would turn around. I’m thrilled for them. They deserve this.” MMA jumped to a quick 7-0 lead on a 35-yard TD pass from Fitzgerald to Oldokhbayar. Fitzgerald completed six passing attempts for 108 yards while Oldokhbayar caught three balls for 55 yards and two TDs. Thibodeaux contributed two TDs and 12 carries for 53 yards on the ground. Fitzgerald added two touchdowns while Styles Fountain '19 scored his first varsity touchdown with a sevenyard run. The team ran for 218 yards on 28 attempts, putting MMA up at 41-0 at halftime. In his first start, junior Samuel Carr boasted six solo tackles and five assists. Davis added six tackles while senior Tuguldur Altangerel added six tackles and two fumble recoveries. The Colonels next faced Principia on September 16. Despite three first half turnovers, MMA triumphed 14-13 in the rainy home matchup. “We overcame a lot of adversity to win this ball game. The players never got down on themselves,"Jenkins said. Carr led the defense with 13 tackles. A blocked punt from Cesar Garza '17 set the stage for a 17-yard TD run by Fitzgerald. With 24 seconds left, Fitzgerald intercepted a last-chance Principia attempt to seal the Colonels' victory. On September 23, MMA lost 42-44 versus Harrisburg. MMA's first TD came on a 15-yard pass from Fitzgerald to Fountain. The two-point conversion gave cadets an 8-0 lead. After a backand-forth second

touchdown passes. Fletes added two receiving touchdowns and one on the ground. Carr and Davis each had eight tackles. Up next was a 6-48 home loss against Maur Hill-Mount Academy on September 30. Oldokhbayar provided MMA's lone touchdown against the Ravens. OCTOBER On October 8, MMA defeated the Wentworth Red Dragons 63-0 in the State Military Championship. The away matchup featured an online stream and live radio broadcast. “I’m very excited for our players,” Jenkins said. “They were so proud to keep the trophy where it belongs.” Fitzgerald led the team with four TDs; Fletes, Altangerel, Carr and Gabriel Elizondo '17 added a score apiece. Fletes led the team in rushing with 146 yards on three carries, including an 87-yard touchdown run. Dawson Lane '19 recorded a sack. Making his first varsity start, WrayVauze Givens '20 added three tackles and two deflections. MMA wrapped up the season October 14 with a 39-30 win over Central Home School. Cadets led 31-8 at the end of the third quarter, holding off a late Panther rally to clench the victory. Fitzgerald threw for 152 yards and two touchdown passes while running for 169 and two scores. Carr added 88 yards and a TD, pacing MMA with 15 tackles. Davis and Thomas Huckins '20 each had double digit tackles with 12 and 10, respectively. "Four wins is a huge step for us. I am truly grateful for this year’s senior class. While not only talented athletes, they were each exceptional leaders," Jenkins said.

CLASS CLOWN COACH: Senior Cesar Garza and Defensive Coordinator LT Kevin Bissmeyer pose following MMA's 41-16 defeat of Slater on September 9. Photo by Liam VanHoesen '19. VAN-FAR VICTORY: Matthew Thibodeaux barrels past a fallen defender during MMA's home opener versus Van-Far High School on August 19. The sophomore contributed a three-yard touchdown run, six carries, 39 yards and a touchdown during the Colonels' 37-75 loss against the Indians. Photo by Erin Chambers.

2i53

SEASON TOTAL RUSHING YARDS

102

POINTS SCORED BY MMA DURING FINAL TWO GAMES

825

SEASON TOTAL PASSING YARDS

n¡ne

RUSHING TDS VS. WENTWORTH, TYING FOR SECOND-HIGHEST RUSHING TDS IN A SINGLE GAME MSHSAA RECORD

2978

SEASON TOTAL OFFENSIVE YARDS

27.7 AVERAGE POINTS PER GAME

2011

LAST SEASON COLONELS RECORDED A SHUTOUT VICTORY

i200+

SEASON TOTAL RUSHING YARDS, SENIOR QB SEAN FITZGERALD

STATE MILITARY CHAMPIONSHIP 10/8 vs. Wentworth MA: 63-0 W REGULAR SEASON 8/19 vs. Van-Far HS: 37-75 L 8/26 vs. Clopton-Elsberry HS: 0-64 L 9/2 vs. Brentwood HS: 7-78 L 9/9 vs. Slater High School: 41-16 W 9/16 vs. Principia: 14-13 W 9/23 vs. Harrisburg HS: 42-44 L 9/30 vs. Maur Hill-Mount Academy: 6-48 L 10/14 vs. Central Home School: 39-30 W SEASON RECORD: 4-5-0

WHAT WAS YOUR FAVORITE WHAT IS THE BEST THING ABOUT HOW DOES IT FEEL MOMENT OF THE SEASON? PLAYING MMA FOOTBALL? TO WIN A GAME? My favorite moments were When I run as fullback and I get Unbelievable. We feel when we were in the locker through the line and I hear the crowd this buzz and tension room and, even if we didn't and my teammates screaming, and so much energy know the outcome of the 'Go Dario! Push! Go forward! You together that it's really night, we'd cheer and howl can do it!' That always puts a smile indescribable. It's together as a strong wolf pack. on my face for the rest of the night. something unreal. AT LEFT: Sophomore football player Dario Rodriguez, who suffered four ankle fractures during an early season home game, supports the Colonels from the sidelines as they face Maur Hill-Mount Academy on September 30. Photo courtesy of LTC Willis Kleinsorge.

SOAKED ON THE SIDELINES: Cadets attend MMA's rainy home game September 16. Pictured: sophomores Yutong Dongfang and Zhicheng Mao; juniors Wulan Bateer, Zhuoli Cai, Eryao Zhang and Jiaxuan Zhou; and senior Zenghui Zhang. Photo by Charles Eckardt '17.

STOMPING SLATER: Junior place kicker Francisco Fletes (11), who went 5 for 5 on PATs, sends the ball flying September 9 during MMA's 41-16 win over Slater. Also pictured: assistant coach LT Kevin Bissmeyer; junior Juan Pablo Cepeda (53); junior Jeremy Elkins (56); freshman WrayVauze Givens (17); sophomore Alexander Hamm (22); and junior Lucas Pranger (7). Photo by Christian Foster '19.

With new head coach Jeff Miller behind the wheel and no seniors on the team, the Colonels began their season November 30 in a big way — two meets on the same day. MMA first defeated their hosts St. Francis Borgia by 40-30. Winning their matches were Thomas Huckins '20, Samuel Carr '18 and sophomores Richard Choy, Styles Fountain, Tyler Henigman, Sky Thunderchild and Alican Yumuk. Later that day, MMA fell 27-44 to MaplewoodRichmond Heights. Winning their matches were Choy, Yumuk, Thunderchild and junior Connor Sims.

"This was a great start to the season," Miller said. "I see a lot of potential with this team. We are a very young club and have a lot of work ahead of us." Wrestlers Choy and Huckins each earned a Pursuing Victory with Honor Award for their performances. The duo were recognized at the final all-school assembly of the fall semester on December 7.

DECEMBER The Fighting Colonels fell 24-45 to North Callaway on December 6. Winning their matches were junior Copeland Grahmann (9-5 by decision) and sophomore Phoenixsun Jumper (8-7). Cadets wrestled against Adrian, Versailles, Hallsville, Tipton, Sullivan and Eldon in their first tournament of the season: the Versailles Invitational on December 10. Winning their matches were: Fountain by decision 17-5 against Adrian; sophomore

Jorge Quiros with a win against Tipton at 0:23 in round two; Yumuk with a win by fall over Tipton in the second round; and Huckins against Tipton at 0:34 in the third round. “All my wrestlers won one match and we left with two seconds and one third,” Miller said. “Very proud!” MMA next defeated Fatima 42-18 at home December 13. Colonels winning their matches were Fountain, 11-5, and Huckins, 8-6. Cadets fell to Southern Boone 30-45 but CONTINUED ON PAGE 132

WRESTLERS Samuel Carr '18* Edward Cha '18 Richard Choy '19* Timothy De Groot '18 Styles Fountain '19* Copeland Grahmann '18 Tyler Henigman '19* Thomas Huckins '20* Phoenixsun Jumper '19* Nicholas Kotzamanis '19 Charles Norman '18 Andrew Pierson '18 Gregory Prinster '17 Jorge Quiros '19* Dario Rodriguez '19* Alexander Schaaf '18 Matthew Seibert '19 Connor Sims '18* Barrington Stanford '19 Matthew Thibodeaux '19* Sky Thunderchild '19* Alican Yumuk '19* *denotes lettermen COACHES Jeff Miller MAJ Lawrence McClarey

AT LEFT: Sophomore Dario Rodriguez wrestles an Owensville opponent January 19. Photo by Christian Foster '19. FAR LEFT: Jorge Quiros '19 wrestles an Adrian opponent December 10. Photo by Alican Yumuk '19.

On December 7, Athletic Director MAJ Kevin Farley presented the Pursuing Victory with Honor Award to Thomas Huckins '20. The following is Farley's speech praising Huckins.

THE FIRST MATCH “In the very first round of his first match … he had his nose broken. He was bleeding all over the place. They tried to patch it up a little bit. It worked. He kept wrestling – then blood would go all over the place again. ... They were sticking things up his nose and taking tape and wrapping it around his head. He couldn’t even breathe. ... He didn’t give up. He won his first match with a broken nose."

CLASS CLOWNS: Wrestlers pose January 12. Pictured: sophomores Wyatt Brewer, Phoenixsun Jumper, Jorge Quiros, Matthew Seibert and Alican Yumuk; and juniors Samuel Carr, Timothy De Groot and Alexander Schaaf. Photo by junior Alexander Seibert.

THE SECOND MATCH "He went on in a second dual the same night. ... He started wrestling. Bleeding. He had all this tape around his head. Blood kept coming out. They kept stopping. He kept going. In the third round with ten seconds left ... they had spent so much time trying to keep the blood from spilling on the mat that they called the match. That’s what it looks like to not quit. He didn’t care that he was hurt.” Photos shot November 30 by MAJ Kevin Farley.

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 130 proved victorious 42-33 over Father Tolton in an away dual meet December 15. "We continue to make progress," Miller said. "I'm really proud of this group." Huckins and Choy went 2-0. Winning one match each were Thunderchild Fountain, Carr, Henigman, Sims and sophomore Dario Rodriguez. The Fighting Colonels kicked off the spring semester January 19 with a tri-meet, losing 12-68 to Blair Oaks, 18-60 to Owensville and 29-42 to Warsaw. Winning their matches against Owensville were Fountain at 1:44 and Rodriguez at 0:53. Highlights also included two junior varsity wins by Quiros.

Thunderchild and Fountain were the stars of the show for MMA on January 21 as the Colonels competed at the St. Clair Classic. MMA scored 58 points to earn 10th place out of 13 teams. Fountain took third with a 7-2 win against Eldon and win over his Priory opponent at 2:41. In round two, Rodriguez defeated Priory by injury time and Thunderchild pinned his Palmyra opponent at 0:32. Up next for MMA was a tri-meet January 24 – the Fighting Colonels defeated Tipton 29-24 before falling 24-45 to North Callaway. Highlights included a win by fall at 0:37 courtesy of Jumper and a win by fall over North Callaway courtesy of Henigman. Also winning matches were Thunderchild, who bested a Tipton opponent at 1:11, and Fountain. FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR "Jumper's fall over … Tipton Thomas Huckins '20 was a decisive match that MOST IMPROVED decided victory," Miller said. "MMA Samuel Carr '18 is improving each dual and MOST POINTS SCORED tournament. The guys have been Styles Fountain '19 working hard."

MMA wrestlers practice their moves by facing off against their own teammates. Photos one, two and three shot January 12 by Alexander Seibert '18. Photo four shot November 18 by Christian Foster '19. ONE: Andrew Pierson '18 and Richard Choy '19. TWO: Alexander Schaaf '18 and Nicholas Kotzamanis '19. THREE: Phoenixsun Jumper '19 and Dawson Lane '19. FOUR: Sky Thunderchild '19 and Copeland Grahmann '18.

WHAT IS THE MOST CHALLENGING PART OF WRESTLING? CONNOR SIMS '18 When you get to tournaments and all the pressure is on you to win. MATTHEW SEIBERT '19 Getting knocked down and knowing this will happen a lot more. SAMUEL CARR '18 Staying under weight, because I like to eat! RICHARD CHOY '19 The conditioning, because usually you get tired after wrestling a period. SKY THUNDERCHILD '19 The conditioning is not like any other sport and weight cutting is very hard. EDWARD CHA '18 The physical endurance you need — to possibly go for six minutes straight and maybe more. ALICAN YUMUK '19 Conditioning is, I think, the hardest part. It's a fullcontact sport and it's kind of all about who's the better man — in strength, skill, speed, conditioning and sportsmanship.

BELOW: First-year coach Jeff Miller addresses wrestlers at practice January 12. Also pictured: sophomores Wyatt Brewer, Phoenixsun Jumper, Dawson Lane, Barrington Stanford and Alican Yumuk; and juniors Samuel Carr and Timothy De Groot. Photo by Alexander Seibert '18.

ABOVE: Styles Fountain '19 dominates his St. Francis Borgia opponent January 21 at the St. Clair Invitational. Photo by Christian Foster '19.

The Fighting Colonels proved victorious over both opponents at a tri-meet January 26, defeating Macon by 42-24 and Palmyra by 48-30. “We were led today by Carr, Matthew Thibodeaux ’19, Jumper and Choy,” Miller said. “My young men are improving every week.” Notching wins by fall were Thunderchild at 1:45 and Thibodeaux at 0:45. Winning by pin were Carr at 1:06 and Fountain at 2:30. “I'm most impressed with Carr. ... He surprises me

every time he wrestles. That’s [the] reason he’s the captain of the team. He has heart,” Miller said. Up next for MMA was the Warrensburg Invitational on January 28. Henigman took seventh place with a win over Winnetonka by injury time in round one and a win against Westminster

AT LEFT: The wrestling team poses for a group photo on February 1. Photo by Erin Chambers.

Christian Academy at 0:46. Carr earned a 12-2 major decision against an Oak Park opponent in round five while Jumper defeated WCA at 2:00 in round one. "He's really been progressing," Miller said of Carr. "He took leadership right away. He's a leader in the room and he's a sponge. He wants to learn everything he can." FEBRUARY Cadets fell 0-84 against Moberly on February 2

but bounced back shortly after, defeating Palmyra 42-36 at home on February 4. “We have a saying that we're going to fail better. It's all right to fail, so we're not afraid," Miller said. "But the next time we'll be better at it." Winning their matches were Carr by fall and Thibodeaux and Fountain by pin. MMA closed out the season February 11 at the Class 2, District 2 tournament.

AT LEFT: Samuel Carr '18, January 19 win versus Warsaw. Photo by Christian Foster '19.

The Colonels scored three points to take 15th place out of 16 teams. Carr won a 17-4 major decision in the second consolation round. “With us moving up to Class 2, we were at a big disadvantage,” Miller said. “I'm very excited about next year. … We have a good foundation to make great strides forward. We will surprise some people.”

678

TEAM TOTAL REBOUNDS THIS SEASON

MOST POINTS SCORED IN A SINGLE GAME, SHIELDS VS. MONTGOMERY COUNTY ON JAN. 10

TOTAL THREE POINTERS SCORED VS. HIGBEE ON DEC. 9

HIGHEST TEAM TOTAL REBOUNDS IN A SINGLE GAME, THREE-WAY TIE (VS. HARRISBURG ON JAN. 27, VS. JAMESTOWN ON DEC. 14 AND VS. NORTH CALLAWAY ON JAN. 11)

1,ли92

TOTAL VARSITY POINTS SCORED THIS SEASON

TOTAL MMA BASKETBALL GAMES PLAYED BY FITZGERALD, THREE YEARS ON TEAM

469

TOTAL VARSITY POINTS SCORED BY SHIELDS, TWO YEARS ON TEAM

222

TOTAL VARSITY REBOUNDS BY LEON, TWO YEARS ON TEAM

18.8

AVERAGE PPG THIS SEASON, SHIELDS

121

TOTAL SEASON VARSITY REBOUNDS BY DA ROCHA

THREE: Gabriel Penha '20 faces an Owensville opponent during MMA's first game of the season December 5. FOUR: Irvin Rodriguez '18 takes a shot during pregame practice January 30. FIVE: December 9. Pictured: Nyamkhuu Chinguun, Megan Cavaiani, Matthew Ghidey, Oybek Kirkland, Julien Mugabo, Jean-Luc Shyaka, Alejandro Gastelum. Photos by Fernando Zahuita '20. Infographic by Erin Chambers.

AT LEFT: Bayar-Erdene Oldokhbayar attempts a basket February 3. The senior scored 15 points before sustaining a head injury in the third quarter and leaving the game. Also pictured: juniors Victor Armando Leon and Pedro Da Rocha. Photo by Fernando Zahuita '20.

The Fighting Colonels kicked off their season with a bang: four games in five days. The week began on Monday, December 5 with a 43-56 loss to Owensville. Gabriel Penha '20 led with 14 points and Pedro Da Rocha ’18 contributed 13 points. The junior varsity Colonels fell 4-50 to the Dutchmen. In their home opener the following day, MMA defeated Madison 52-46. “The Colonels took control in the second half, holding the Panthers to a total of 17 second half points,” coach LT Kevin Bissmeyer said. Penha celebrated his birthday by leading MMA with 19 points and two rebounds. Da Rocha added nine points and six rebounds. After a one-night respite, the Colonels again took the court on Thursday, December 8 with a narrow

63-60 home victory over Wright City. Players then finished their first week on Friday, December 9, returning home with a 71-60 away win over Higbee.

“The team has really come together over this tough stretch of games,” Bissmeyer said. “We have been under so much pressure and hopefully it will help solidify the unit for the rest of the year.”

The score sat at 33-31 with the Tigers ahead at the half. The game remained close through the third quarter, but the Colonels pulled away by scoring 28 points in the fourth quarter. Leading scorer senior Bayar-Erdene Oldokhbayar, who scored a career-high 24 points the previous day, returned to the court Friday with a new high of 30 points. According to Bissmeyer, he began “heating up” after his first few shots. “He was huge for us tonight!” he said of Oldokhbayar.

ONE: JV players pose March 9 after the winter Athletic Banquet. Pictured: freshman Devonte Knight; sophomores Khaliguun Enkhbayar and Yesuntumur Gankhurel; juniors Davaasuren Dashdavaa, Joseph Guth and Tamir Nyamdavaa; senior Photsavat Pongsuea; and coach Megan Cavaiani. Photo by Aaron Thompson '17. TWO: The varsity basketball Colonels pose January 19 after defeating Bourbon. Pictured: LT Kevin Bissmeyer; Gabriel Penha '20; Pedro Risovas '19; juniors Nyamkhuu Chinguun, Pedro Da Rocha, Matthew Ghidey, Victor Armando Leon and Donald Williams; seniors Tuguldur Altangerel, Sean Fitzgerald, Alejandro Gastelum, Oybek Kirkland, Julien Mugabo, Bayar-Erdene Oldokhbayar and Robert Shields. Photo courtesy of LTC Willis Kleinsorge.

The Colonels next suffered an away loss 41-47 against the Silex Owls on December 12. MMA bounced back two days later with a 68-57 home win over Jamestown. Senior Robert Shields was the top Colonel scorer with 26 points. The Colonels returned to the court in January with a three-game South Callaway Tournament run. MMA fell 82-98 on January 10 in the first round to Montgomery County. Top MMA scorers were Shields with CONTINUED ON PAGE 136

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 135 42 points and Penha with 18 points. Cadets fell 52-63 to North Callaway in the consolation semifinals the following day. Penha led with 17 points. In the final round on January 12, MMA lost 53-59 to the Russellville Indians. Shields was named to the South Callaway AllTournament Team. BELLE TOURNAMENT MMA bounced back from a 0-3 tournament record January 16 by pulling out a first round tournament win. The No. 3-seeded Colonels took a ten-point lead in the first quarter and never looked back in an 87-66 victory against South Callaway. “They had a two-week break and then came back and had to play in back-to-back tournaments which took them away from campus three nights a week on long bus rides for difficult games,” Bissmeyer said. Returning to the court after an injury, Oldokhbayar boasted 35 points. Shields contributed 20 points. “Donald Williams '18 also made positive contributions — rebounding and defensively — in his first extended action of the season,” Bissmeyer said. The Colonels fell to the Chamois Pirates 45-59 in the second round on January 17. Shields and Oldokhbayar scored 15 points each. Cadets took the third place title January 19 with an 83-73 (2 OT) win over Bourbon. “Everyone on the team performed exceptionally well,” Bissmeyer said. “The cadets came out strong and built up an early lead which we sustained throughout the entire game.” Shields notched 35 points. Penha added 21 and Oldokhbayar made 20 points. Shields and Oldokhbayar were named to the AllTournament Team. “The first OT was tightly contested and very physical, which led to a second OT after each team scored just five points,” Bissmeyer said. VERSUS HARRISBURG Up next for the Colonels was a 51-80 loss to the Wellsville-Middleton Tigers on January 24 followed by a 79-95

TWO: Freshmen WrayVauze Givens and Yiliyang Song; Khaliguun Enkhbayar '19; juniors Davaasuren Dashdavaa, Alexander Ebersole, Joseph Guth, Tamir Nyamdavaa, Lucas Pranger; senior Hector Villanueva. FOUR: WrayVauze Givens '20. SIX: Andrew Rittmaster '19. Photos one, four, five and six by Fernando Zahuita '20. Photos two and three by Erin Chambers.

THREE: Gabriel Penha '20; Pedro Risovas '19; juniors Nyamkhuu Chinguun, Pedro Da Rocha, Matthew Ghidey and Victor Armando Leon; seniors Tuguldur Altangerel, Sean Fitzgerald, Alejandro Gastelum, Oybek Kirkland, Julien Mugabo, Bayar-Erdene Oldokhbayar, Robert Shields, Jean-Luc Shyaka; LT Kevin Bissmeyer.

VARSITY Tuguldur Altangerel '17 Nyamkhuu Chinguun '18 Pedro Da Rocha '18 Sean Fitzgerald '17 Matthew Ghidey '18 Oybek Kirkland '17 Victor Armando Leon '18 Julien Mugabo '17 Bayar-Erdene Oldokhbayar '17 Gabriel Penha '20 Pedro Risovas '19 Robert Shields '17 Jean-Luc Shyaka '17 Donald Williams '18 JUNIOR VARSITY Davaasuren Dashdavaa '18 Alexander Ebersole '18 Khaliguun Enkhbayar '19 Yesuntumur Gankhurel '19 Alejandro Gastelum '17 WrayVauze Givens '20 Joseph Guth '18 Devonte Knight '20 Brandon Lane '20 Tamir Nyamdavaa '18 Photsavat Pongsuea '17 Lucas Pranger '18 Andrew Rittmaster '19 Irvin Rodriguez '18 Yiliyang Song '20 Hector Villanueva '17 COACHES LT Kevin Bissmeyer Megan Cavaiani CPT Steven Manning

FIVE: Brandon Lane '20, Khaliguun Enkhbayar '19.

TEAM MANAGERS Leonardo Caruzo '17 Omela Mudogo '22 Joao Souza '19

defeat January 27 at the hands of Harrisburg. Cadets were tied against the Bulldogs at the end of the first quarter but fell behind in the second. Top performers included Shields with 31 points and Oldokhbayar with 21. MMA next fell 58-69 versus North Callaway on January 30. Cadets hacked away at an 18-40 Thunderbird lead going into the second half, at one point bringing the game to within six points. Shields led MMA with 24 points. JV VICTORY The varsity Colonels faced New Bloomfield on January 31. Down by only one point at halftime, Cadets drew ahead entering the fourth quarter but ultimately fell 61-69 to the Wildcats. Top Colonel scorer Oldokhbayar notched 19 points. In JV play, MMA was down 17 points at the half but bounced back to take the win 39-38 in what interim athletic director Juan Garcia called “one of the most amazing comebacks I have seen." “Not only did the JV go on a 19-4 run to take the lead, but they ended the second half out-scoring their opponent 26-6," he said.

FEBRUARY The Fighting Colonels started their final month of play with a match against the Calvary Lutheran Lions on February 3. Penha scored 24 points in the Colonels' 73-61 win. According to Bissmeyer, senior Sean Fitzgerald “had one of his best games of the season” with 10 points, eight rebounds and six assists. The Colonels scored four points in the final minute February 7 to earn a 62-58 home victory versus the South Callaway Bulldogs. “The players executed exceptionally well throughout the game,” Bissmeyer said. “Even when South Callaway got the game within a couple baskets at the end, the boys were able to stay focused on playing smart basketball and execute their game plan. A great team win!" Leading performers were Penha with 20 points and Shields with 17 points. “Junior guards Matthew Ghidey and Nyamkhuu Chinguun did a fantastic job of stepping up ... [and] running the offense,” Bissmeyer said.

Up next was a 75-71 win against Van-Far High School on February 10. The Colonels fell 52-63 against Tipton on February 14. Top scorers were Shields with 17 points and Penha with 16 points. Two days later, MMA fell at home 54-84 versus Battle HS. “We scheduled this game last second in order to get a preview of how we match up against some of the larger, more athletic schools,” Bissmeyer said. Top MMA performers were Da Rocha with 15 points and Shields with 13 points. DISTRICT PLAY Following a 46-67 loss February 17 to Hallsville, MMA finished the season February 21 with a 41-56 loss to North Callaway in the Class 3, District 7 tournament. The No. 6-seeded Colonels were down 8-23 at halftime but bounced back to within ten points thanks to third quarter scores from Oldokhbayar and Da Rocha.

REGULAR SEASON 12/5 vs. Owensville: 43-56 L 12/6 vs. Madison: 52-46 W 12/8 vs. Wright City: 63-60 W 12/9 vs. Higbee: 71-60 W 12/12 vs. Silex: 41-47 L 12/14 vs. Jamestown: 68-57 W 1/24 vs. Wellsville-Middleton: 51-80 L 1/27 vs. Harrisburg: 79-95 L 1/30 vs. North Callaway: 58-69 L 1/31 vs. New Bloomfield: 61-69 L 2/3 vs. Calvary Lutheran: 73-61 W 2/7 vs. South Callaway: 62-58 W 2/10 vs. Van-Far: 75-71 W 2/14 vs. Tipton: 52-63 L 2/16 vs. Battle High School: 54-84 L 2/17 vs. Hallsville: 46-67 L SOUTH CALLAWAY TOURNAMENT 1/10 vs. Montgomery County: 82-98 L 1/11 vs. North Callaway: 52-63 L 1/12 vs. Russellville: 53-59 L BELLE TOURNAMENT 1/16 vs. South Callaway: 87-66 W 1/17 vs. Chamois: 45-59 L 1/19 vs. Bourbon: 83-73 W (2 OT) DISTRICT PLAY 2/21 vs. North Callaway: 41-56 L ONE: Victor Armando Leon '18 takes a shot on January 30 versus North Callaway.

FIVE: New Zealand Ed Tour participants play rugby. Juan Pablo Cepeda, Braulio Diaz, Gabriel Elizondo, Francisco Fletes, Victor Arturo Leon, Itiel Palacios, Felix Tonella, Erick Trevino. SIX: Sophomores Pablo De Saro, Nicholas Kotzamanis; juniors Victor Arturo Leon, Arturo Salazar; seniors Gabriel Elizondo, Cesar Garza, Ernesto Melgar, Ramon Rodriguez, Javier Salazar. GRINNING GROUP: March 4. Gabriel Elizondo, Edward Cha, Styles Fountain, Victor Arturo Leon, Ernesto Melgar, Michael Naughton, Javier Salazar, Juan Diego Silva. Photo by Connor Sims '18.

WHAT IS THE HARDEST THING ABOUT GOLF? ELIAN HARANTS '20 The pressure that I get whenever I need to play well in order to win the match. CONNOR SIMS '18 The hardest thing about playing golf is to not get angry for missing a putt and just learning from your mistakes.

TWO: Salazar '17 versus Springfield on March 4. Photo by Connor Sims '18.

HOW IS RUGBY DIFFERENT FROM OTHER SPORTS? EDWARD CHA '18 The game pretty much is non-stop. We constantly are making tackles and running with the ball. Rugby is different from other sports because it is the ultimate team sport. ... Everyone needs to be on the same page to win the game.

CESAR GARZA '17 The patience is something everybody struggles with in golf. It is very frustrating missing a shot close to the hole. PABLO DE SARO '19 Concentration and not getting too frustrated. You have to remember that at the end of the day it's just a game.

GOLF TEAM

Jose Balanza '17 Pablo De Saro '19 Shuo Dong '19 Alexander Ebersole '18 William English '20 Jorge Garcia '18 Cesar Garza '17 Elian Harants '20 Lucas Pranger '18 Connor Sims '18 Patricio Valdes '21 Parker Yeary '18 COACHES CPT Thomas Roberts Megan Cavaiani

RUGBY SEASON Cadets competed alongside other mid-Missouri students for the third consecutive season as part of the Jefferson City Rugby Football Club.

GOLF SEASON The 2016-17 golf team kicked off their season with a bang in early April, playing four consecutive nights in four different cities. The week started on Monday, April 10 with the Wright City Tournament â&#x20AC;&#x201D; MMA took third with a team score of 188.

The Nightmare kicked off their season March 4 with a 36-12 district qualifier win over Springfield. Up next was a 26-17 victory over Eureka on March 11 followed by a 38-5 victory over Columbia on April 1. ONE & THREE: Junior golfer Connor Sims. Photos shot on March 15 by William English '20.

FOUR: Golf team, March 14. Pictured: Balanza, De Saro, Dong, Ebersole, English, Garcia, Garza, Harants, Pierson, Pranger, Sims, Valdes, Yeary. SEVEN: Pablo De Saro '19 on March 15.

RUGBY TEAM

Samuel Carr '18 Edward Cha '18 Pablo De Saro '19 Gabriel Elizondo '17 Styles Fountain '19 Cesar Garza '17 Nicholas Kotzamanis '19 Victor Arturo Leon '18 Ernesto Melgar '17 Michael Naughton '20 Ramon Rodriguez '17 Arturo Salazar '18 Javier Salazar '17 Juan Diego Silva '17 COACHES CSGT Mike Harding LT Sean Peters

WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT WHEN YOU LINE UP A SHOT? ELIAN HARANTS '20 I think about where on the club I need the ball to hit so that I can hit a perfect, straight, long ball. CONNOR SIMS '18 I think about hitting the ball straight and making sure my swing is good.

Photo five courtesy of LCDR William Bushnell. Photos four and six by Erin Chambers. Photo seven by William English '20.

Up next was a loss to North Callaway on April 11 thanks to a 182 team score. MMA competed at the Palmyra Invitational on Wednesday, April 12, taking third place out of eight teams with a score of 353 — just one stroke shy of tying for second place.

The team finished in first place out of four teams at Versailles on April 13. “Elian Harants '20 posted the lowest score of 45,” coach CPT Thomas Roberts said. "Parker Yeary '18 failed to hit a tree for the first time and posted 50!”

BACK-TO-BACK MATCHES VERSUS CENTRALIA The Colonels took home fourth out of eleven teams with a score of 344 at the Centralia Invitational on April 17. Cesar Garza '17 led MMA with scores of 38 and 41 followed by Connor Sims '18 with 43 and 40.

Also competing were: junior Lucas Pranger, 46 and 43; Harants, 44 and 49; and senior Jose Balanza, 53 and 49. Later that week, MMA again faced Centralia on April 19 and proved victorious. “Our JV team walked away with three solid scores. Pranger hit a drive on the seventh, a par 4,

CESAR GARZA '17 I concentrate only on the ball and nothing else. I try to ignore all the sounds around that can distract me. PABLO DE SARO '19 I concentrate on hitting the ball with the center of my club and sending it long and straight.

393 yards and was 10 yards short of the green. Wow, he crunched it!” Roberts said. “They are playing team golf and picking each other up when needed.” Leading the Fighting Colonels were Sims with a 39, followed by Pranger and Garza with 44s and Harants with a 46.

BELOW: Angel Alcaraz '19, Patricio Valdes '21 and eighth grader Felix Tonella watch a Cardinals game in St. Louis on April 4. Photo courtesy of LTC Willis Kleinsorge. Photo seven by Erin Chambers. Photos eight, nine and twelve by Christian Foster '19. Photo thirteen by Clifton Cline '20. Photo fourteen courtesy of LTC Willis Kleinsorge. SEVEN: Football players gather to support senior Sean Fitzgerald on April 11 as he signs his letter of intent to play football at Missouri Valley College. Pictured: Fitzgerald's aunts; freshmen Givens, Huckins, Jenkins, Knipfer and Rogge; sophomores Fountain, Hamm, Lane, Stanford and Thunderchild; juniors Da Rocha, Fletes, Killion, Liriano, Pranger; seniors Davis, Garza and Oldokhbayar. "I'm a little nervous but extremely excited," Fitzgerald said. "I'm excited because I want to see what I can do at the next level." EIGHT & NINE: Pablo De Saro '19 and junior Christian Ashton, dodgeball on January 20. TEN: Cadets watch as the football Colonels face Maur Hill-Mount Academy at home August 30. Pictured: middle school students Garcia '21 and Tonella '22; juniors Rodriguez and Williams; and seniors Balanza, Escarcega, Gastelum, Gisa, Melgar, Mugabo, Rodriguez, Silva and Villanueva. Photo courtesy of LTC Willis Kleinsorge. ELEVEN: Freshman Itiel Palacios, April 4, St. Louis Cardinals baseball game. Photo courtesy of LTC Willis Kleinsorge. TWELVE: Nicholas Kotzamanis '19, January 24 wrestling meet. THIRTEEN: Junior Francisco Fletes is dropped January 20 by LTC Greg Seibert. FOURTEEN: JV basketball team, January 31. Pictured: Megan Cavaiani; freshmen Givens, Knight and Lane; sophomores Enkhbayar and Rittmaster; juniors Dashdavaa, Guth, Nyamdavaa, Pranger, Rodriguez and Williams; and senior Mugabo. FIFTEEN: Junior Edward Cha, rugby match March 4. Photo by junior Connor Sims.

MACHO MEN

ONE: August 26, Charles Eckardt '17. TWO: October 18, Jose Balanza '17. THREE: August 24, Shane Macon '21. FOUR: September 17, Wulan Bateer '18 and Yesuntumur Gankhurel '19. Photos one and four by Christian Foster '19. Photo two courtesy of LTC Willis Kleinsorge. Photo three by Garrett Stafford '18.

BELOW: Seventh graders Alexander Sheldon, Kevith Sangster. Photo by Erin Chambers.

BELOW: Sophomores Ruochen Xue, Nicholas Callahan, Zihao Li, Tingkai Gu. Photo courtesy of LTC Willis Kleinsorge.

LUCKY STRIKE SPRING SOCCER

High school soccer players won two 5-on-5 off-season games on April 2: a 10-2 win over Smithton and an 8-0 victory over Columbia. Point totals for both games were: Alejandro Gastelum '17, seven

goals; Francisco Fletes '18, four goals; Joao Souza '19, three goals; senior Gregory Prinster, two goals; Donald Williams '18 and Mig Gisa '17, one goal each. BELOW: Gabriel Penha '20; sophomores Luis De Leon, Souza; juniors Fletes, Williams; seniors Leonardo Caruzo, Gastelum, Gisa, Antonio Montes, Prinster. Photo courtesy of LTC Willis Kleinsorge.

On February 8, nineteen cadets bowled two games each at Mexico Lanes. MMA's top bowler was Ernesto Melgar '17, followed by Phoenixsun Jumper '19 with a 145, Juan Pablo Cepeda '18 with a 119 and Alexander Cohen '20 with a 107. Bowlers Dawson Lane '19 and Juan Diego Silva '17 brought up the rear with a 37 and 44, respectively. ABOVE: Cadets [FIVE] senior Javier Salazar and [SIX] Dario Rodriguez '19 bowl February 22 at Mexico Lanes. Photos by junior Connor Sims.

RIFLE TEAM MEMBERS Wulan Bateer '18 = Chandler Bolinger '19 ∆ Yanlin Chen '18 = Oswaldo Fierro '18 = Gabriel Perez '18 = Alexander Seibert '18 + Benjamin Snider '17 + Garrett Stafford '18 + Aaron Thompson '17 + QiTao Wang '20 = Zihan Zhu '18 + + denotes varsity lettermen = denotes JV lettermen ∆ denotes team manager denotes team captain

Photos one and four by Aaron Thompson '17. Photo two by 1SG Randal Jacobson. Photo three by LT Kevin Bissmeyer. Photos five and six by Liam VanHoesen '19. Photo seven by Erin Chambers.

WHAT WAS YOUR PROUDEST ACHIEVEMENT THIS SEASON?

WHAT IS THE HARDEST PART OF BEING ON THE RIFLE TEAM?

ALEXANDER SEIBERT '18 I shot the highest I've shot in two years.

GABRIEL PEREZ '18 Commitment and consistency. During the season, excess sugar is discouraged.

GARRETT STAFFORD '18 Being the only one on the team to qualify and going to the national competition. OSWALDO FIERRO '18 Getting a 258/300 score, the highest score ever made this year. TWO: Cadets pose for a photo after facing Wentworth on January 24. Pictured: Hayden Jones, Mexico High School; and MMA cadets Bateer, Chen, Fierro, Seibert, Snider, Stafford, Thompson, Wang and Zhu. THREE: Members of the rifle team pose March 9 after the winter Athletic Banquet. Pictured: 1SG Randal Jacobson; and cadets Bateer, Bolinger, Chen, Fierro, Perez, Seibert, Stafford, Thompson, Wang and Zhu.

AARON THOMPSON '17 A personal best of 256/300.

AARON THOMPSON '17 The hardest part about it is that one point can make the difference. It is also hard being the team captain — trying to corral them before a match. ALEXANDER SEIBERT '18 Maintaining a strict diet and watching what I eat.

ONE: Rifle coach 1SG Randal Jacobson and Garrett Stafford '18 pose March 9 with four awards Stafford received at the winter Athletic Banquet: the Robert Hussong Trophy, G. David Peak Trophy, SGM Robert Wood Trophy and Coach's Trophy.

Junior Garrett Stafford, sole Colonel qualifier for Army JROTC Regional Service Championships, takes home all four RIFLE TEAM trophies on March 9 at winter Athletic Banquet

FOUR: Alexander Seibert '18 clips his target to a stand during MMA's match against Wentworth on January 24. FIVE: Wulan Bateer '18 shows off his target during MMA's home match against Leavenworth on February 3. SIX: Benjamin Snider '17 loads a pellet into his rifle February 3. SEVEN: Cesar Garza '17 fills his air tank in the MMA rifle range on November 28.

FALL SEMESTER The rifle team kicked off the season with their first practice November 21 — cadets competed in the NRA sectional postal a week later. MMA’s Team 1 took first in the JROTC division followed by Team 2 in second. Garrett Stafford '18 was top overall in the division with a score of 248. Other top MMA shooters were: Aaron Thompson ’17 with 231; junior Zihan Zhu with 212; Wulan Bateer ’18 with 208; and junior Oswaldo Fierro with 203. The Colonels placed 116 out of 194 teams with a score of 896-6 in the JROTC postal sporter. Top Fighting Colonel individual competitors were: Stafford with 245-4; Thompson with 229-2; Zhu with 215-0; Bateer with 207-0; Fierro with 196-2; and Alexander Seibert ’18 with 195-1. SPRING SEMESTER The Fighting Colonels competed in the Red River Postal on January 16. Top Academy shooters were: Fierro with 258; Stafford with 255; Thompson with 240; Zhu with 221; and Bateer with 213. On January 21, the Colonels competed in Highland, Illinois. Top MMA shooters were: Stafford with 457-5; Thompson with 452-8; Fierro with 423-4; Seibert with 420-7; and Bateer with 420-6.

Three days later, cadets traveled to Lexington, MO, to compete versus Wentworth. Top Fighting Colonel performers in the January 24 meet were: Thompson with 239; Stafford with 234; Seibert with 219; senior Benjamin Snider with 213; and Zhu with 203. Cadets defeated WMA at a home match February 1. Top MMA shooters were: Stafford with 239; Thompson with 232; Snider with 228; Seibert with 227; and Fierro with 225. Two days later, cadets hosted Leavenworth. Top MMA performers were: Thompson and Stafford with 248; Fierro with 234; Snider with 214; and Gabriel Perez '18 with 211. Individual qualifier Stafford represented the Academy from February 16 to 18 at the Army JROTC Regional Service Championships in Camp Perry, Ohio. Stafford scored 1022-24 total in the two-day competition to place 28th out of 100 Army JROTC sporters.

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MMA's lacrosse program was born during the 2015-16 school year. The winless Colonels played only five games. "While the sport was technically a varsity sport for us last year, most of the games were played against other team's JV squads," LT Kevin Bissmeyer said. "We competed as a JV team last year." SRIMMAGES The Colonels held a Maroon and Gold scrimmage game on Thursday, March 30, splitting up to face themselves. The following night, cadets again scrimmaged: this time against the St. Mary's Dragons of St. Louis. MMA pulled out a 4-3 win in the half-game scrimmage. Senior Sean Fitzgerald scored twice while juniors Joseph Guth and Donald Williams added one each. Providing assists were Williams, Victor Armando Leon '18 and Zeth Colin '19. MAKING MMA HISTORY "St. Mary's came to town for a scrimmage, stayed Friday night on campus, joined the cadets for a morning practice, and then met again on Saturday at 2:30 p.m. for the first home lacrosse game in MMA history," Bissmeyer said. The Colonels fell behind by 1-6 early in the game. Guth scored the first varsity goal in MMA history in what Bissmeyer called "a doorstep dink and dunk over the goalie." Cadets fought back in the second quarter to go 3-6 at the half. "We were able to get some things going and draw closer on the scoreboard," Bissmeyer said. "Guth began to dominate the game and the midfield combination of Fitzgerald and Williams caused major problems for the defense." In the final regulation minutes, MMA scored to tie the game at 9-9 and trigger a sudden death overtime. Guth scored during OT to bring the game to 10-9, earning the Fighting Colonels their first victory of the season and their first as a program. "Guth was simply unstoppable," Bissmeyer said. "The defense was anchored tonight by senior goalies Maxwell Weiss and

Griffin Gilman, who both played well and contributed to the win." Player of the Game Guth scored five goals total. Williams and Leon scored twice each; junior Tamir Nyamdavaa also added a goal. Cadets next faced Francis Howell High School on the road April 7. Fitzgerald was named Player of the Game. "After winning the first varsity game in team history, the team got a major wake up call in their second game," Bissmeyer said. Going against a much more experienced team, the Colonels fell 0-17." Up next was a by a 16-2 loss to Belleville East High School on April 14. Both goals were scored by Player of the Game Guth thanks to assists by Fitzgerald. "The Colonels played a much better game offensively but failed to posses the ball and only registered seven shots on goal," Bissmeyer said. On April 20, cadets fell 6-20 versus David H. Hickman High School. “Guth scored four goals with Leon and Fitzgerald each also adding a goal," Bissmeyer said. "In addition to his first score of the season, Fitzgerald also added an assist.” The Colonels were defeated 2-15 by Rock Bridge High School on April 23. “We’re starting to get better and really show improvement," Bissmeyer said. "Our passing, ground balls and game awareness are so much better than they were just a week or two ago.” Fitzgerald and Leon each scored a goal. “We’re a first-year team in one of the most difficult sports to learn,” Bissmeyer said. “We have some exceptional young talent and are going to be a team to watch going forward.” Photo one courtesy of LT Kevin Bissmeyer. Photos two, six and seven by Denver Jenkins '20. Photos three and four courtesy of LTC Willis Kleinsorge. Photo five by Erin Chambers.

ONE: LT Kevin Bissmeyer reacts to an April Fools trick April 1 following the Colonels' first-ever varsity lacrosse win. Also pictured: Davis '17, Kiefer '19, Modise '21, Nyamdavaa '18, Patino '21 and Williams '18.

DO YOU PREFER A LONG OR SHORT STICK? WHY? CARLOS LIRIANO '18 I prefer long because as a defender that is what I use and I just feel more comfortable using it. ALICAN YUMUK '19 Long because I am a defense player and it ... gives me a longer range to engage people and the ball. ROBERT ABBOTT '20 I prefer the short stick because I can maneuver with it better than a long pole. DEREK NGUYEN '20 Short stick, because its a lot more maneuverable and has lighter weight.

VARSITY

Robert Abbott '20 Zeth Colin '19 Rory Davis '17 Sean Fitzgerald '17 Yesuntumur Gankhurel '19 Griffin Gilman '17 WrayVauze Givens '20 Emiliano Gonzalez '18 Copeland Grahmann '18 Joseph Guth '18 Thomas Huckins '20 Nolan Kilpatrick '18 Carlos Liriano '18 Victor Armando Leon '18 Justin Meshell '20 Jacob McMahon '18 Jack Mitchell '19 Derek Nguyen '20 Tamir Nyamdavaa '18 Gabriel Penha '20 Gabriel Perez '18 Jaden Rogge '20 Sky Thunderchild '19 Maxwell Weiss '17 Donald Williams '18 Alican Yumuk '19

JUNIOR VARSITY Peter Casella '21 Dongyang Chen '20 Cyrus Cornelius '21 Mario Garcia '21 Jose Karam '21 Thomas Kiefer '19 Tamar Modise '21 Victor Patino '21 Fernando Zahuita '20

CADET MANAGERS Max Pitman '22 Kevith Sangster '22 Alexander Sheldon '22

COACHES

LT Kevin Bissmeyer WO2 Freddie Lomas

TWO: Justin Meshell '20 reaches for the ball at lacrosse practice March 16. THREE: Griffin Gilman '17 guards the goal March 30. FOUR: Carlos Liriano '18, Cyrus Cornelius '21 and Victor Armando Leon '18, March 30. FIVE: Lacrosse team members, March 6. SIX: Victor Armando Leon '18, March 16. SEVEN: Freshmen Thomas Huckins and Derek Nguyen, March 30.

The Colonels played their first match of the season March 29, defeating Mexico High School 7-2 in the MMA field house. Winning their individual matches were: Griffin Henry '19 with 10-2; Alejandro Gastelum '17 with 10-5; QiTao Wang '20 with 10-3; senior

ONE: MAJ Mike Pemberton poses with tennis players March 9. Pictured: freshmen Trevino, Wang; sophomores Foster, Henry; juniors Ghidey, Grice; seniors Gastelum, Shields. [TWO] QiTao Wang '20, [THREE] Joseph Mulvey '18 and [FIVE] Robert Shields '17 practice their skills on the MMA courts February 27. Photos two, three, five by Clifton Cline '20.

Robert Shields with 10-5; and Temesgen Ghidey '18 with 10-2. In doubles play, Henry and Gastelum won 8-0 while Wang and Shields won 8-4. “I was especially pleased with the play [of] Wang and Ghidey," coach MAJ Mike Pemberton said. "As firstyear players, both handled their matches with patience and poise.” MMA fell 1-8 at home to Helias Catholic the following day. The doubles team of Wang and Shields took home MMA's sole win 8-5.

“The cadets did their best against a very good team. … To their credit, the cadets kept battling and never quit,” Pemberton said. In their first outdoor match of the season, MMA shut out the Jefferson City HS junior varsity squad 9-0. Winning in singles play were: Henry with 6-3, 6-3; Gastelum with 6-2, 6-3; Wang with 6-0, 6-1; Shields with 5-7, 7-5, 10-8 tiebreaker; freshman Mauricio Trevino with 6-1, 6-7, 10-4 tiebreaker; and Ghidey with 6-1, 6-2.

Winning doubles teams were: Henry and Gastelum with 8-2; Wang and Shields with 8-2; and Trevino and Ghidey with 9-7. Christian Foster ’19 won his exhibition match 6-2. “I was very pleased with our intensity and focus,” Pemberton said. “We served the ball well and limited our unforced errors. It was a good team victory.”

MARSHALL TOURNAMENT MMA faced Marshall, Fulton and Smith-Cotton high schools April 7 in their first tournament of the season. MMA first fell 1-5 to Marshall HS with Foster winning his match 10-8. Up next was a 0-6 shutout loss to Fulton High School.

In its final game of the day, the Fighting Colonels earned a 3-3 tie against Smith-Cotton High School. Winning their matches were: Henry, 10-5; Gastelum, 10-5; and Wang, 10-4. "Against three quality teams, I thought we played good tennis," Pemberton said. CROSS-TOWN RIVALS The Colonels defeated Mexico High School by 8-1 on April 13. Winning their singles matches were: Henry, 10-3; Gastelum, 10-1; Wang, 10-0;

Shields, 10-7; Trevino, 10-2; and Ghidey, 10-7. Winning their doubles matches were: Henry and Gastelum, 10-4; and Wang and Shields, 10-7. "It was a great day," Pemberton said. "We served the ball well and did a good job of limiting our unforced errors. Our doubles teams were focused and looked more comfortable playing together." MMA fell 2-7 versus Fulton High School on April 21. Winning their singles matches were Shields, 10-7, and Trevino, 11-9. Cadets next hosted Hannibal HS on April 27, proving TENNIS TEAM victorious 6-3 on their home turf. Christian Foster '19 Winning their Alejandro Gastelum '17 singles matches Temesgen Ghidey '18 were: Henry, 10-3; Gastelum, 10-6; Malachi Grice '18 Wang, 10-7; and Griffin Henry '19 Shields, 10-7. Joseph Mulvey '18 In doubles play, Henry and Robert Shields '17 Gastelum won Mauricio Trevino '20 10-5; Wang and Shields won 10-3. QiTao Wang '20 "I was very pleased with our COACH energy and effort," MAJ Mike Pemberton Pemberton said.

DO YOU PREFER SINGLES OR DOUBLES PLAY? ALEJANDRO GASTELUM '17 Individuals, because you don't depend on anybody but yourself. GRIFFIN HENRY '19 Personally I am better at singles because I grew up playing mostly singles tournaments. ... I have been playing since I was 6 years old.

FOUR: MAJ Mike Pemberton and senior Alejandro Gastelum talk March 29 during the Colonels' first match of the season. Photo four courtesy of LTC Willis Kleinsorge. Photo one by Erin Chambers.

QITAO WANG '20 Doubles, because there will be someone to help me.

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FAR RIGHT: Freshman percussionist Mauricio Trevino marches in the Fall Family Weekend battalion review October 15. Photo by Liam VanHoesen '19. JOLLY JUNIOR: Oswaldo Fierro '18 plays club sponsor Christine Beshears during a Chess Club meeting November 30. Photo by freshman Fernando Zahuita. STOIC SOPHOMORE: Alican Yumuk '19 holds the MMA flag steady October 15 on the parade field during the Fall Family Weekend battalion review. Photo by Erin Chambers.

BAND PAGE 150 CADET CHORUS PAGE 154 RAILSPLITTERS & BOY SCOUTS PAGE 156 FUTURE BUSINESS LEADERS OF AMERICA PAGE 158 PAINTBALL CLUB & BIKING CLUB PAGE 160 LUNCH BUDDIES PAGE 164 GEOLOGY CLUB & FISHING CLUB PAGE 168 GAMING CLUB PAGE 170 CHESS CLUB & COOKING CLUB PAGE 172 MILITARY POLICEMEN PAGE 176 COLOR GUARD PAGE 176 HONOR GUARD PAGE 176 RAIDERS PAGE 180

First semester culminates in five-day trip to Hawaii for 75th anniversary Pearl Harbor Mass Band performance On December 4, three chaperones and 27 cadets departed for a six-night, five-day trip to Hawaii to represent MMA at the Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day Commemoration Ceremony. The following is an account of trip highlights written by Francisco Fletes '18, Zeth Colin '19 and WO2 Freddie Lomas.

EN ROUTE

Fletes: It all began early — we departed on December 4 at about 1:40 in the morning. Upon arriving at the airport, we all were excited about what was to come. During our roughly seven-hour flight to Honolulu, we had lots of spare time. All of us utilized it differently. Antonio Montes ’17 spent his time figuring out what was the best position to snooze in. Others purchased internet and browsed social

media, while Robert Shields ’17 watched basketball films, determined to stay in the starting five even though he was missing the first games of the season.

SIGHTSEEING

Fletes: On our first day in Hawaii, we visited the beach, surfed the waves and buried one another in the sand. No one minded having to wake up at 6 a.m. so we could go to the beach for a little while. We also hiked up to Diamond Head State Monument, a climb with many ramps and steep stairways. It was truly a sight to behold. Could you really blame Sean Fitzgerald '17 and I for yelling "I'm the king of the world" and posing for a Titanic-esque picture?”

On one of our first nights we went to a luau where we were treated to traditional Hawaiian food and entertainment. During one dinner, we sent Fitzgerald up to dance. He ended up having to wear a coconut bikini and a grass skirt while he danced the hula. Fun stories aside, we didn’t forget that the real reason we were there: to honor the fallen soldiers lost at Pearl Harbor. One of the most amazing moments was touring the U.S.S. Arizona Memorial, which was built to recognize the men whose remains weren’t recovered after the attack. The fact that the ship was still there after so many years was amazing. Meeting a survivor from another ship was also memorable. As we left, the hairs on the back of my neck were still standing up.

THE CONCERT

On December 7, cadets performed at the Battleship Missouri Memorial alongside more than 1,300 young musicians from across the United States and Japan. CONTINUED ON PAGE 153

THE SILENT MEMBER: Band Company guidon Pedro Da Rocha marches alongside the band October 29 in the Westminster College Homecoming parade. "I don't play an instrument. ... My job during parades is to guide Band Company when we are marching," the junior said. "My spot during parades is in the front of the formation: one step to the left and one back from company commander Robert Shields '17. I wanted to be a guidon because in my first weeks here I realized that is something that just a few — actually only four cadets in the whole battalion — are able to be. And [we are] different than a normal cadet, so I decided to be different." Photo by Erick Puente '18.

HS BAND MEMBERS Robert Abbott '20 Yednekachew Atkins '17 Chandler Bolinger '19 Akele Carpentier '18 Dongyang Chen '20 Clifton Cline '20 Zeth Colin '19 Pedro Da Rocha '18 Mitchell Duing '18 William English '20 Sean Fitzgerald '17 Matthew Ghidey '18 Temesgen Ghidey '18 Griffin Gilman '17 WrayVauze Givens '20 Malachi Grice '18 Scout Jones '22 Thomas Kiefer '19 Ashton Knipfer '20 Shane Macon '21 Tamar Modise '21 Antonio Montes '17 Paul Murphy '18 Derek Nguyen '20 Charles Norman '18 Photsavat Pongsuea '17 Matthew Seibert '19 Alexander Sheldon '22 Robert Shields '17 Garrett Stafford '18 Barrington Stanford '19 Sky Thunderchild '19 Mauricio Trevino '20 Haoming Yang '20 Parker Yeary '18 Rongyang Yi '18 Zhen Wei Yin '18 BAND COMMANDER Tuguldur Altangerel '17 DRUM MAJOR Francisco Fletes '18 BANDMASTER WO2 Freddie Lomas

AT RIGHT: The band arrives in Hawaii on December 5. Pictured: Bolinger, Colin, Duing, English, Fitzgerald, Fletes, Foster, Kiefer, Lomas, Macon, McGrath, Montes, Pongsuea, Raffkind, Sheldon, Shields, Stafford, Thunderchild,Yeary, Yi. Photo courtesy of Music Celebrations International.

BAND AWARDS MITCHELL DUING '18 Jeff Crain and Jeff Jorishie Award for outstanding contribution to the Jazz Ensemble

FIVE: Band members pose February 15. Photo by Erin Chambers. SIX: Cadets pose while sightseeing December 5 in Honolulu, Hawaii. Photo courtesy of Music Celebrations International.

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 150 Fletes: People arrived as early as 4:30 a.m. to watch the event. So many veterans were teary eyed, really putting the event into perspective for me. Lomas: Our first note as a mass band was incredible. The music director Robert Smith held a tonic chord which, when cut-off, echoed across Waikiki and bounced off the surrounding buildings. We knew then that we were part of something special.

Colin: My favorite memory by far was the very first song that we played as a whole mass band. The sound was so massive that I could hear it echo for a good five seconds. I could feel the drums and bass in my chest and the amount of emotion being conveyed was incredible. Fletes: Overall, this was one of the best trips Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve had in my life. Not only did we get to tour the island and shop around, but we also played a huge part in one of the most important events of the year. To say the trip was amazing would be an understatement. It was definitely a

huge learning and cultural experience. But more than anything, it was an honor to represent the Academy on a prestigious national stage. ADDITIONAL PERFORMANCES The band debuted August 22 at the first all-school assembly of the year and, a few days later, played for a crowd for the first time August 27 at the annual Mexico Soybean Festival parade.

MMAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Homecoming weekend was busy for the band, with performances including a football halftime show September 23, the Homecoming picnic September 24 and a review at the 15th annual Walk Back in Time Festival on September 25. Cadets marched October 8 in a Wentworth parade. A few days later, cadets marched alongside 27 schools and performed the National Anthem on October 11 at the 68th annual Hannibal Band Day. Up next was Westminster College parade October 29 followed by the annual Marine Birthday Ball on November 5.

ONE: Christian Foster, Dongyang Chen, Barrington Stanford. TWO: Tamar Modise. THREE: Football player and drum major Francisco Fletes. FOUR: WO2 Lomas. LEFT PAGE: Zeth Colin '19, Parker Yeary '18 and Garrett Stafford '18 perform with the Jazz Band at the Homecoming picnic on September 24. Photo one by Erin Chambers. Photo two by Garrett Stafford '18. Left page, photo three courtesy of LTC Willis Kleinsorge. Photo four by Dario Rodriguez '19.

Cadets celebrated the holidays by playing Christmas songs backto-back for both young and old; they performed at Pin Oaks Nursing Home on December 13 and played carols at a Lunch Buddy party in the library December 14. On February 1, cadets performed for visitors from the Retired Teachers Association. Six cadets performed alongside seven schools February 26 at the 41st annual Military School Band and Choir Concert. Representing MMA at the event were: Chandler Bolinger '19; freshmen Dongyang Chen and Clifton Cline; and juniors Malachi Grice, Paul Murphy and Rongyang Yi.

CHOIR CLOWNS AROUND: After performing three songs November 3 at the Mexico Senior Center, cadets strike a pose in a photo booth. Photo courtesy of Rob McGrath. CHOIR MEMBERS Nicholas Callahan '19 Braulio Diaz '20 Antonio Montes '17 Itiel Palacios '20 Victor Patino '21 Matthew Thibodeaux '19 Erick Trevino '19 Aocheng Wu '19 Parker Yeary '18 Eryao Zhang '18 CHOIR DIRECTOR Rob McGrath ACCOMPANIST MAJ Peggy Reynard

Q&A: FRESHMAN ITIEL PALACIOS What was your favorite performance this year? The veterans home, because we got to give people some smiles and I really think they enjoyed the show. Do you get nervous in front of a crowd? Kind of, but by now I have become more confident when I sing. ABOVE: Palacios at choir practice on October 21. Photo by Justtin Muilenburg '17.

CHOIR AWARDS

AOCHENG WU '19 Philip Russell '68 Award for an outstanding firstyear chorus member ERYAO ZHANG '18 Outstanding Contribution to the Cadet Chorus A PATRIOTIC PERFORMANCE: The Cadet Chorus performs November 3 for Mexico Senior Center residents during the Veterans Appreciation luncheon. Photo by Erin Chambers.

ABOVE: Nicholas Callahan '19 sings Wild Mountain Thyme on March 16. Photo by Erin Chambers.

ABOVE: Choir members pose February 17. Pictured: Rob McGrath; freshman Braulio Diaz and Itiel Palacios; eighth grader Victor Patino; sophomores Matthew Thibodeaux, Erick Trevino and Aocheng Wu; junior Parker Yeary; and senior Antonio Montes. Photo by Erin Chambers.

MMA joins 36 mid-Missouri schools in KOMU's annual holiday television broadcast

ABOVE: Matthew Thibodeaux '19 at choir practice on October 21. Photo by Justtin Muilenburg '17.

ABOVE: Aocheng Wu '19 at choir practice February 7. Photo by Erin Chambers.

On November 3, the MMA choir performed Sans Day Carol at the Missouri Theater. (Pictured at left. Photo by Erin Chambers.) The Cadet Chorus, along with 36 other mid-Missouri school choirs, appeared in the annual KOMU TV Holiday Choirs broadcast. Additional Cadet Chorus performances throughout the school year included: the Homecoming Convocation on September 24; the Fall Family Weekend Convocation on October 15; the Mexico Senior Center Veterans Appreciation Luncheon on November 3; and a performance at Pin Oaks Nursing Home on December 13.

ABOVE: Students and staffers sing carols in the halls December 16. Pictured: freshmen Robert Abbott, Clifton Cline, Itiel Palacios and Fernando Zahuita; sophomores Khaliguun Enkhbayar and Alican Yumuk; juniors Nyamkhuu Chinguun, Matthew Ghidey, Noah Webster and Eryao Zhang. Photo by Erin Chambers.

CPT Greg Maximovitch took the helm of MMA's Boy Scout Troop 39 during the 2016-17 school year following the retirement of scoutmaster MAJ Dennis Diederich. SUMMER On August 21, Boy Scout and MMA senior Benjamin Snider was officially named an Eagle Scout through Troop 772 of Laguna Niguel, California. (See photo three. Courtesy of Victoria Snider Thompson.) Snider was the 130th member of Troop 772 to attain the rank of Eagle Scout since 1992. For his Eagle Scout project, Snider constructed a life jacket rack for his local sailing center. FALL SEMESTER Members of the MMA Boy Scouts went fishing and camping September 17 in Bennett Springs, Missouri. The MMA Railsplitters participated in their first reenactment of the school year September 25 at the annual Walk Back in Time Festival. During Fall Family Weekend on October 15, and again during Valentine Weekend on February 11, the Boy Scouts held pancake breakfasts to raise money for Troop 39. On November 5, the MMA Railsplitters traveled to Ottawa, Kansas, for a Veterans Day parade and re-enactment. "My favorite was the event back in Kansas," sophomore Railsplitter Alican Yumuk said. "It was just really fun with the parade, with all the huge artillery, machine guns and the big area to battle." Members of the Railsplitters and Boy Scouts helped raise dozens of American flags November 9 at the Missouri Veterans Home to celebrate Veterans Day. Cadets returned November 15 to remove and store the flags for future use.

BOY SCOUTS Christian Ashton '18 William English '20 Thomas Huckins '20 Paul Murphy '18 Charles Norman '18 Garrett Stafford '18 CLUB SPONSORS CPT Greg Maximovitch MAJ Keith Morgan Cheryl Morris

RAILSPLITTERS Robert Abbott '20 Chandler Bolinger '19 William English '20 Emiliano Gonzalez '18 Malachi Grice '18 Thomas Kiefer '19 Lucas Killion '18 Nolan Kilpatrick '18 Parker Koontz '17 Dawson Lane '19 Jacob McMahon '18 Derek Nguyen '20 Alexander Seibert '18 Matthew Seibert '19 Noah Webster '18 Alican Yumuk '19 Zihan Zhu '18 CLUB SPONSOR MAJ Mike Shoemaker

TWO: English '20, Murphy '18 and Stafford '18. Boy Scout pancake breakfast on February 11. FOUR: Freshmen Abbott, Raffkind, Nguyen; sophomores Bolinger, Brewer, Evans, Seibert, Yumuk; juniors Elkins, Grice, Killion, McMahon, Seibert, Zhu; senior Koontz. September 25. Photos courtesy of LTC Willis Kleinsorge.

EIGHT: Missouri Veterans Home, November 15. Pictured: Ashton, English, Murphy, Naughton, Norman, Raffkind and Stafford. NINE: The Railsplitters pose February 15. Pictured: cadets Bolinger, English, Gonzalez, Grice, Kilpatrick, Kiefer, Lane, Webster and Yumuk. Photos six, eight courtesy of Cheryl Morris. Photos seven, nine by Erin Chambers.

FIVE: November 5. Pictured: Brewer, Evans, Francis, Gonzalez, Koontz, McMahon, Webster, Yumuk. ONE: Railsplitter Jacob McMahon '18, November 5. Photos courtesy of Emiliano Gonzalez '18.

WHAT IS THE BEST PART OF BEING A RAILSPLITTER?

WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT ON THE BATTLEFIELD?

ALICAN YUMUK '19 The authenticity and the rush you get in battle.

CHANDLER BOLINGER '19 It depends on what your job is. For example, if you're a medic you need to tend to people's injures. If you're a rifle man, you need to try to keep pushing forward to complete the mission.

MATTHEW SEIBERT '19 Re-enacting battle scenes, because being out there â&#x20AC;&#x201D; I felt like I was in the action actually doing it. NOAH WEBSTER '18 It's really fun. You get to hang out with friends, camp out in parks in World War II gear.

SIX: Boy Scout junior Garrett Stafford '18 clips a flag to a pole November 9 at the Missouri Veterans Home. SEVEN: February 22. Pictured: Ashton, English, Huckins, Maximovitch, Morgan, Morris, Murphy, Stafford.

CHANDLER BOLINGER '19 Experiencing the different weaponry. Last year I saw a Sherman medium tank and a Stewart, which is a light tank.

DEREK NGUYEN '20 During a battle, all I can think about is how to survive and help my comrades achieve our task. NOAH WEBSTER '18 If it is a staged battle, I'm thinking about how I can make it look as good as possible for the audience and provide as realistic an experience as I can.

ONE: CPT Greg Maximovitch and MAJ Peggy Reynard distribute FBLA bars. Pictured: Jose Balanza, Alejandro Gastelum, Temesgen Ghidey, Bayar-Erdene Oldokhbayar, Javier Salazar.

On September 27, members of the MMA Future Business Leaders of America chapter elected officers for the 2016-17 school year: Alejandro Gastelum '17, president; and Robert Shields '17, vice president. On November 1, the duo was sworn in during a ceremony in the Koster Media Center.

Following their induction, Shields and Gastelum gave a speech explaining the meaning of Future, Business, Leaders and “of America” to fellow chapter members. Shields and Gastelum then led members in reciting a pledge and reading a code of ethics. After an overview of contest rules by club sponsor MAJ Peggy Reynard, cadets signed up to compete in events.

In January, the MMA chapter qualified to compete in 13 categories at the district level. “We will be practicing with all groups, teams and individuals every spare minute to be ready for district competition,” Reynard said. “The chapter will be working diligently to do

well at the district level and [we] hope to take many competitions to the state level in April.” Cadets traveled to Moberly on February 3 to compete at the District Six Leadership Conference, placing in 16 events. Eight students qualified to compete at the state level.

FBLA is an amazing, competitive program. This is like the extra step of leadership and responsibility and is exhibited through two main types of competition — online tests and presentations. They range from impromptu speaking to dealing with unhappy customers. And the online tests range from cyber security to accounting, and even economics. I can say proudly that it is my second year in FBLA. I recommend for everyone to try it out, because it is a lot of fun! AARON THOMPSON '17

From April 2 to 4, juniors Temesgen Ghidey and Alexander Seibert and seniors Gabriel Elizondo, Javier Salazar and Aaron Thompson competed at the state FBLA convention in Springfield, Missouri. Cadets presented the colors at the opening session in front of more than 4,000 attendees from across Missouri. The MMA chapter did not place at the state level.

DISTRICT WINNERS FIRST PLACE Future Business Leader: Francisco Fletes '18 Global Business: Zhouli Cai '18 Yinzhou Wang '18 SECOND PLACE Accounting: Temesgen Ghidey '18 Business Law: Alexander Seibert '18 Management Decision Making: Bayar-Erdene Oldokhbayar '17 Juan Diego Silva '17 Jiaxuan Zhou '18 THIRD PLACE Advertising: Temesgen Ghidey '18 Cybersecurity: Aaron Thompson '17 Economics: Gabriel Elizondo '17 Health Care Administration and Sales Presentation: Javier Salazar '17 Entrepreneurship: Samuel Carr '18 Carlos Liriano '18 Aaron Thompson '17 Sports & Entertainment Management: Sean Fitzgerald '17 Robert Shields '17 Jean-Luc Shyaka '17 FOURTH PLACE Client Service: Gabriel Elizondo '17 Economics: Yinzhou Wang '18 Hospitality Management: Carlos Liriano '18 Aaron Thompson '17 Jiaxuan Zhou '18 FIFTH PLACE Public Speaking II: Francisco Fletes '18 Business Ethics: Sean Fitzgerald '17 Julien Mugabo '17 Robert Shields '17 SEVENTH PLACE Economics: Francisco Fletes '18 NINTH PLACE Impromptu Speaking: Juan Diego Silva '17

MMA FBLA CHAPTER MEMBERS

∆ denotes chapter President = denotes First Award (Presented for commitment and diligence at district level.) + denotes Second Award (Presented for placing in the top five and/or competing multiple years at district level.) • denotes Third Award JUNIORS Zhouli Cai + Samuel Carr + Francisco Fletes • Matthew Ghidey = Temesgen Ghidey + Carlos Liriano • Alexander Seibert + Yinzhou Wang • Jiaxuan Zhou + SENIORS Tuguldur Altangerel = Jose Balanza + Gabriel Elizondo • Sean Fitzgerald • Alejandro Gastelum ∆ + Oybek Kirkland = Antonio Montes = Julien Mugabo + Bayar-Erdene Oldokhbayar + Photsavat Pongsuea • Javier Salazar + Robert Shields • Jean-Luc Shyaka + Juan Diego Silva + Aaron Thompson • Hector Villanueva =

TWO: First, second and third place district-level winners pose March 6. Pictured: Zhuoli Cai, Samuel Carr, Sean Fitzgerald, Temesgen Ghidey, Carlos Liriano, Bayar-Erdene Oldokhbayar, Javier Salazar, Alexander Seibert, Robert Shields, Juan Pablo Silva, Jean-Luc Shyaka, Aaron Thompson, Yinzhou Wang and Jiaxuan Zhou. THREE: FBLA members pose February 16 for a group photograph. Photo two courtesy of Cheryl Morris. Photos one and three by Erin Chambers.

BELOW: Biking Club members. Pictured: Mitchell Duing '18, Mig Gisa '17, Lucus Killion '18, LTC Willis Kleinsorge, Shane Macon '21, Zhicheng Mao '19, Alejandro Mercado '22. Photo by Erin Chambers.

WHAT IS YOUR STRATEGY ON THE PAINTBALL FIELD?

HOW DOES IT FEEL TO GET SHOT WITH A PAINTBALL?

NOAH WEBSTER '18 Fire and maneuver. One person suppresses the enemy team while the other bounds up to a better position. You do this until you are close enough to rush the enemy team and wipe them out.

NOAH WEBSTER '18 It depends. Sometimes it is barely noticeable and other times it hurts a lot.

MATTHEW SEIBERT '19 Stick to the side. The fight is always in the middle.

Cadets shoot it out at back campus field in Missouri Military Academy's newly-formed PAINTBALL CLUB, sip Sonic drinks and zip across Mexico in BIKING CLUB Two chaperones and 20 cadets biked across Wellington, New Zealand, on February 22. The following is an account of the ride written by Educational Tour attendees senior Ramon Rodriguez and juniors Juan Pablo Cepeda, Luis Nachon and Victor Arturo Leon. RODRIGUEZ: The best thing about this trip was that some of the bikes were fully powered by electricity. In other words there was no need for pedaling. You could just sit and let the bike do everything. I had never seen these types of bikes before.

MASKED MAN: Paintball Club member Zenghui Zhang '17 poses in the tower September 17 during the fall Crucible. Photo by Liam VanHoesen '19. For more on the Crucible, see page 98.

You could just press a button and the bike would ride by itself. We [got] to ride on the roads with cars and next to the beach. LEON: It was a windy day in Wellington, but with the e-bikes you couldn't feel that much of a wind. I really enjoyed the ride. CEPEDA: We could appreciate the views and the sound of the sea while we were going on e-bikes, which help you put less effort in. CONTINUED ON PAGE 162

MATTHEW SEIBERT '19 It hurts a lot â&#x20AC;&#x201D; like getting hit with a stick.

ONE: Noah Webster '18 takes aim during a paintball Club battle on back campus January 11. Photo by Christian Foster '19. TWO: Juan Diego Silva '17 poses on his e-bike February 22 in New Zealand. Photo courtesy of LCDR William Bushnell. AT LEFT: Leonardo Caruzo '17 poses August 17 after being shot during a paintball battle. Photo by Erin Chambers.

ROUTINE MAINTENANCE

TOP LEFT: Felix Tonella '22 airs up his electric bike tire February 22 during the Educational Tour to New Zealand. Photo courtesy of LCDR William Bushnell.

TOP RIGHT: Mitchell Duing '18 inflates a bike tire January 11 in the field house. Photo by Erin Chambers. BOTTOM: Paintball Club member Vernon Leach '18 fills a CO2 canister February 1. Photo by Erin Chambers.

PAINTBALL CLUB

Robert Abbott '20 Wulan Bateer '18 Chandler Bolinger '19 Peter Casella '21 Alejandro Cohen '20 Cyrus Cornelius '21 Davaasuren Dashdavaa '18 Charles Eckardt '17 Griffin Henry '19 Phoenixsun Jumper '19 Parker Koontz '17 Vernon Leach '18 Jacob McMahon '18 Justin Meshell '20 Derek Nguyen '20 Itiel Palacios '20 Lucas Pranger '18 Irvin Rodriguez '18 Jaden Rogge '20 Jack Rufener '20 Matthew Seibert '19 Justin Shazar '18 John Sweetser '18 Yinzhou Wang '18 Noah Webster '18 Maxwell Weiss '17 Rongyang Yi '18 Alican Yumuk '19 Zenghui Zhang '17

SHARP SHOOTERS: Members of the Paintball Club pose February 15. Pictured: freshmen Abbott, Jean, Meshell, Nguyen, Palacios, Rogge and Rufener; sophomores Bolinger, Henry, Jumper, Sweetser and Yumuk; and juniors Bateer, Davaasuren, Leach, Pranger, Rodriguez, Shazar, Webster and Yi. Photo by Erin Chambers.

ONE: Junior Luis Nachon on an e-bike in Wellington, New Zealand. Photo courtesy of LCDR William Bushnell. CONTINUED FROM PAGE 160 NACHON: I didn't get tired because the bicycles had an electric motor that helped you go faster. So you could go at 20 kilometers per hour without getting tired! LEON: Yes, I did fall from the bike â&#x20AC;&#x201D; but it wasn't my fault! It was my friend Cepeda trying to tell me something and getting

in my way. I didn't want to crush him with the bike. I was trying to stop with the right brake, the correct one in the US, but the incorrect one in New Zealand. I fell down, and right at that time we started to laugh. I wasn't going to get mad at a friend. He helped me get up and continue the ride. For more on the New Zealand trip, see page 110.

SONIC ON SALE: Middle schoolers Shane Macon '21, Alejandro Mercado '22 and Victor Vielledent '22 pose with a sign February 1 after biking to Sonic for some frozen treats. Photo by Erin Chambers. SENIOR SHARPSHOOTER: Paintball Club member Charles Eckardt '17 takes aim on the back campus field January 11. Photo by Christian Foster '19. A GRAND DAY: Gabriel Pro '20 rides across North Grand Street on October 26. Photo by Erin Chambers.

BIKING CLUB Yutong Dongfang '19 Mitchell Duing '18 Mig Gisa '17 Malachi Grice '18 Lucus Killion '18 Shane Macon '21 Zhicheng Mao '19 Alejandro Mercado '22 Luis Nachon '18 Alexander Sheldon '22 Yiliyang Song '20 Victor Vielledent '22 Jiwei Ye '18 Haoyang Yuan '20 Zihan Zhu '18 CLUB SPONSORS LTC Willis Kleinsorge Dr. James Bonanno

SAY CHEESE: November 16. Pictured: Dr. Bonanno, Dongfang '19, Duing '18, Gisa '17, Grice '18, LTC Kleinsorge, Sheldon '22, Ye '18, Yuan '20 and Zhu '18. Photo by Emiliano Gonzalez '18. BIKING BACK: Yiliyang Song '20 of the Biking Club rides through a bank parking lot February 1. Cadets cut through on their way back to campus from Sonic. Photo by Erin Chambers.

TWO: Paintball Club member Matthew Seibert '19 on September 14. Photo by Mauricio Trevino '20.

WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT WHEN YOU AIM? NOAH WEBSTER '18 Not much. Mostly I'm concentrating on my surroundings and watching where the paintball goes to make adjustments for the next shot.

SEVEN: Seniors Benjamin Snider, Gabriel Elizondo and Alejandro Gastelum at recruit training on August 17. EIGHT: Biking Club member Mitchell Duing '18, February 1. NINE: Freshman QiTao Wang, recruit training on August 17. Photos by Erin Chambers.

GEARING UP: Peter Casella '21 and Maxwell Weiss '17. Paintball Club on January 25. Photo by Clifton Cline '20.

EXTRA AMMO: Freshman Alejandro Cohen packs containers with paintballs January 17. Photo by Clifton Cline '20. THREE: Freshman Haoyang Yuan rides back to campus November 16 after stopping at Sonic with fellow Biking Club members. Photo by Emiliano Gonzalez '18.

FOUR: Biking Club member Shane Macon '21 rides around the field house January 11. Photo by Erin Chambers. FIVE: Wulan Bateer '18, January 25. Photo by Clifton Cline '20. SIX: Omela Mudogo '22, October 5. Photo by Erick Puente '18.

SOPHOMORES Styles Fountain Dario Rodriguez Matthew Thibodeaux JUNIORS Wulan Bateer Samuel Carr Juan Pablo Cepeda Pedro Da Rocha Francisco Fletes Matthew Ghidey Temesgen Ghidey Joseph Guth Victor Armando Leon Victor Arturo Leon Carlos Liriano Charles Norman Cesar Perera Justin Shazar Donald Williams SENIORS Tuguldur Altangerel Jose Balanza Leonardo Caruzo Rory Davis Gabriel Elizondo Sean Fitzgerald Alejandro Gastelum Griffin Gilman Antonio Montes Julien Mugabo Bayar-Erdene Oldokhbayar Photsavat Pongsuea Javier Salazar Juan Diego Silva Aaron Thompson Hector Villanueva

On December 14, nearly 30 cadets and more than 20 local ELEMENTARY SCHOOL STUDENTS gathered in the Missouri Military Academy library for a holiday party. Students enjoyed refreshments, gifts, crafts and Christmas carols by the MMA Band. The event represented a much larger phenomenon, however: a POWERFUL CONNECTION formed between cadets and their Lunch Buddies in just a few short months.

The Lunch Buddy program pairs an at-risk first, second, third or fourth grade student with a community role model in the hopes of enriching their academic and personal lives. MMA librarian Fran Robley heard that the program, which is overseen by nonprofit group Bright Futures USA, needed positive male role models. She reached out to Dana Keller of Bright Futures Mexico and the duo outlined a pilot program for the Academy. Thus the MMA Lunch Buddies were born. In order to serve as a Lunch Buddy, a cadet must be an upperclassman and have excellent academic and disciplinary standing. After Lunch Buddies were selected, counselors from Mexico's three elementary schools matched each cadet to a student. Bilingual cadets are often matched to Spanishspeaking elementary students. Occasionally, cadets and students with similar backgrounds are also matched. "One cadet had a student who was so quiet and CONTINUED ON PAGE 167

ONE: Cadets and their Lunch Buddies pose December 14 following the holiday party. TWO: Donald Williams '18 and his Lunch Buddy, December 14. THREE: Alejandro Gastelum '17 reads a book to his Lunch Buddy at the holiday party December 14. Photos one, two and four courtesy of Cheryl Morris.

AT RIGHT: Lunch Buddy senior Antonio Montes gives a child a piggy-back ride during recess October 27. Photo courtesy of Cheryl Morris. BELOW: Program coordinator Fran Robley and the MMA Lunch Buddies pose February 14 in the Barnard Hall atrium. Photo by Erin Chambers.

FOUR: Sean Fitzgerald '17 eats lunch with his buddy on October 10. FIVE: Aaron Thompson '17 reads with his buddy December 14. SIX: Band member Griffin Gilman '17 and his buddy play the keyboard December 14. Photos three, five and six by Erin Chambers.

AT RIGHT: Pedro Da Rocha '18 gives his Lunch Buddy a geography lesson December 14 at the holiday party. "Elijah asked me where I'm from and I was showing Brazil to him," Da Rocha said. Photo by Liam VanHoesen '19.

What were some of your favorite Lunch Buddy moments this year? One of the proudest moments we all had was when a student’s teacher wrote a thank you note to our cadet for the progress she has seen in her student since he began working with his Lunch Buddy. And then there was the time I got an email from a teacher who said her student had been crying all morning. He’d missed the holiday party because he was sick. And now he wasn’t going to get to see his Lunch Buddy all through the holidays! His cadet made a surprise appearance with lunch from McDonald’s.

Did you always expect the MMA program to succeed? I knew the program was going to work the first time we went and my guys got back in the van and started talking about their kids. How do cadets benefit from being a Lunch Buddy? The first day senior Hector Villanueva met Leonardo, he walked away at a complete loss. The fourth grader he met was an angry little boy with a chip on his shoulder and virtually no self-confidence. After several visits Hector is finding a happy little guy who is glad to see him and loves to play at recess. This has truly touched Hector's heart and is making a difference in his life as well as Leonardo's.

ABOVE: Robley, Peter Casella '21 and Victor Patino '21 pose December 14. Photo courtesy of Cheryl Morris.

BUNNY EARS: Rory Davis '17 ties a student's shoe October 10. Photo courtesy of Cheryl Morris.

YOUNG AT HEART: Jose Balanza '17 pushes a student on the swing set during recess October 27. Photo courtesy of Cheryl Morris.

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 164 withdrawn he barely spoke to his cadet,” Robley said. “We used suggestions from the school counselor and playing sports at recess to make a connection." MMA Lunch Buddies visit their buddies twice a month and attend recess or class with their buddy. With the help of their teachers, the elementary students often email their buddies about their academic and personal progress throughout the month.

"In this way, cadets encourage their little friends to do well with their school work, participate in sports and celebrate their successes," Robley said. According to Eugene Field Elementary counselor Amy Auwater, the program has led to increased attendance and fewer disciplinary referrals. “I have kids coming up to me all day long, every day, asking when their Lunch Buddy is going to come,” Auwater said. “They’re very excited.” In order to progress to the next grade level, each high school student must complete a minimum of 20 hours of community service each school year. Last year, the MMA Corps of Cadets contributed 4,291 hours of community service. "Cadets are given community service hours for participating in the program but are receiving much more," Robley said. “I just love the friendships our cadets are making with their little Lunch Buddies. ... They care so much about their 'kids.’ ... Every day my cadets come into the library and ask when they get to see their buddy again because they miss them."

CHRISTMAS CRAFTS: Leonardo Caruzo '17 watches as his buddy Alex draws on his picture frame December 14 at the holiday party. "The best part is seeing the happiness of the kids," he said of the Lunch Buddy program. "I love kids!" Photo courtesy of Cheryl Morris.

STICKER SELECTION: Junior Matthew Ghidey helps his buddy select stickers for his holiday picture frame December 14. "One of my favorite things to do with my buddy Houston is to play kickball and talk about our favorite NFL team: the New York Giants," he said. "I really just wanted to make a huge impact on a child's life and show them that … their life matters. Plus, seeing a smile on their faces makes me satisfied." Photo courtesy of Cheryl Morris. For more on the Lunch Buddies, see page 84.

WASHED UP WHEELS: Seventh grader Max Pitman rides a scooter minutes after using a tree branch to fish it out of Teardrop Lake on January 18. CATCH AND RELEASE: MAJ Mike Pemberton helps senior Ramon Rodriguez remove a hook from a fish's mouth August 28. HALLWAY HUDDLE: Geology Club, October 26. Pictured: Christine Beshears, Shuo Dong, Tingkai Gu, Yasheng Lou, Zhicheng Mao, Wenzheng Xie, Zhen Wei Yin and Yuchen Zhang. ROCK BOXES: Christine Beshears helps sophomore Zhicheng Mao and junior Yanlin Chen organize their rock boxes September 14. Photos by Erin Chambers.

DEVIL'S ICEBOX: Zhicheng Mao '19 and Yasheng Lou '17 pose during an October 5 trip. Photo by Emiliano Gonzalez '18. TWO: Senior Ramon Rodriguez uses a rock and rope to fish out a television from Teardrop Lake on January 18. Photo by Erin Chambers.

FISHING CLUB Victor Patino '21 Max Pitman '22 Ramon Rodriguez '17 Connor Sims '18 Jiachen Yan '21 Siwei Zhao '22 CLUB SPONSORS MAJ Mike Pemberton MAJ Lawrence McClarey

THREE: Geology Club members at Salt River on September 7. Pictured: sophomores Shuo Dong, Tingkai Gu, Zhicheng Mao and Wenzheng Xie; seniors Yasheng Lou and Yuchen Zhang. Photo courtesy of Christine Beshears. FOUR: Connor Sims '18 and a USB mouse he caught September 14. Photo by Donovan Washburn '18. SIX: Victor Patino '21, Max Pitman '22. September 14. Award-winning photo by Washburn. For more information, see page 200.

GEOLOGY CLUB Yanlin Chen '18 Yuan Cui '20 Shuo Dong '19 Tingkai Gu '19 Yasheng Lou '17 Zhicheng Mao '19 Zhen Wei Yin '18 CLUB SPONSOR Christine Beshears

The fall semester Geology Club had their first excursion September 7, digging at the back campus Salt River in 100-degree temperatures. “The cadets were looking for arrowheads and they found part of one!” club sponsor Christine Beshears said.

On September 14, club members created their own rock boxes to house their personal collections. As cadets labeled each slot in their boxes, Beshears discussed igneous and sedimentary rocks and the difference between

minerals and rocks. The first ten slots in each cadet’s box held minerals — what rocks are made of, Beshears explained. Cadets received samples of rocks and minerals including

ONE: Victor Arturo Leon '18 as Tom Sawyer. October 28. Photo by Erick Puente '18. FIVE: MAJ Mike Pemberton, Max Pitman '22, Victor Patino '21, Jiachen Yan '21. Fishing Club, February 17. Photo by Erin Chambers. SEVEN: Yuan Cui '20 at Devil's Icebox in Columbia, MO. October 5. Photo by Emiliano Gonzalez '18.

granite, rhyolite, pumice, slate, marble, limestone, basalt, calcite, pyrite, quartz, talc and graphite. Additional club trips included Devil’s Icebox on October 5.

FOUR: Juniors Ghidey, Grice. FIVE: Demastus '18, Mason '22.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE GAME? LIAM VANHOESEN '19 Battlefield 4. [It's a] realistic shooter. Bullets actually have drop. It's not like Call of Duty where you point, shoot and hit. JAROD DEMASTUS '18 League of Legends. [You have] different experiences every time you play. Never gets boring. MICHAEL NAUGHTON '20 Call of Duty Zombies because I have so many fond memories of playing it with my friends.

WHICH DO YOU PREFER: RETRO OR MODERN GAMES? JAROD DEMASTUS '18 Modern because they usually have better graphics and better, more realistic gameplay. MICHAEL NAUGHTON '20 Modern games because they're marketed more. ... I enjoy all types of games equally, except for ones I can't understand.

DO YOU PREFER PC OR CONSOLE GAMES? WHY? LIAM VANHOESEN '19 They both have their perks. I'm more of a console gamer because I don't have a good PC. ... If I had a good PC, I'd switch over in a heartbeat. JAROD DEMASTUS '18 PC because there are thousands more games. MICHAEL NAUGHTON '20 PC because it looks so much better.

ABOVE: Gaming Club members pose February 17. Pictured: IT staffers Mike Kulas and David Wilkins; seventh graders Tristen Mason, Kevith Sangster and Zedong Shao; freshman Kenny Gisa and Michael Naughton; sophomore Dawson Lane; juniors Jarod Demastus and Temesgen Ghidey; and seniors Rory Davis and Aaron Thompson. AT RIGHT: Alexander Seibert '18 and Liam VanHoesen '19 shoot it out with Halo: Reach on February 22.

GAMING CLUB

Rory Davis '17 Jarod Demastus '18 Temesgen Ghidey '18 Kenny Gisa '20 Malachi Grice '18 Dawson Lane '19 Tristen Mason '22 Michael Naughton '20 Lucas Pranger '18 Kevith Sangster '22 Alexander Seibert '18 Alexander Sheldon '22 Zedong Shao '22 Aaron Thompson '17 Liam VanHoesen '19 Fernando Zahuita '20 CLUB SPONSORS David Wilkins Mike Kulas

SECOND SEMESTER GAMING CLUB MEMBERS COMPETE VIA BOTH RETRO AND MODERN CONSOLES

ONE & TWO: Zedong Shao '22, Tristen Mason, Jarod Demastus '18 and Aaron Thompson '17 face off in a Command & Conquer: Red Alert battle during a Gaming Club meeting March 16. Demastus lost early on while Thompson eventually claimed victory. THREE: Rory Davis '17, seventh grader Zedong Shao and junior Lucas Pranger take turns playing the Nintendo 64 game Tony Hawk's Pro Skater on February 22.

In January, technology staffers David Wilkins and Mike Kulas founded the MMA Gaming Club. Club members met in the Canteen to play modern and retro games including Galaga, Super Street Fighter II, Need for Speed Underground 2, Halo: Reach, Oregon Trail, Tony Hawk's Pro Skater, Call of Duty: Black Ops 2, Doom and California Speed. Each meeting featured multiple computers, emulators and consoles including the Nintendo 64, Sega Genesis and Xbox. "We meet the same time as other clubs, however we spend time playing and practicing for competitions," club member and IT intern Aaron Thompson '17 said. "And sometimes we will just mess around and play different, sometimes retro games like PacMan, Doom and other games." All photos by Erin Chambers.

TWO: February 15, Cooking Club. Pictured: Dongyang Chen, Denver Jenkins, Scout Jones, Thomas Kiefer, Tianjun Ma, Photsavat Pongsuea, Erick Puente, Arturo Salazar, Rachel Yim.

The Cooking Club, which formed in 2015, was a year-long offering. The Chess Club formed a few months into the fall 2017 semester, holding its first meeting November 30 and continuing throughout the spring. The following is a Q&A with club sponsors Christine Beshears and Rachel Yim. CHESS CLUB: CHRISTINE BESHEARS Q: Why did you decide to form the Chess Club? A: I have always liked playing games. It can really bring a family together. Chess was my favorite and my father was a fierce competitor. There was a time in my teaching that I taught chess to my classes. So I accumulated several chess sets, learning boards, and books that explain the game. There wasn't a chess club at MMA so I thought it was worth a try. Q: How has the club grown? A: To expand the club, we played Connect Four, UNO and checkers. As the club has continued to succeed, we have bought Chinese Chess, mahjong, a 5,000-year-old game called Go and a couple of packs of playing cards. Q: What were the best Chess Club moments this year? A: The best moments have been when I look at the room and kids are engaged and having conversation instead of sticking their heads into a computer. I was surprised how many cadets showed up and stayed throughout the school year.

COOKING CLUB: RACHEL YIM Q: How has the club grown this year? A: I feel like we've branched out to some more diverse and technically difficult cooking this year â&#x20AC;&#x201D; such as making candy and yeasted cake and creating choux pastry dough for gougeres. And the boys have kept up well. I also feel like they're learning how to improvise and problem solve more than last year, as well as learning when precision is needed versus when you can cook by sight, feel and smell. Q: What kinds of dishes has the club prepared this school year? A: We made king cake for Mardi Gras and cottage pie for St. Patrick's Day. We made peanut brittle, fudge and peppermint bark for the Lunch Buddies Christmas party and deluxe steak nachos for the Superbowl. Our non-event foods have included Levain Bakery chocolate chip walnut cookies, coffee cake, pancakes and Asian chive dumplings.

COOKING CLUB

Dongyang Chen '20 Denver Jenkins '20 Scout Jones '22 Thomas Kiefer '19 Tianjun Ma '22 Stamatis Pelekanos '19 Photsavat Pongsuea '17 Erick Puente '18 Arturo Salazar '18 Justin Shazar '18 Mauricio Trevino '20 Fernando Zahuita '20 CLUB SPONSOR Rachel Yim

BELOW: Oswaldo Fierro '18 faces Christine Beshears during a Chess Club meeting November 30. "I knew I was going to lose when she crowned her second queen," he said of the match. "The best matches happen when Fierro comes â&#x20AC;&#x201D; everyone wants to play him," Beshears said of her opponent. Photo by freshman Clifton Cline. Additional photos by Erin Chambers.

ONE: Chess Club, February 16. Pictured: Christine Beshears, Yanlin Chen, Shuo Dong, Tingkai Gu, Zhen Wei Yin, Eryao Zhang, Siwei Zhao and Weiming Zhu. THREE: Cooking Club freshmen Fernando Zahuita, Michael Just and Denver Jenkins chop apples for pie filling November 16. FOUR: Photsavat Pongsuea '17 watches as Dongyang Chen '20 traces a Mickey Mouse pancake on the griddle September 28. For additional Cooking Club and Chess Club photos, see next page.

ONE: Cooking Club members pose with their pancakes September 28. Pictured: Chen '20, Pelekanos '19, Pongsuea '17, Puente '18 and Yim. TWO: Chess Club, March 16. Pictured: Trevino '20, Dashdavaa '17; sophomores Alcaraz, Colin, De Leon, Dong, Huerta, Li; juniors Campos, Fierro; Beshears. THREE: Zihan Zhu '18, Eryao Zhang '18. Chess Club meeting January 25. FOUR: Angel Alcaraz '19 plays Connect Four with Weiming Zhu '22 on February 22. Photos one, two and four by Erin Chambers. Photo three by Clifton Cline '20.

FRIENDLY COMPETITION: Ruochen Xue faces fellow sophomore Zihao Li at Chinese Chess on March 2. Photo by Erin Chambers.

SPOOKY SNACK: Cooking Club members pose with a Halloween "graveyard" they created using candy and cereal October 26. Pictured: Rachel Yim; freshmen Dongyang Chen and Denver Jenkins; sophomores Thomas Kiefer and Stamatis Pelekanos; and senior Photsavat Pongsuea. Photo by Erick Puente '18.

OFF TO A GOOD START: Senior Griffin Gilman moves his piece January 18 while facing Zeth Colin '19 during a Chess Club meeting. Photo by Erin Chambers.

WHAT WAS YOUR FAVORITE DISH THE COOKING CLUB MADE? ERICK PUENTE '18 The Levain Bakery cookies because they were easy to cook and were delicious. DENVER JENKINS '20 The king cake. It reminds me of home.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE TYPE OF FOOD?

CHESS CLUB

Angel Alcaraz '19 Mohammed Aljabri '17 Fabian Campos '18 Yanlin Chen '18 Zeth Colin '19 Luis De Leon '19 Shuo Dong '19 Oswaldo Fierro '18 Griffin Gilman '17 Tingkai Gu '19 Alejandro Huerta '19 Zihao Li '19 Yasheng Lou '17 QiTao Wang '20 Zhen Wei Yin '18 Ruochen Xue '19 Eryao Zhang '18 Lihan Zhang '17 Siwei Zhao '22 Weiming Zhu '22 Zihan Zhu '18 CLUB SPONSOR Christine Beshears

ERICK PUENTE '18 My favorite food is Mexican because they often have more variety and add a different taste.

A REAL NAIL BITER: Mohammed Aljabri '17 faces Eryao Zhang '18 on November 30. Photo by freshman Fernando Zahuita.

PIE PREP: Juniors Arturo Salazar and Justin Shazar share a cutting board while chopping apples for pie filling November 16. Photo by Erin Chambers.

SAGE STORAGE: Cooking Club freshman Mauricio Trevino searches the SAGE dining shelves for ingredients January 25. Photo by Clifton Cline '20.

PICK A CARD: Aocheng Wu '19 Lihan Zhang '17, Chess Club on November 30.

HONOR GUARD

Chandler Bolinger '19 Juan Pablo Cepeda '18 Nyamkhuu Chinguun '18 Mitchell Duing '18 Raul Escarcega '17 Cesar Garza '17 Samuel Guo '19 Victor Armando Leon '18 Carlos Liriano '18 Ernesto Melgar '17 Antonio Montes '17 Paul Murphy '18 Ramon Rodriguez '17 Garrett Stafford '18 Aaron Thompson '17 Alican Yumuk '19 SPONSOR MAJ Mike Shoemaker

ABOVE: The MMA Honor Guard prepares to perform November 11 at McMillan Elementary. Pictured: Ernesto Melgar '17, Paul Murphy '18 and Chandler Bolinger '19. Photo by Christian Foster '19. THREE: Military Policemen pose in the field house February 11 during Valentine Weekend. Pictured: freshmen Braulio Diaz and Gabriel Penha; sophomores Luis De Leon, Khaliguun Enkhbayar and Joao Souza; juniors Cesar Perera and Arturo Salazar. Photo courtesy of LTC Willis Kleinsorge.

COLOR GUARD

Zhuoli Cai '18 Yuan Cui '20 Kenny Gisa '20 Samuel Guo '19 Alexander Hamm '19 Elian Harants '20 Thuqan Hindawi '18 Thomas Huckins '20 Phoenixsun Jumper '19 Ashton Knipfer '20 Omela Mudogo '22 Joseph Mulvey '18 Paul Murphy '18 Tamir Nyamdavaa '18 Gabriel Penha '20 Erick Puente '18 Alexander Schaaf '18 Alexander Seibert '18 Jean-Luc Shyaka '17 Alican Yumuk '19 Zihan Zhu '18 SPONSOR SFC John Biddle

STUDENT SPOTLIGHT: PAUL MURPHY '18

What happens at an Honor Guard funeral? Myself along with the other shooters will present arms when the hearse arrives. We will then fire three rounds together after the last prayer is said by the preacher. Then we will go to present arms. Taps is played, and then a flag is folded by members of the military and given to a family member. What do you like best about the Honor Guard? Honoring the veterans of our country who gave up their freedom. What is the hardest thing about Honor Guard? Standing at present arms for about five minutes.

SUMMER Senior Charles Eckardt attended a week-long Air Force Academy summer seminar and participated in his Civil Air Patrol squadronâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Color Guard. FALL SEMESTER On October 15, eight members of the MMA Color Guard performed in Columbia in honor of Marine vet and 94-yearold LTC Ferrill Purdy. The WWII veteran was reunited with the Corsair F4U fighter he flew in June 1943 during his last combat mission. Additional Color Guard events included: a Westminster College parade October 29; and Eugene Field Elementaryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Veterans Day assembly and the Missouri Veterans Home Veterans Day party on November 11.

Members of the Honor Guard also performed November 11 at the Missouri Veterans Home and at McMillan Elementary. SPRING SEMESTER On April 4, the MMA Color Guard presented the colors at Busch Stadium for the second Cardinals game of the season. THE LAST POST CEREMONY On February 23, cadets participated in the Last Post ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Warrior in Wellington, New Zealand. The daily ceremony begins at 5 p.m. and lasts for approximately seven minutes. "This ceremony honors and remembers the fallen and incorporates lowering the New Zealand flag, playing the Last Post, observation of one minute of silence and the Ode of Remembrance," trip chaperone LCDR William Bushnell said. CONTINUED ON PAGE 178

SECURITY SNAPSHOTS

TOP RIGHT: Seniors Antonio Montes, Jose Balanza, Raul Correa, September 2. TOP LEFT: Zihao Li '19, Wulan Bateer '18. April 12. BOTTOM RIGHT: August 20, junior Donald Williams. BOTTOM LEFT: Sophomore Luis De Leon. November 11.

Left photos by Erin Chambers. Top right photo courtesy of LTC Kleinsorge. Bottom right photo by Garrett Stafford '18. ONE: Color Guard member Alexander Seibert '18 waits to post the colors at a Missouri Veterans Home party on November 11. Photo by Liam VanHoesen '19. TWO: Military Policemen pose February 15 on the steps of Stribling Hall. Pictured: freshmen Braulio Diaz and Gabriel Penha; sophomores Luis De Leon, Khaliguun Enkhbayar and Joao Souza; juniors Jorge Garcia, Alexander Ebersole, Cesar Perera and Arturo Salazar; and senior and Raul Escarcega. Photo by Erin Chambers.

AT RIGHT: Fall Family Weekend battalion review October 15. Sophomore Alexander Hamm. Photo by Christine Smith.

WHAT IS THE HARDEST PART OF BEING ON THE COLOR GUARD? ALEXANDER SCHAAF '18 The hardest thing about Color Guard is holding your flag/rifle for [an] hour â&#x20AC;&#x201D; sometimes more â&#x20AC;&#x201D; in the same position. The rest of the Corps can set their rifles on the ground while they're not marching, but the Color Guard carries the colors and the rifles the whole time. ALICAN YUMUK '19 Just the overall perfection. Every part of our performance has to be absolutely perfect.

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 177 According to Ramon Rodriguez, fellow senior Gabriel Elizondo volunteered to read the Ode of Remembrance. "We were originally going to walk to the Great War Museum, but some New Zealand military guys asked us to be part of the ceremony," Rodriguez said. A member of each New Zealand military branch lowered the flags while others spoke in Maori. "The commander of that ceremony was really thankful to us for participating," Rodriguez said. "We [formed up] facing the flags and the priest and stayed there until the ceremony was done." For more on the Educational Tour, see page 110.

TWO: Military Policemen Leonardo Caruzo '17 and Gabriel Penha '20 post in the Barnard Hall atrium on November 11.

THREE: Color Guard, March 16. Pictured: SFC John Biddle, Guo '19, Hindawi '18, Huckins '20, Mulvey '18, Seibert '18, Yumuk '19 and Zhu '18. Photo by Erin Chambers.

IN ACTION: Cadets present the colors at a soccer game September 1. Pictured: Guo '19, Hamm '19, McMahon '18, Mulvey '18, Myrick '18, Schaaf '18, Shyaka '17 and Yumuk '19. Photo by Erin Chambers.

WHAT DO YOU LIKE ABOUT BEING ON THE COLOR GUARD? ERICK PUENTE '18 I feel proud about being able to be represent my country during some events. SAMUEL GUO '19 I like Color Guard because I get to meet and do something for veterans on occasion. ... Honoring our veterans is one of the most important things that we should do. They have served our country, risking their life and their own welfare so that we can sleep at night. So we should honor and commend them for their bravery. ALICAN YUMUK '19 It is an honor to protect and represent the colors of our nation and school. I like all the privileges that come with being in the Color Guard, and I definitely love the uniform items. I love that little tunnel of people saluting you that you walk through as you're carrying the colors.

MILITARY POLICEMEN Leonardo Caruzo '17 Davaasuren Dashdavaa '18 Luis De Leon '19 Braulio Diaz '20 Alexander Ebersole '18 Khaliguun Enkhbayar '19 Jorge Garcia '18 Ashton Knipfer '20 Zihao Li '19 Jacob McMahon '18 Antonio Montes '17 Gabriel Penha '20 Cesar Perera '18 Arturo Salazar '18 Joao Souza '19 Noah Webster '18 Donald Williams '18

WHAT DOES YOUR HOME COUNTRY'S FLAG REPRESENT? RAMON RODRIGUEZ '17 It represents brotherhood and union. CESAR GARZA '17 The flag for me represents the freedom and traditions in my country. JORGE QUIROS '19 My flag means my ancestors who fought to be able to grow that country. And I am proud of that. OSWALDO FIERRO '18 Patriotism, power of the people, freedom and sacrifice.

BATTALION S-2 Raul Escarcega '17

ONE: November 11, junior Mitchell Duing. Photo by Christian Foster '19. FOUR: Honor Guard, February 15. Pictured: Chandler Bolinger, Juan Pablo Cepeda, Raul Escarcega, Cesar Garza, Victor Armando Leon, Carlos Liriano, Ernesto Melgar, Antonio Montes, Paul Murphy, Ramon Rodriguez, Aaron Thompson and Alican Yumuk.

Photo four by Erin Chambers. Photo two by Connor Sims '18. TOP: Sky Thunderchild '19, New Mexico state flag. BOTTOM RIGHT: Seniors Robert Shields and Photsavat Pongsuea, Missouri state flag. Photos shot in Hawaii, courtesy of Music Celebrations International. For more on the band, see page 150. BOTTOM LEFT: Mig Gisa '17, Rwandan flag. August 13. Photo by Garrett Stafford '18.

SOPHOMORE SPOTLIGHT: RICHARD CHOY BELOW: October 22, junior Victor Arturo Leon. Photo courtesy of SFC John Biddle.

AT RIGHT: Samuel Guo '19 climbs a rope in the field house March 29. Also pictured: cadets Angel Alcaraz '19, Rhys Bullington '19, Braulio Diaz '20, Charles Eckardt '17, Dario Rodriguez '19. Photo courtesy of LTC Willis Kleinsorge.

Why did you join the Raiders? Kian Moriarty '16, Yasheng Lou '17, Angel Alcaraz '19 and I decided to join together. What is the hardest part of being a Raider? Waking up at 5 a.m. to do an Army Physical Fitness Test during a Raider meet. What is your best event? The 10K, because it's pretty easy.

RAIDERS TEAM Angel Alcaraz '19 Christian Ashton '18 Wulan Bateer '18 Rhys Bullington '19 Juan Pablo Cepeda '18 Richard Choy '19 Alejandro Cohen '20 Yuan Cui '20 Braulio Diaz '20 Charles Eckardt '17 Christian Foster '19 Yesuntumur Gankhurel '19 Samuel Guo '19 Victor Armando Leon '18 Victor Arturo Leon '18 Zhicheng Mao '19 Luis Nachon '18 Dario Rodriguez '19 Alexander Schaaf '18 Michael Sweetser '18 Yinzhou Wang '18 Zenghui Zhang '17

The MMA Raiders kicked off their season at the 12th annual Tiger Raider Challenge at Smith-Cotton High School on October 1, placing 12th overall out of 24 teams. Cadets took 7th place in the biathlon; 8th place in the one rope bridge; 10th in the one mile ruck run; 12th in the PT test; 13th in the Raider challenge course; and 15th in the leadership reaction course. On October 8, two five-man teams represented the MMA

Raiders at the Ozark Raider Fitness Challenge. Despite heavy competition from more than 20 opposing teams, the MMA teams took first, second or third place in six out of eight events. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Some of the events were decided between first and second place by a difference of two seconds,â&#x20AC;? Raider coach SFC John Biddle said. Cadets took first place in the ironman and rucksack relay; second place in the litter run and agility course; and third place in

the bucket brigade. In the 5K run, the two MMA teams took second and place. On April 8, the Academy earned third place overall out of 11 teams at the Fredericktown Raider Meet. Cadets took second place in cross country rescue and third place in the Army Physical Fitness Test, 10K road march and obstacle course events. The MMA team took fourth in the biathlon event, missing third by one minute and 17 seconds. Cadets also took fifth in the gauntlet and sixth in the one rope bridge.

"Seven events [resulted] in the cadets running more than 10 miles along with the physical requirements of each event," Biddle said. MMA hosted a meet on their home turf April 22. The Colonels took first overall out of nine teams and placed first in the APFT, 10K road march, one rope bridge, Raider challenge course and land navigation events. The team also took second in the gauntlet, missing first place by only 27 seconds. Winning individual AFPT awards were sophomores Zhicheng Mao, first overall; and Angel Alcaraz, third overall.

HANGING BY A THREAD: Christian Ashton '18 demonstrates rappelling on the back campus tower for Open House guests March 4. "I'm doing a star jump to show that my brake man is doing his job," Ashton said. Photo by Christian Foster '19. ONE: Victor Armando Leon '18. TWO: Richard Choy '19, Alejandro Cohen '20 and Alexander Schaaf '18. THREE: Rhys Bullington '19. Photos shot October 1 at Tiger Raider Challenge, courtesy of SFC John Biddle.

COACH SFC John Biddle

ABOVE: Cadets pose October 8 at the Ozark Raider Fitness Challenge. Pictured: freshman Alejandro Cohen; sophomores Rhys Bullington, Richard Choy, Yesuntumur Gankhurel and Zhicheng Mao; juniors Christian Ashton, Alexander Schaaf and Yinzhou Wang; seniors Charles Eckardt and Zenghui Zhang; and coach SFC John Biddle. Photo courtesy of Travis Bullington. AT LEFT: Rhys Bullington '19, Zenghui Zhang '17 and junior Alexander Schaaf compete at the Ozark Raider Fitness Challenge on October 8. Photo courtesy of Travis Bullington.

ABOVE: Cadets pose April 8 at the Fredericktown Raider Meet. Pictured: SFC John Biddle; sophomores Angel Alcaraz, Rhys Bullington, Richard Choy, Samuel Guo, Dario Rodriguez and Zhicheng Mao; juniors Christian Ashton, Juan Pablo Cepeda and Michael Sweetser; and senior Charles Eckardt. Photo courtesy of Biddle.

FOUR: Raiders members pose February 15. Pictured: freshmen Cui, Diaz; sophomores Alcaraz, Choy, Foster, Gankhurel, Mao; juniors Nachon, Schaaf, Sweetser, Webster. Photo by Erin Chambers. FIVE: Victor Armando Leon '18, Wulan Bateer '18. Photo shot October 22, courtesy of SFC John Biddle.

182

CŁOSIng

BELOW: During an Easter Open Weekend picnic on April 15, Weiming Zhu '22 and Patricio Valdes '21 battle with Pugil Sticks. Also pictured: COL Rick Grabowski. Photo by Denver Jenkins '20.

ONE: Raul Correa '17. TWO: Fabian Campos, Jarod Demastus, Copeland Grahmann, Phoenixsun Jumper, Irvin Rodriguez, Jean-Luc Shyaka. FOUR: Juniors Jorge Garcia, Thuqan Hindawi.

SEVEN: Benjamin Snider '17. EIGHT: Ryan Hannagan '18. NINE: Julien Mugabo '17 inspects junior Vernon Leach's uniform during the Adjutant's Inspection on January 27. TEN: Victor Vielledent '22 rappels down the back campus tower during recruit training August 20. Award-winning photo by junior Garrett Stafford. For details, see page 200.

THREE: Freshman Michael Naughton. SIX: Richard Choy, Christian Foster, Kenny Gisa, Jack Mitchell, Stamatis Pelekanos, Gabriel Penha, Aocheng Wu, Siwei Zhao.

Photo one by Garrett Stafford '18. Photos two, six, seven and eight by Erin Chambers. Photo three by junior Emiliano Gonzalez. Photo four by senior Aaron Thompson. Photo nine by freshman Clifton Cline. FIVE: International Business students Pablo De Saro '19 and Erick Puente '18 present their business plan project in mid-March. "Each group created their own business, wrote a business plan and presented it to the class," MAJ Peggy Reynard said. Photo courtesy of Reynard.

BIRD BRAINS

Birds of prey flew across the Centennial Gymtorium on April 20 during a World Bird Sanctuary presentation sponsored by the MMA Science Department Students and staff members in attendance saw more than seven types of birds and owls including the American kestrel, turkey vulture, redtailed hawk, screech owl and American barn owl. Highlights included a bird perching on a basketball goal and an environmentallyconscious white-necked raven, who perched on the arms of Pedro Da Rocha '18, and sophomores Khaliguun Enkhbayar and Yesuntumur Gankhurel. Cadets handed it aluminum cans, which the raven held in its beak and flew across the gym to deposit in a recycling bin. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The simple story was that if a bird can recycle, so can you!â&#x20AC;? department head MAJ Mike Pemberton said. Following the presentation, cadets and staffers had an opportunity to pose for photos alongside a bald eagle and its handler Elyse Lederer.

Photos shot April 20 in the Centennial Gymtorium by freshman Clifton Cline.

ELEGANT EAGLE: Junior Davaasuren Dashdavaa poses with a bald eagle and World Bird Sanctuary representative Elyse Lederer.

ONE: World Bird Sanctuary representative Elyse Lederer and a tiny owl.

TWO: Students watch the World Bird Sanctuary presentation. Pictured: sophomores Chandler Bolinger and Christian Foster; juniors Akele Carpentier and Parker Yeary; and senior Juan Diego Silva.

RECYCLING RAVEN: A whitenecked raven perches on the arm of sophomore Yesuntumur Gankhurel during an educational presentation by World Bird Sanctuary representatives.

We are so proud of the person â&#x20AC;&#x201D; the young man â&#x20AC;&#x201D; you have become. You are strong, kind, courageous and loving. God has blessed you with unique, amazing strengths. We are excited to see you lean in and put these strengths to work for a greater purpose. Go get it done! We love you, Max. YOUR FAMILY Photo one by Cheryl Morris. Photos two and three by Erin Chambers. Additional images courtesy of Sarah McLaughlin Weiss.

Congratulations! We are very proud of all you have achieved so far. You are an excellent person and we know that the great sacrifice of raising you was worth it. This is just one of many steps that you will take in life. We will always be supporting you. We love you! MOM, DAD AND GASTON Photo one by LTC Willis Kleinsorge. Photo two by Christine Smith. Photo three by Justin Touchette '16. Additional images courtesy of Alejandro Gastelum Reyes.

We your family come together now on the occasion of your high school graduation to celebrate how you have grown — always becoming a better version of yourself. Keep growing. You have challenged yourself in every aspect of your being through music; sports (lots and lots of sports!); academics (yes, even math — especially math!); and leadership. Through character, friendship, honor, political process, public speaking, community and charitable endeavors, business — the list goes on. Continue to meet life's challenges with the strength, confidence and perseverance that has carried you thus far. Always remember, we are family and we love you. And how proud we are of you! Go with the angels! YOUR AUNTS: Janet, Doris, Rose, Pauline, Maureen, Mary, Patty, Holly, Kay, Laurie and Peggy YOUR UNCLES: John, Luis, Mark, Frank, Bruce, Bob and David YOUR COUSINS: Jack, Eddie, Jason, Josh, Joe, Jamie, Jeffrey, Elizabeth, Victoria, Katherine, Andrea, Jessie, Becca, Wade, Emily, Brian, Katie, Megan, Moira, Rita, William, Abbie and Victor AND ALWAYS WITH YOU: your mom Marti, grandma Jan and grandpa Jack Photos one and two by Erin Chambers. Photos three, four and five courtesy of LTC Willis Kleinsorge. Photo five by Christine Smith. All additional photos courtesy of Sean & Kay Fitzgerald.

Photo two by Christian Foster '19. Photo three by Christine Smith. Photo one courtesy of LTC Willis Kleinsorge. Additional images courtesy of Raul Escarcega Garza.

Education is the best gift that you can receive, so you are studying at one of the best schools. We are very proud of you and love you so much! YOUR MOM, DAD AND SISTERS

We remember when you came into our lives 18 years ago. We received you with great joy. Throughout your journey of life you have been faced with challenges, ups, downs and great joy. We remember the first fearful day you came to MMA. Now you're a bold, brave person with many dreams to fulfill. We know that everything you've learned at MMA will give you the tools you need to continue your development when you face new challenges. You'll do it and find your way with the help of God. You will be the person you always dreamed of being. We know that you will put forth your best effort and be a winner. We hope to share more experiences together and also get to see the day you build a big family. GOD BLESS YOU, SON! Photos one and three by Christine Smith. Photo two by Erin Chambers. Photo four by Liam VanHoesen '19. Additional images courtesy of Raul Leonel Correa Cantu.

Congratulations! We have been so blessed to watch you grow up from a curious, enthusiastic and funny boy to a smart, determined and funny man. We can't wait to see what's next. ALL OUR LOVE: DAD, SHERI, ANDREW, MATTHEW AND LUKE All photos courtesy of Dan and Sheri Davis.

You have been: a opportunities Stay true to platoon sergeant; that have been your values captain of the available to and be loyal to lacrosse team; you. You love to protecting your Battalion S-5; a travel and you honor, character Duke of York's have a loyalty and goals. Royal Military to your country We love you School fellow in that includes more than England; a winner protecting you know and of the Duke of those who need are thrilled to Edinburgh bronze and protection. Congratulations! wonderful journey I and a natural leader. is driven by a sense of celebrate this silver awards; and an We salute you! would be on as your You have taught me purpose and passion. We canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t wait wonderful Eagle Scout. mother. so much and made We could not be more to see what the milestone! When I held you me a better person. proud of you for simply These achievements future holds for in my arms for You have always LOVE ALWAYS being who you are. are due to your passion you and all that the first time been affectionate, You have grown into you will continue AND FOREVER October 29, 1999, curious, inquisitive, a young man with a You have set goals and and drive. You have MOM AND DAN made great use of the to become. I had no idea the sentimental, bright moral compass who accomplished them. Photo one by Lucas Moore '18 in 2016. Photos two and three by Erin Chambers in 2016 and 2015, respectively. Additional photos courtesy of Victoria Snider Thompson.

You went, you saw, you conquered. Congratulations! We have all had such a great time watching you during your MMA journey. Of course, we are very proud of you and canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t wait to see what is next! LOVE YOU: MOM, DAD, TIFFANY, CHRISTA, MICHAEL, JOSEPH, STEVEN, JENNY, AMY AND THE REST OF YOUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS Photos one and three by Erin Chambers. Photo two by Liam VanHoesen '19. Photo four by Christine Smith. Additional photos courtesy of Linda Prinster.

"What lies behind us and what lies before us are but tiny matters when compared to what lies within us." — Ralph Waldo Emerson I remember the first time I saw you in the delivery room. You had survived a difficult time before your birth. I didn’t know what to expect, but you were perfect when they handed you to me. You brought immediate joy to your brothers and sister when they met you for the first time.

I'm very proud of the young man you've become and how you've embraced the opportunities that have been afforded to you. I look forward to seeing your future accomplishments and the impact you will make on this world. Just remember to always stay humble and hungry! I love you! LAWRENCE

I can’t believe you are graduating. How time flies! I am proud of your achievement and accomplishment. I look forward to seeing you reach your future endeavors in the career path that you have chosen. You are one of the greatest gifts I received in my lifetime. Just remember: God is always there for you. LOVE, ERICA

Above photo shot by Santiago Sanchez '21 on April 20, 2015. Other images courtesy of Yakima Young-Shields and Robert Shields.

You have continued over the years to bring joy to our family even in the not-soperfect times. I am thankful to God that my mom lived to meet you. I have watched you grow into an independent, confident, spiritual and determined young man. You have accomplished and seen so much in your 18 years.

God is good. Keep God first. Let Him direct your path and you will achieve anything you desire. God has a plan for your life and great things ahead for you. I know you will make a positive impact on this world. I'm very proud of you, Robert. I have no doubt you're destined for great things. LOVE, MOM

LT ROBERT ABBOTT: 36, 74 ROBERT ABBOTT: 16, 54, 74, 88, 104, 115, 120, 122, 145, 151, 153, 155, 156, 161 CPT MURRELL ADAMS: 36 ANGEL ALCARAZ: 15, 18, 20, 36, 44, 48, 55, 93, 103, 106, 115, 140, 175, 181 MOHAMMED ALJABRI: 30, 44, 99, 116, 175, 197 TUGULDUR ALTANGEREL: 18, 30, 35, 65, 80, 95, 100, 126, 128, 135, 137, 151, 153, 159, 164 VERONICA ANDERSON: 43, 44 LARRY ANTHONY: 36 CHRISTIAN ASHTON: 24, 36, 49, 115, 141, 156, 181 YEDNEKACHEW ATKINS: 21, 30, 91, 107, 120, 123, 151, 153 ONE: Zhuoli Cai '18, August 20. Photo by Garrett Stafford '18. TWO: Thomas Huckins '20 shines a uniform piece April 4. Photo by Derek Nguyen '20.

CHAZ BAKER: 36, 86, 95, 96 DAWN BAKER: 36, 105 MAJ EDSEL BAKER: 36, 59, 76, 105, 116 JOSE BALANZA: 18, 31, 36, 78, 80, 86, 93, 100, 108, 120, 138, 141, 159, 164 WULAN BATEER: 24, 60, 83, 91, 96, 98, 101, 107, 129, 141, 143, 161, 163, 164, 177, 181 PENNY BEALMEAR: 36, 94 PAUL BENNETT: 124 CHRISTINE BESHEARS: 36, 38, 48, 76, 87, 97, 104, 148, 168, 172, 175 SFC JOHN BIDDLE: 36, 96, 177, 179, 181 SAMUEL R. BIRD '57: 79 LT KEVIN BISSMEYER: 36, 48, 56, 66, 86, 126, 128, 135, 137, 142, 145 DAVID JESSE BLAIR: 36 DEANNA BLAIR: 36 JAMIE BLAIR: 36 RHONDA BLAUE: 36 CHANDLER BOLINGER: 20, 23, 52, 55, 102, 142, 151, 153, 156, 161, 176, 179, 186 DR. JAMES BONANNO: 36, 54, 162 WYATT BREWER: 122, 126, 131, 132, 156, 197 VICKI BRIGGS: 36, 71 CASSANDRA BROOKS: 36, 96 MARTHA BRUCE: 36 MICHAEL BUCKALLEW: 40 RHYS BULLINGTON: 10, 20, 53, 54, 74, 83, 87, 93, 98, 181 TRAVIS BULLINGTON: 181 BARBARA BURSON: 40 DAN BURTON: 36 LCDR WILLIAM BUSHNELL: 6, 11, 36, 65, 86, 91, 102, 110, 112, 161, 162, 177

ZHUOLI CAI: 21, 24, 95, 100, 129, 159, 177, 197 NICHOLAS CALLAHAN: 20, 89, 115, 141, 154, 200 ANGIE CAMPBELL: 36 FABIAN CAMPOS: 24, 38, 50, 111, 113, 115, 175, 184 AKELE CARPENTIER: 24, 64, 77, 81, 84, 96, 151, 153, 186 SAMUEL CARR: 6, 18, 24, 26, 28, 48, 53, 59, 60, 63, 110, 112, 113, 126, 128, 131, 132, 139, 159, 164 LEONARDO CARUZO: 18, 31, 84, 118, 120, 123, 124, 141, 161, 164, 167, 178 PETER CASELLA: 2, 13, 15, 44, 47, 49, 62, 65, 66, 86, 95, 107, 145, 161, 162, 166, 199 MEGAN CAVAIANI: 36, 48, 65, 79, 86, 111, 135, 137, 138, 141 JUAN PABLO CEPEDA: 24, 30, 35, 36, 49, 60, 63, 65, 69, 78, 83, 87, 95, 103, 110, 113, 126, 129, 139, 141, 160, 164, 176, 179, 181, 199 EDWARD CHA: 24, 26, 28, 48, 60, 100, 108, 130, 132, 138, 141 COLE CHADWICK: 16 ERIN CHAMBERS: 3, 5, 7, 15, 17, 19, 26, 33, 35, 36, 38, 42, 44, 46, 48, 50, 53, 54, 59, 61, 63, 66, 68, 70, 73, 74, 76, 78, 81, 83, 84, 86, 88, 90, 93, 95, 97, 100, 103, 104, 106, 109, 115, 118, 120, 123, 126, 128, 132, 135, 137, 139, 141, 142, 145, 147, 148, 153, 154, 155, 156, 158, 160, 162, 164, 168, 171, 172, 174, 177, 179, 181, 184, 188, 190, 200 DONGYANG CHEN: 16, 48, 52, 54, 70, 83, 100, 102, 145, 151, 153, 172, 175, 197 YANLIN CHEN: 16, 24, 93, 95, 103, 142, 168, 172, 175 NYAMKHUU CHINGUUN: 14, 18, 24, 28, 31, 54, 60, 63, 69, 78, 96, 100, 135, 137, 155, 176 RICHARD CHOY: 20, 44, 49, 50, 55, 84, 100, 115, 130, 132, 181, 185, 197

MAJ BILL CHRISMER: 36 MARK CLARK: 17, 36, 77 CLIFTON CLINE: 8, 16, 25, 27, 49, 52, 66, 68, 71, 72, 77, 83, 85, 90, 93, 96, 98, 103, 106, 115, 141, 147, 151, 153, 155, 163, 173, 175, 185, 186, 200 PETER CLINTON: 15, 19, 47, 57, 63, 81, 125 CALEB CLOYDE: 23 ALEJANDRO COHEN: 15, 16, 63, 69, 77, 84, 98, 106, 109, 120, 122, 141, 161, 162, 181, 197

ZETH COLIN: 8, 20, 45, 52, 120, 145, 151, 152, 175 SERGIO CONTRERAS: 18, 96, 121 CLIFTON COOPER: 126 CYRUS CORNELIUS: 15, 47, 66, 68, 88, 91, 115, 145, 161 RAUL CORREA: 21, 31, 35, 81, 177, 184, 190, 197 DAVID CROSS: 39 YUAN CUI: 16, 21, 77, 93, 96, 100, 169, 177, 181, 197

PEDRO DA ROCHA: 24, 54, 61, 63, 64, 77, 78, 82, 84, 91, 96, 98, 100, 103, 104, 115, 119, 120, 123, 124, 134, 137, 141, 151, 164, 166, 186

MELODY DALY: 39 DAVAASUREN DASHDAVAA: 24, 49, 65, 71, 100, 135, 137, 161, 179, 186 SUGAR DASHDAVAA: 31, 63, 69, 78, 80, 86, 96, 100, 103, 141, 175 RORY DAVIS: 26, 31, 44, 52, 55, 60, 63, 78, 81, 83, 96, 100, 126, 128, 141, 145, 164, 171, 187, 190, 199

TIMOTHY DE GROOT: 15, 25, 68, 60, 93, 100, 115, 131, 132 LUIS DE LEON: 20, 49, 50, 52, 74, 96, 108, 111, 113, 120, 123, 141, 175, 177, 179, 199 PABLO DE SARO: 20, 68, 91, 104, 115, 138, 141, 184 JAROD DEMASTUS: 25, 48, 65, 72, 115, 171, 184 BRAULIO DIAZ: 16, 18, 36, 44, 47, 49, 80, 110, 113, 120, 122, 139, 154, 177, 179, 181

SHUO DONG: 16, 20, 49, 60, 68, 74, 97, 100, 120, 122, 138, 168, 172, 175, 199 YUTONG DONGFANG: 5, 20, 22, 50, 63, 101, 129, 162, 199 MITCHELL DUING: 25, 48, 65, 70, 84, 88, 96, 102, 151, 152, 160, 162, 176, 178

ALEXANDER EBERSOLE: 26, 48, 59, 70, 107, 136, 138, 177, 179 CHARLES ECKARDT: 31, 34, 55, 57, 84, 88, 91, 92, 101, 115, 129, 141, 161, 162, 177, 181, 197 GABRIEL ELIZONDO: 4, 31, 48, 55, 60, 78, 80, 91, 111, 113, 126, 128, 138, 159, 163, 164, 178 JEREMY ELKINS: 23, 65, 79, 126, 129, 156 WILLIAM ENGLISH: 16, 19, 28, 38, 49, 53, 73, 80, 83, 88, 94, 138, 151, 153, 156, 200 KHALIGUUN ENKHBAYAR: 18, 20, 49, 55, 71, 100, 108, 120, 135, 137, 141, 155, 177, 179, 186 RAUL ESCARCEGA: 18, 32, 48, 56, 80, 87, 96, 106, 120, 122, 141, 176, 179, 189 JOSHUA EVANS: 18, 44, 87, 156

MAJ KEVIN FARLEY: 30, 76, 120, 123, 124, 131 DEWEY FENNEWALD: 40 OSWALDO FIERRO: 26, 38, 50, 70, 95, 108, 115, 142, 148, 173, 175, 179 SEAN FITZGERALD: 30, 32, 48, 54, 126, 128, 135, 137, 141, 145, 151, 153, 159, 164, 187, 188 FRANCISCO FLETES: 26, 28, 30, 48, 55, 78, 80, 82, 84, 111, 113, 120, 122, 126, 129, 139, 141, 151, 153, 159, 164, 167, 187, 200 CHRISTIAN FOSTER: 20, 23, 26, 45, 56, 66, 73, 79, 83, 91, 96, 98, 104, 106, 115, 116, 122, 129, 131, 133, 141, 147, 151, 153, 161, 162, 176, 178, 181, 184, 186, 189, 200 STYLES FOUNTAIN: 20, 35, 52, 59, 107, 126, 128, 130, 132, 138, 141, 164 MATTHEW FRANCIS: 18, 45, 63, 126, 156

YESUNTUMUR GANKHUREL: 18, 21, 36, 49, 52, 54, 70, 99, 100, 135, 137, 141, 145, 181, 186 NATHAN GARBER: 40 JORGE GARCIA: 26, 104, 115, 138, 177, 179, 184 JUAN GARCIA: 39, 48, 58, 68, 125, 137 MARIO GARCIA: 15, 46, 48, 63, 66, 70, 76, 86, 98, 124, 141, 145, 197 RAYMOND GARRETT: 39 CESAR GARZA: 32, 34, 55, 65, 80, 86, 108, 126, 128, 138, 141, 143, 176, 179 ALEJANDRO GASTELUM: 30, 32, 48, 60, 65, 68, 80, 83, 87, 93, 96, 110, 113, 118, 120, 123, 135, 137, 141, 147, 159, 163, 164, 187 HANNAH GHIDEY: 81 MATTHEW GHIDEY: 21, 26, 49, 84, 108, 120, 123, 135, 137, 151, 153, 155, 159, 164, 167 TEMESGEN GHIDEY: 27, 30, 49, 79, 105, 147, 151, 153, 159, 164, 171 PHOEBE GIBBS: 40 LTC PAUL GILLETTE '70: 111 GRIFFIN GILMAN: 32, 48, 55, 59, 66, 88, 145, 151, 153, 164, 175, 187 KENNY GISA: 16, 54, 60, 63, 81, 83, 90, 120, 171, 177, 179, 184, 190 MIG GISA: 7, 32, 60, 63, 93, 100, 103, 108, 120, 123, 141, 160, 162, 199 DR. FRANK GIUSEFFI: 74 WRAYVAUZE GIVENS: 16, 97, 104, 126, 129, 135, 137, 141, 151, 153 EMILIANO GONZALEZ: 21, 25, 27, 44, 56, 74, 87, 96, 107, 120, 122,145, 156, 163, 168, 185, 197, 200 COL RICK GRABOWSKI: 39, 183 COPELAND GRAHMANN: 27, 28, 63, 65, 122, 126, 130, 132, 145, 184 JOHN GREB: 27 MALACHI GRICE: 27, 44, 49, 59, 64, 68, 74, 79, 103, 108, 120, 147, 151, 153, 156, 162, 171 AMY GROVES: 39 TINGKAI GU: 21, 74, 93, 100, 141, 168, 172, 175 SAMUEL GUO: 21, 23, 48, 51, 77, 79, 90, 108, 176, 177, 179, 181, 199 JOSEPH GUTH: 27, 63, 74, 78, 96, 98, 107, 109, 115, 119, 135, 137, 141, 145, 164, 197

ALEXANDER HAMM: 21, 63, 84, 96, 126, 129, 141, 177, 178, 197 MARK PATRICK HANLEY: 40 RYAN HANNAGAN: 27, 59, 107, 116, 184 ELIAN HARANTS: 16, 19, 63, 94, 107, 111, 112, 115, 120, 122, 138, 177, 197 CSGT MIKE HARDING: 39, 48, 65, 86, 111, 112, 139 RICK HARRISON: 114 SHANE HEISLER: 23, 42, 44 TYLER HENIGMAN: 23, 51, 70, 85, 91, 111, 112, 130, 132 DIANE HENRY: 39 GRIFFIN HENRY: 23, 48, 59, 70, 89, 115, 147, 161 CHAD HERRON: 39 CPT DAVID HIGGINS: 39 JAMES HILDERMAN: 39 THUQAN HINDAWI: 17, 27, 68, 100, 115, 177, 179, 184 KYLIE HUCK: 86, 120, 123 THOMAS HUCKINS: 16, 48, 49, 50, 54, 70, 89, 126, 128, 131, 132, 141, 145, 156, 177, 179, 195 ALEJANDRO HUERTA: 16, 23, 38, 52, 68, 70, 115, 175 JULIA HUNT: 39, 48, 116

JOSE KARAM: 13, 15, 44, 47, 48, 57, 63, 66, 74, 106, 108, 145, 199 JOSEPH KELTING: 18, 104, 115 THOMAS KIEFER: 19, 23, 26, 48, 88, 103, 105, 115, 145, 151, 153, 156, 172, 175 LUCUS KILLION: 27, 54, 57, 63, 74, 111, 112, 126, 141, 156, 160, 162, 199 NOLAN KILPATRICK: 27, 63, 68, 84, 88, 115, 118, 145, 156, 200 OYBEK KIRKLAND: 32, 35, 49, 54, 120, 123, 135, 137, 159, 197 LTC WILLIS KLEINSORGE: 4, 13, 17, 19, 23, 28, 39, 41, 42, 44, 48, 67, 70, 78, 80, 83, 86, 102, 104, 115, 119, 124, 127, 129, 137, 140, 145, 147, 153, 156, 160, 162, 177, 180, 187, 188 DEVONTE KNIGHT: 18, 68, 104, 115, 135, 137, 141 ASHTON KNIPFER: 18, 51, 53, 55, 70, 87, 126, 151, 153, 177, 179 CPT MICHAEL KOONTZ: 39 PARKER KOONTZ: 32, 59, 60, 63, 68, 74, 78, 96, 156, 161 NICHOLAS KOTZAMANIS: 21, 23, 107, 115, 130, 132, 139, 141 MICHAEL KULAS: 39, 59, 171

1SG RANDAL JACOBSON: 39, 142 TYLER JANSING: 87, 199 ALAN JEAN: 16, 104, 115, 161 DENVER JENKINS: 15, 16, 18, 35, 36, 43, 44, 90, 93, 95, 98, 106, 115, 126, 141, 145, 172, 175, 183, 200 MITCHELL JENKINS: 78, 126, 128 YUQI JIN: 63, 81, 100 JASON JONES: 39 SCOUT JONES: 12, 44, 47, 48, 63, 86, 96, 125, 151, 153, 172 ERIC JUAREZ: 120, 123, 197 PHOENIXSUN JUMPER: 18, 20, 23, 57, 63, 98, 131, 132, 141, 161, 177, 184 MICHAEL JUST: 80, 120, 155, 173, 197

NATE LAMBERSON: 126 BRANDON LANE: 18, 68, 84, 91, 115, 137, 141 DAWSON LANE: 23, 54, 60, 63, 74, 84, 95, 114, 126, 128, 132, 141, 156, 171, 199 VERNON LEACH: 27, 68, 71, 115, 161, 185 VICTOR ARMANDO LEON: 18, 27, 30, 57, 59, 60, 63, 65, 78, 80, 91, 94, 96, 103, 106, 108, 111, 113, 134, 136, 145, 164, 176, 179, 181 VICTOR ARTURO LEON: 27, 30, 32, 35, 52, 59, 63, 65, 78, 80, 82, 84, 87, 91, 96, 103, 108, 110, 113, 138, 160, 162, 164, 168, 181, 199

ZIHAO LI: 23, 52, 90, 100, 115, 141, 175, 177, 179 CARLOS LIRIANO: 16, 23, 27, 35, 55, 59, 88, 92, 126, 141, 145, 159, 164, 176, 179, 197, 199, 200 WO2 ANDREW LOMAS: 39, 41, 46, 48, 102, 145, 151, 153 YASHENG LOU: 32, 64, 71, 79, 81, 168, 175, 180 ELIZABETH LOWER: 40 JOYCE LOWRY: 40, 71 MILA LOWRY: 40 TYRONN LUE: 82, 84

TIANJUN MA: 12, 47, 61, 68, 100, 115, 172 SHANE MACON: 12, 15, 19, 47, 63, 69, 95, 106, 120, 124, 141, 151, 153, 160, 162 FINNEGAN MALLOY: 44 CPT STEVEN MANNING: 39, 74 ZHICHENG MAO: 5, 21, 23, 25, 50, 54, 62, 95, 96, 101, 115, 129, 160, 162, 168, 181, 197 SHERA MARTIN: 39 TRISTEN MASON: 12, 38, 47, 68, 105, 115, 171 CPT GREGORY MAXIMOVITCH: 39, 156 LT STEPHEN MAZIARZ: 39 MAJ LARRY MCCLAREY: 39, 48, 79, 130, 132, 168 CHARLES MCGEORGE: 1, 39, 105, 109 ROBERT MCGRATH: 39, 47, 80, 86, 151, 153, 154

JACOB MCMAHON: 21, 27, 45, 52, 87, 111, 112, 145, 156, 161, 179 JOHN MEDINA: 40 ERNESTO MELGAR: 33, 35, 36, 49, 55, 65, 83, 95, 106, 120, 123, 138, 141, 176, 179, 199 ALEJANDRO MERCADO: 10, 12, 16, 22, 47, 59, 60, 63, 66, 74, 124, 160, 162 LARRY MERHOFF: 40 JUSTIN MESHELL: 14, 18, 107, 115, 145, 161 JEFF MILLER: 130, 132 JACK MITCHELL: 23, 63, 73, 108, 115, 145, 184 TAMAR MODISE: 15, 19, 44, 46, 57, 62, 66, 87, 125, 145, 151, 153 ANTONIO MONTES: 8, 18, 33, 47, 80, 83, 87, 88, 100, 120, 123, 141, 151, 153, 154, 159, 164, 176, 179, 197

MAJ KEITH MORGAN: 40, 48, 58, 76, 83, 84, 156 CHERYL MORRIS: 14, 21, 28, 38, 40, 46, 58, 61, 62, 69, 78, 83, 84, 86, 95, 96, 100, 156, 159, 164, 167, 187 GREG MORTON: 40 OMELA MUDOGO: 12, 47, 62, 66, 115, 124, 163, 177, 190 JULIEN MUGABO: 18, 31, 33, 35, 48, 55, 76, 90, 93, 100, 120, 123, 135, 137, 141, 159, 164, 185 JUSTTIN MUILENBURG: 44, 80, 120, 122, 126, 155, 199, 200 JOSEPH MULVEY: 27, 48, 77, 88, 93, 108, 147, 177, 179, 197, 200 PAUL MURPHY: 27, 56, 96, 116, 151, 153, 156, 176, 179 JAMES MYRICK: 179, 199

LUIS NACHON: 21, 27, 49, 57, 60, 63, 65, 74, 83, 87, 100, 103, 106, 110, 112, 113, 120, 123, 160, 162, 181, 197 MICHAEL NAUGHTON: 19, 23, 42, 44, 48, 68, 76, 83, 84, 91, 96, 104, 138, 156, 171, 184, 190, 197 MALEK NEMAN: 40 PEARL NEWBROUGH: 40 DEREK NGUYEN: 19, 23, 49, 53, 55, 70, 91, 97, 105, 119, 120, 122, 145, 151, 153, 156, 161, 186, 195 BENJAMIN NIXON: 63, 83 NATHAN NOLAN: 12, 46, 63, 72, 86, 200 CHARLES NORMAN: 28, 30, 54, 126, 132, 151, 153, 156, 164 TAMIR NYAMDAVAA: 28, 48, 65, 71, 103, 108, 135, 137, 141, 145

BAYAR-ERDENE OLDOKHBAYAR: 18, 26, 31, 33, 48, 65, 93, 100, 126, 128, 134, 137, 141, 159, 164 CPT ROBERT OWEN: 40 DELTA DELTA DELTA: Members of Delta Company pose September 3 following the Opening Picnic. Pictured: seventh graders James Wilson, Weiming Zhu; eighth graders Mario Garcia and Patricio Valdes; freshmen Alejandro Cohen, Dongyang Chen, Yuan Cui, Elian Harants, Michael Just, Michael Naughton, Fernando Zahuita; sophomores Wyatt Brewer, Richard Choy, Alexander Hamm, Zhicheng Mao, Stamatis Pelekanos, Pedro Risovas, Joao Souza, Erick Trevino, Aocheng Wu; juniors Zhuoli Cai, Emiliano Gonzalez, Joseph Guth, Ryan Hannagan, Eric Juarez, Carlos Liriano, Joseph Mulvey, Luis Nachon, Lucas Pranger, Connor Sims, Arturo Salazar, Donovan Washburn, Noah Webster, Jiaxuan Zhou; seniors Mohammed Aljabri, Raul Correa, Charles Eckardt, Oybek Kirkland, Antonio Montes, Ramon Rodriguez, Zenghui Zhang. Photo by Liam VanHoesen '19.

ITIEL PALACIOS: 16, 19, 47, 49, 52, 54, 80, 83, 89, 110, 113, 116, 139, 141, 154, 161 BARBARA PARKER: 40 VICTOR PATINO: 15, 44, 47, 60, 63, 66, 94, 95, 98, 106, 109, 115, 145, 154, 166, 168 CONNOR PEARSON: 54, 58, 63 STAMATIS PELEKANOS: 23, 38, 84, 91, 116, 172, 175, 185, 197 MAJ MIKE PEMBERTON: 15, 33, 37, 40, 44, 48, 51, 52, 65, 71, 147, 168, 186 GABRIEL PENHA: 19, 20, 31, 49, 52, 60, 63, 70, 95, 96, 120, 123, 135, 136, 141, 145, 177, 178 CESAR PERERA: 28, 60, 100, 115, 164, 177, 179, 185 GABRIEL PEREZ: 28, 36, 48, 50, 103, 108, 142, 145 LT SEAN PETERS: 40, 55, 86, 106, 108, 139 ANDREW PIERSON: 28, 104, 115, 132, 138 MAX PITMAN: 12, 46, 63, 66, 78, 87, 97, 124, 145, 168 PHOTSAVAT PONGSUEA: 8, 33, 35, 41, 48, 64, 80, 101, 120, 122, 135, 137, 151, 153, 159, 164, 172, 175, 179 LUCAS PRANGER: 20, 28, 45, 52, 57, 62, 63, 77, 96, 126, 129, 136, 138, 141, 141, 161, 171, 197 GREGORY PRINSTER: 33, 48, 59, 60, 69, 80, 88, 102, 115, 120, 123, 130, 132, 141, 192 GABRIEL PRO: 19, 50, 72, 90, 114, 162 ERICK PUENTE: 21, 23, 28, 34, 43, 44, 61, 63, 65, 83, 83, 86, 96, 98, 107, 150, 163, 168, 172, 175, 177, 179, 185, 199, 200

KEVIN QUINN: 40 JORGE QUIROS: 1, 20, 23, 54, 74, 90, 96, 100, 105, 126, 131, 132, 179

MICHAEL RAFFKIND: 108, 120, 151, 153, 156 COL DANA REYNARD: 40, 159 MAJ PEGGY REYNARD: 40, 154, 185 LINDA RICE: 40 PEDRO RISOVAS: 20, 23, 49, 50, 54, 63, 97, 120, 123, 135, 137, 197 ANDREW RITTMASTER: 21, 23, 38, 68, 85, 104, 115, 137, 141 CPT THOMAS ROBERTS: 19, 40, 138 FRAN ROBLEY: 40, 68, 86, 94, 105, 164, 167 DARIO RODRIGUEZ: 23, 48, 52, 77, 91, 107, 115, 122, 126, 129, 131, 141, 153, 164, 181 IRVIN RODRIGUEZ: 18, 28, 65, 97, 110, 113, 135, 137, 141, 161, 184 RAMON RODRIGUEZ: 32, 34, 37, 77, 78, 84, 87, 91, 108, 111, 113, 139, 141, 160, 168, 176, 178, 197 JADEN ROGGE: 19, 38, 68, 84, 107, 104, 115, 141, 145, 161 JACK RUFENER: 17, 19, 38, 59, 104, 115, 161

ARTURO SALAZAR: 28, 52, 54, 65, 90, 93, 96, 106, 139, 172, 175, 177, 179, 197 JAVIER SALAZAR: 10, 16, 30, 33, 34, 45, 52, 55, 84, 87, 95, 96, 126, 138, 141, 159, 164 KEVITH SANGSTER: 12, 47, 63, 64, 104, 114, 141, 145, 171, 200 ALEXANDER SCHAAF: 28, 49, 59, 109, 131, 132, 177, 178, 181 DOUG SCOTT: 40 ALEXANDER SEIBERT: 28, 49, 55, 68, 74, 91, 93, 96, 105, 131, 132, 142, 156, 159, 171, 177, 179, 200 LTC GREG SEIBERT: 40, 79, 105, 141 MATTHEW SEIBERT: 8, 23, 52, 59, 65, 74, 76, 131, 132, 151, 153, 156, 161, 162 DANIEL SEVERNS: 40 SODBILEG SHAGDARSUREN: 63, 74, 100 ZEDONG SHAO: 12, 47, 61, 62, 100, 115, 171 JUSTIN SHAZAR: 18, 28, 49, 55, 70, 90, 97, 98, 103, 111, 113, 161, 164, 172, 175

JASON TAN: 100 MICHAEL TEMPLETON: 40 MATTHEW THIBODEAUX: 23, 47, 80, 91, 96, 111, 113, 126, 128, 130, 132, 154, 164 AARON THOMPSON: 21, 35, 38, 44, 47, 49, 59, 65, 66, 68, 70, 74, 76, 79, 80, 87, 91, 103, 106, 108, 135, 137, 142, 159, 164, 171, 176, 179, 184, 200 WO2 RIK THORNTON: 40, 99, 106, 108, 110 SKY THUNDERCHILD: 8, 20, 23, 54, 57, 64, 77, 84, 87, 111, 112, 115, 119, 124, 126, 130, 132, 141, 145, 151, 153, 179 GYSGT MARK TOMPKINS: 7, 40, 103 FELIX TONELLA: 11, 12, 19, 47, 49, 63, 66, 74, 87, 94, 111, 113, 119, 124, 139, 140, 161 ERICK TREVINO: 21, 23, 47, 58, 80, 86, 89, 108, 111, 113, 126, 139, 154, 197 MAURICIO TREVINO: 17, 19, 60, 63, 90, 96, 100, 110, 121, 125, 147, 149, 151, 153, 163, 172, 175, 200 JUDITH TWELLS: 40 RICHARD TWELLS: 40

ALEXANDER SHELDON: 8, 12, 42, 47, 62, 66, 102, 115, 124, 141, 145, 151, 153, 162 ROBERT SHIELDS: 34, 54, 64, 81, 83, 135, 137, 147, 151, 153, 159, 179, 193 DR. AYANNA SHIVERS: 39, 40, 48, 86 MAJ MIKE SHOEMAKER: 40, 156, 176 LT LU SHU: 40, 74, 95, 107 JEAN-LUC SHYAKA: 34, 49, 59, 63, 93, 96, 100, 120, 122, 135, 137, 159, 177, 179, 184 JUAN DIEGO SILVA: 31, 32, 34, 45, 52, 78, 84, 91, 102, 106, 111, 113, 120, 123, 127, 138, 141, 159, 161, 164, 186 CONNOR SIMS: 11, 28, 44, 55, 65, 66, 70, 72, 74, 79, 83, 86, 93, 94, 96, 98, 106, 108, 130, 132, 138, 141, 168, 179, 197, 200 CHRISTINE SMITH: 40, 74, 81, 86, 104, 178, 187, 188, 190, 192

PATRICIO VALDES: 11, 13, 15, 46, 48, 63, 66, 81, 84, 87, 95, 96, 110, 113, 124, 138, 140, 183, 197 RICHARD VANDUYNE: 40 LIAM VANHOESEN: 8, 18, 23, 31, 35, 59, 79, 81, 84, 91, 96, 98, 106, 111, 112, 115, 116, 128, 142, 148, 160, 166, 171, 177, 190, 192, 197, 200 VICTOR VIELLEDENT: 11, 12, 19, 44, 46, 48, 63, 66, 74, 87, 94, 99, 111, 113, 120, 124, 162, 184 HECTOR VILLANUEVA: 31, 32, 35, 36, 48, 87, 136, 141, 159, 164, 166

BENJAMIN SNIDER: 34, 39, 48, 59, 76, 108, 142, 156, 163, 185, 191 YILIYANG SONG: 19, 74, 93, 100, 136, 162 AT2 JORGE SORIANO: 40, 48, 76 JOAO SOUZA: 21, 23, 52, 54, 118, 120, 123, 124, 141, 177, 179, 197 GARRETT STAFFORD: 10, 21, 26, 28, 57, 64, 91, 93, 108, 111, 112, 120, 141, 142, 151, 152, 156, 176, 179, 184, 195, 200 BARRINGTON STANFORD: 23, 74, 99, 105, 126, 130, 132, 141, 151, 153 GARY STEWART '72: 40, 48, 76 CHARLES STOCKDALL: 40 BERNARD STRUNK: 40 RENAE STUMPE: 40 JOHN SWEETSER: 26, 28, 70, 115, 116, 161, 181

KIM WALDEN: 40 TYLER WALTON: 41 QITAO WANG: 19, 49, 63, 74, 79, 95, 98, 100, 106, 142, 147, 163, 175 YINZHOU WANG: 28, 48, 49, 60, 63, 65, 69, 93, 96, 101, 159, 161, 163, 181 DONOVAN WASHBURN: 168, 197, 200 NOAH WEBSTER: 28, 58, 71, 155, 156, 161, 163, 179, 190, 197 MAXWELL WEISS: 35, 104, 115, 119, 145, 161, 162, 187

JANET WELCH: 41 JULIA WELCH: 41 DAVID WILKINS: 41, 48, 59, 171 DONALD WILLIAMS: 18, 28, 30, 54, 65, 96, 109, 118, 120, 123, 135, 137, 141, 145, 164, 177, 179 JAMES WILSON: 2, 12, 25, 30, 47, 57, 63, 66, 74, 116, 120, 197, 200 AOCHENG WU: 14, 23, 47, 74, 76, 81, 93, 101, 154, 175, 185, 197, 200

SUPERIOR CADET AWARD WINNERS

On April 30, one cadet from each LET level received the Superior Cadet Award. Students received the honor for displaying leadership potential, discipline, courtesy and character. LET I: Parker Yeary '18 LET II: Victor Arturo Leon '18 LET III: Carlos Liriano '18 LET IV: Aaron Thompson '17

WENZHENG XIE: 168 WEI XU: 40, 93 RUOCHEN XUE: 23, 63, 68, 90, 115, 141, 175

JIACHEN YAN: 11, 15, 44, 47, 48, 63, 67, 87, 88, 93, 103, 124, 168 HAOMING YANG: 19, 49, 63, 74, 79, 98, 100, 151, 153 JIWEI YE: 28, 70, 95, 100, 115, 162 PARKER YEARY: 17, 28, 47, 48, 56, 74, 80, 102, 138, 151, 152, 154, 186

RONGYANG YI: 19, 28, 100, 102, 151, 153, 161 RACHEL YIM: 41, 48, 55, 65, 70, 86, 172, 175 ZHEN WEI YIN: 28, 44, 74, 79, 95, 100, 151, 153, 168, 172, 175 HAOYANG YUAN: 19, 74, 93, 97, 98, 100, 162 ALICAN YUMUK: 18, 23, 59, 77, 83, 86, 87, 91, 98, 104, 107, 115, 119, 126, 131, 132, 145, 148, 155, 156, 161, 176, 178, 200

FERNANDO ZAHUITA: 1, 17, 19, 29, 32, 42, 44, 48, 55, 95, 96, 108, 111, 112, 120, 135, 137, 145, 148, 155, 171, 172, 175, 197, 200 ERYAO ZHANG: 28, 47, 80, 100, 129, 154, 172, 175 LIHAN ZHANG: 35, 78, 81, 91, 95, 175 YUCHEN ZHANG: 80, 168 ZENGHUI ZHANG: 35, 48, 58, 60, 69, 81, 86, 92, 100, 115, 129, 160, 181, 197

ABOVE: Members of Bravo Company pose September 3 following the Opening Picnic. Pictured: seventh graders Alejandro Mercado and Alexander Sheldon; eighth graders Peter Casella, Jose Karam and Victor Patino; freshmen Itiel Palacios, QiTao Wang and Haoyang Yuan; sophomores Luis De Leon, Shuo Dong, Yutong Dongfang, Samuel Guo, Tyler Jansing, Dawson Lane, Jorge Quiros, Dario Rodriguez, Sodbileg Shagdarsuren, Matthew Thibodeaux, Wenzheng Xie and Zihan Zhu; juniors Juan Pablo Cepeda, Lucus Killion, Victor Arturo Leon, James Myrick, Erick Puente, Gabriel Vallejo, Zhen Wei Yin and Eryao Zhang; and seniors Rory Davis, Mig Gisa, Ernesto Melgar, Justtin Muilenburg, Javier Salazar, Hector Villanueva, Lihan Zhang and Yuchen Zhang. Photo by Liam VanHoesen '19.

SIWEI ZHAO: 12, 19, 47, 63, 66, 74, 93, 100, 124, 168, 172, 175, 185 JIAXUAN ZHOU: 21, 23, 28, 49, 52, 64, 76, 95, 101, 129, 159, 190, 197 WEIMING ZHU: 12, 47, 63, 64, 66, 74, 79, 93, 100, 125, 172, 175, 197 ZIHAN ZHU: 10, 28, 76, 79, 95, 100, 142, 156, 162, 175, 177, 179

YEARBOOK STAFF SEVENTH GRADERS Nathan Nolan Kevith Sangster James Wilson

TWO: Student-journalists pose March 16. Pictured: freshmen Clifton Cline, Denver Jenkins and Fernando Zahuita; sophomores Christian Foster, Liam VanHoesen, Aocheng Wu and Alican Yumuk; juniors Erick Puente, Alexander Seibert, Connor Sims and Garrett Stafford; senior Aaron Thompson. The 62nd volume of the Taps yearbook was produced by Publications Coordinator Erin Chambers on a PC computer using Adobe InDesign Creative Cloud software. Infographics were created in Adobe Illustrator CC. Photographs were edited in Adobe Photoshop CC. The 200-page book and its lithocote cover were printed by Balfour in Dallas, Texas. The 2017 Taps was printed in full color on 100# matte paper. Pages were submitted to Balfour as PDFs. MMA's yearbook representative is Liz Bardin. MMA's account executive is Catherine Simoneaux.

Written content was compiled by Erin Chambers from sources including local news media, cadet blogs, face-to-face interviews and e-mail surveys. Photographic content was contributed by staff members and cadets from seventh to twelfth grades. Special thanks to photographers Christine Smith, CPT Greg Maximovitch, Cheryl Morris and LTC Willis Kleinsorge. Photos were primarily shot using Canon, Sony and Nikon cameras. Formal portraits were shot by Lifetouch and Inter-State Studio at no cost. The cover and all spread templates and layouts were designed and copy edited by Erin Chambers. Content was created from August 2016 to May 2017 to reflect a modern chic theme.

ONE: Presser Performing Arts Center photography contest winners pose with their winning photos November 7. Pictured: Nathan Nolan '22; Fernando Zahuita '20; sophomores Christian Foster and Liam VanHoesen; juniors Erick Puente, Garrett Stafford and Donovan Washburn. Photos by Erin Chambers.

Typefaces used throughout this book are: Baron Neue regular and black; and Roboto Condensed light, light italic, regular and bold. Body text is set at 9.5 pt with 8.5 pt leading. Stroke weights used throughout this book are .25 pt to 1 pt. Yearbook advertisements were sold at $300 for a full page and $150 for a half page. Content, grade classifications and sports scores are accurate as of April 2017. Opinions expressed in this publication do not represent those of Missouri Military Academy or its administrators. Errors and omissions are unintentional, and we apologize for them. The 2016 Taps cover and package design on page 195 were featured in the 2016 Balfour Yearbook Yearbook, which showcases fewer than four percent of all Balfour publications.

PRESSER PERFORMING ARTS CENTER 2016 PHOTOGRAPHY CONTEST Christian Foster '19: Third Place, Sports/Action (Printed on page 122.) Nathan Nolan '22: Third Place, Black & White Erick Puente '18: First Place, Portrait (Printed on page 98.) Garrett Stafford '18: First Place, Sports/Action (Printed on page 184.) Mauricio Trevino '20: Third Place, Youth (Printed on page 125.) Liam VanHoesen '19: Second Place, Youth (Printed on page 79.) Donovan Washburn '18: Second Place, Portrait (Printed on page 168.) Fernando Zahuita '20: First Place, Youth (Printed on page one.) MISSOURI SCHOLASTIC ART AWARDS James Wilson '22: Honorable Mention (Printed on page two.)

FRESHMEN Clifton Cline = William English = Denver Jenkins = Mauricio Trevino Fernando Zahuita = SOPHOMORES Nicholas Callahan Christian Foster + • = Liam VanHoesen = Aocheng Wu = Alican Yumuk • = JUNIORS Francisco Fletes • = Emiliano Gonzalez = Carlos Liriano Alexander Mulvey Erick Puente Alexander Seibert Connor Sims = Garrett Stafford = Donovan Washburn SENIORS Justtin Muilenburg Aaron Thompson ◊ = • marketing intern = Journalism Bar ◊ Lyle C. Wilson Award + yearbook editor Pearl Green Whitney Award