2016 Missouri Military Academy Taps Yearbook

STUDENTS: 230 FACULTY & STAFF: 93 ACADEMY PRESIDENT: CHARLES MCGEORGE 204 NORTH GRAND STREET, MEXICO, MISSOURI 65265 573.581.1776 MISSOURIMILITARYACADEMY.ORG MISSOURI MILITARY ACADEMY TAPS 2016, VOLUME 61 127TH CORPS OF CADETS

MISSOURI MILITARY ACADEMY VOLUME 61 — MEXICO, MO AT RIGHT Connor Cunningham '16.

Photo by Erin Chambers.

AT RIGHT Guido Arredondo ’20 catches his 16th fish of the school year on October 7.

"In my opinion, Guido and Jordan Hornick ’20 are the club’s two best fishermen," Fishing Club sponsor MAJ Mike Pemberton said.

Original photo by Erin Chambers.

Digital illustration by Rudi Petry.

WHAT FISH HAVE YOU CAUGHT IN MMA’S TEARDROP LAKE? Bass and crappie, about 20.

Elian Harants ’20 WHAT DO YOU LIKE ABOUT FISHING? I love it when they put up a fight. It makes for the best time. Donovan Washburn ’18 I love to fish. The fun of when you catch a fish ... and watching them go swim off, especially when I catch the big one. Elian Harants ’20

ABOVE Senior Kyle Van Eekeren.

Original photo by Erin Chambers.

Digital illustration by Brennan Morand ’16.

AT RIGHT Ethan Eisenmann ’16.

Original photo by Rodrigo Garza Navarro ’16.

Digital illustration by Brennan Morand ’16.

AT LEFT Yednekachew Atkins ’17.

Original photo by Justin Touchette ’16.

Digital illustration by Erin Chambers.

ATHLETICS PAGE 122 PORTRAITS PAGE 012

SIXTH GRADE PAGE 014 SEVENTH GRADE PAGE 015 EIGHTH GRADE PAGE 016 FRESHMEN PAGE 018 SOPHOMORES PAGE 022 JUNIORS PAGE 026 SENIORS PAGE 030 STAFF PAGE 040

ACADEMICS PAGE 046

ACADEMIC BRIEFS PAGE 048 ENGLISH & MATH PAGE 050 DISSECTIONS PAGE 054 ART CLASS PAGE 056 HS SCIENCE: ANDERSON PAGE 060 MS SCIENCE PAGE 062 JROTC PAGE 064 HS SCIENCE: YIM PAGE 066 LIBRARY PAGE 068 HISTORY & ENGLISH PAGE 070

CADET LIFE PAGE 074

SUMMER PAGE 076 REGISTRATION PAGE 078 OPENING PICNIC PAGE 080 TECHNOLOGY & FOOD PAGE 082 FALL COMMUNITY SERVICE PAGE 086 FALL FAMILY WEEKEND PAGE 090 CRUCIBLE & ARMY DAY PAGE 094 HALLOWEEN PAGE 096 CLASS CLOWNS PAGE 098 WINTER HOLIDAY PAGE 100 SPRING COMMUNITY SERVICE PAGE 104 LUNAR NEW YEAR & DIVERSITY PAGE 106 DUKE OF EDINBURGH’S AWARD PAGE 108 VALENTINE WEEKEND PAGE 110 CADET CHALLENGE PAGE 114 CHAPEL & MPS PAGE 116 EDUCATIONAL TOURS PAGE 118 SWIMMING PAGE 120

PAGE 124 SOCCER PAGE 130 FOOTBALL PAGE 134 WRESTLING PAGE 138 BASKETBALL PAGE 142 GOLF & RUGBY PAGE 144 ARCHERY & HORSEBACK PAGE 148 LACROSSE & TENNIS

ORGANIZATIONS PAGE 152

PAGE 154 BAND PAGE 158 BOY SCOUTS PAGE 160 CHOIR PAGE 162 COLOR GUARD PAGE 164 COOKING CLUB PAGE 166 BIKING, SKATING & PARKOUR CLUBS PAGE 168 FISHING, FENCING & MARTIAL ARTS CLUBS PAGE 170 RAILSPLITTERS PAGE 172 FUSILIERS PAGE 174 HONOR COUNCIL & HONOR GUARD PAGE 176 AT EASE & DEBATE CLUBS PAGE 176 CHESS, MS DRAMA & GENTLEMANLY GAMES PAGE 178 FUTURE BUSINESS LEADERS OF AMERICA PAGE 180 RAIDERS PAGE 182 RIFLE TEAM PAGE 184 HONOR SOCIETIES

CLOSING PAGE 186 PAGE 188 AD: HOLMAN PAGE 189 AD: LAZCANO PAGE 190 AD: ALLEN PAGE 191 AD: CARTER PAGE 192 AD: GONZALEZ PAGE 193 AD: SNYDER PAGE 193 AD: CUNNINGHAM PAGE 194 AD: MOORE PAGE 195 AD: WILLIMON PAGE 196 AD: ESTRADA PAGE 197 AD: HANNAGAN PAGE 198 AD: MEJIA & JONES PAGE 199 AD: JAMES PAGE 200 INDEX PAGE 205 AD: LANE PAGE 208 COLOPHON

AT LEFT Robert Van Huss ’16.

Original photo by Trae Van Tasell ’16.

Digital illustration by Erin Chambers.

SIXTH GRADE PAGE 014 SEVENTH GRADE PAGE 015 EIGHTH GRADE PAGE 016 FRESHMEN PAGE 018

SOPHOMORES PAGE 022 JUNIORS PAGE 026 SENIORS PAGE 030 STAFF PAGE 040

AT LEFT Freshman Haijunhao Yu. Original photo by Weitao Cong ’16.

Digital illustration by Erin Chambers.

Scout Winslow Jones Nathan Wayne Nolan Alexander Chamberlain Sheldon

MACHO MAN: CPT STEVEN MANNING On September 19, students watched as math instructor CPT Steven Manning lifted a Ford Fiesta off the ground during the Strongman event. Cadets also participated in challenges including a tire flip, concrete lifts and archery.

The hardest challenge was when they had to lift the car up and move it. ... The coolest part was when CPT Manning joined the event and made [us] more excited about the challenges. Tamar Modise ’21

AT LEFT Sixth graders Scout Jones, Nathan Nolan and Alexander Sheldon pose at Mike Harding’s classroom on August 24, the first day of classes. Photo by Erin Chambers.

AT RIGHT Santiago Sanchez ’21 and Guido Arredondo ’20 pose September 29. Photo courtesy of LTC Willis Kleinsorge.

BELOW The Fighting Colonels Marching Band performs September 15 at MU’s Memorial Stadium alongside fellow high school musicians. Photo by Otto Albertsen ’18.

Robert Downing Abbott Peter Carl Clinton Fernando Garcia Morett

Nicolas Gonzalez Luna Flores Oscar Lopez Benavides Tamar Walik Modise

Juan Pablo Moreno George Donato Pietrofere Santiago Sanchez Henkel Fernandez Martinezz

Moving the armored vehicle was the most challenging. A guy passed out from giving it all his might. Jonathan James ’16 The challenges that they had were insane. Like lifting a car and carrying it as far as you could ... and lifting concrete balls onto a ledge — and even pulling a bus. Ashton Knipfer ’20 AT LEFT Seventh graders Kevyn Bruce, Fernando Garcia, Tamar Modise and Juan Pablo Moreno; eighth graders Ashton Knipfer and Carlos Rodriguez; Zeth Colin ’19, Hernan Huerta ’18 and CPT Steven Manning pose at the Strongman competition.

AT RIGHT Manning lifts a car. Photos by William Moore ’18.

AT RIGHT Justin Haupt ’17.

Photo by Brennan Morand ’16.

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THREE Martin Farias ’20 chats with LTC Willis Kleinsorge outside his classroom on August 24, the first day of classes.

FOUR Caleb Cloyde ’20 takes notes and reads the thermometer during a snow melt science experiment February 12.

FIVE Eighth graders Michael Naughton and Nehemiah Simmons pose October 6 during first period.

SIX Eighth grader Yuan Cui marches in the field house on December 16.

Enrique Acevedo Guido Arredondo Kevyn Alexander Bruce Dongyang Chen Caleb Daniel Cloyde

Yuan Cui Martin Adan Farias Ethan Gaines Ford Cesar Ricardo Garcia Isaac Gastelum

WrayVauze Givens Elian Jacob Harants Jordan Thomas Hornick Thomas Huckins Joseph Kaplan

2020 EIGHTH GRADE: THE CLASS OF

Ashton Mark Knipfer Alain Mestre Michael Patrick Naughton Derek Nguyen

Jesus Isaac Perales Chiprut Carlos Francisco Rodriguez Almiron Nehemiah Jordan Simmons Jakob Jonah Union

ONE Freshman Sergio Contreras sleds down the hill behind the tennis courts January 20.

TWO Middle school science fair winners pose at noon mess on April 19.

Photos ONE, TWO, THREE and FOUR

by Erin Chambers.

Photo FIVE by Quinten Boyd ’22.

Photo SIX by sixth grader Lincoln Haynes-Kechik.

2016 MIDDLE SCHOOL SCIENCE FAIR WINNERS First Place Overall, Eighth Grade First Place: Measuring Lung Capacity

by Derek Nguyen and Carlos Rodriguez Tie for Second Place Overall, Eighth Grade Second Place: Dissolution of Sugar Cubes

by Dongyang Chen and Producing Hydrogen by Kevyn Bruce and Thomas Huckins Eighth Grade, Third Place: The Big Black Worm by Enrique Acevedo and Ethan Ford Eighth Grade, Fourth Place: Elephant Toothpaste

by Elian Harants and Jesus Perales Eighth Grade, Honorable Mention: The Future of Transportation

by Martin Farias and Joseph Kaplan Seventh Grade, First Place: Thermal Conductivity by Nicolas Gonzalez and Santiago Sanchez Seventh Grade, Honorable Mention: The Big Bubble

by Tamar Modise Sixth Grade, First Place: Electrolysis by Scout Jones Sixth Grade, Honorable Mention: Super Absorbent Polymer

by Alexander Sheldon

AT RIGHT Jiaxuan Zhou ’18.

Photo by Erin Chambers.

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Angel Carlo Alcaraz Munuzuri Chandler Logan Bolinger Class Vice President Wyatt Cole Brewer

2019 FRESHMEN: THE CLASS OF

Gerardo Adrian Calanda Villarreal Emilio Camou Nyamkhuu Chinguun

Richard Choy Zeth Colin Sergio Andres Contreras

Yutong Dongfang Khaliguun Enkhbayar Joshua Sterling Evans

Christian Nathaniel Foster Styles Marquees Fountain Samuel Yuan Guo

Alexander Harrison Hamm Shane Heisler Tyler Clay Jansing

ONE Freshman Haijunhao Yu completes a pull-up August 25.

TWO Styles Fountain ’19 rallies his fellow football players October 16.

THREE Zeth Colin’19 finds a turtle in the back campus woods August 27.

FOUR Joseph Palen ’19 completes the MMA obstacle course September 26.

Photo TWO by Lucas Moore ’18.

Photos ONE, THREE and FOUR by Erin Chambers.

AT RIGHT Jeremy Elkins ’18.

Photo by Erin Chambers.

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Thomas Michael Kiefer Class Treasurer Zhicheng Mao Jack Thomas Mitchell Conner Nelson Joseph Perry Palen Stamatis Michael Pelekanos Ulysses Suarez Class Secretary Sky Spotted Eagle Thunderchild Henio Class President Liam Cole VanHoesen Haijunhao Yu

Ambitious. Jesus Perales ’20 Awesome. Derek Nguyen ’20 Tenacious, because I never quit.

Emran Babak ’16

Spontaneous.

Christian Foster ’19 Quiet. Cesar Garcia ’20 Loyal. Noah Webster ’18

Helpful. Aaron Thompson ’17 Joker. Michael Naughton ’20 Happy. Adrian Villarreal ’17 Passionate.

Ramon Rodriguez ’17

Creative. I am always imagining things that ... can change the world.

Jakob Union ’20 Nice and awesome, because I will always be nice to the people around me and help others. Photsavat Pongsuea ’17

Bold, because I am always very direct. Miguel Gonzalez ’16 Strange. Joseph Palen ’19 Creative, crazy.

Sky Thunderchild ’19

CADET Q&A: THE CRUCIBLE

On February 6, new students competed in The Crucible, a collection of physical challenges designed to test their limits.

HOW DID YOU FEEL AFTER THE CRUCIBLE? I felt like a champion after The Crucible. Noah Hacker ’18 I felt such a sigh of relief. It was the best feeling of accomplishment ever.Jonathan James ’16 Tired! Dion Nguyen ’16 WHAT WAS THE BEST PART OF THE CRUCIBLE? The ruck march. I was in the back with my battle buddy and we helped out with the slow people that fell short. Noah Hacker ’18 Watching Delta Company work together as a team to make sure every one of our brothers passed.

Jonathan James ’16 The ruck march. Dion Nguyen ’16 WHAT WAS THE HARDEST PART OF THE CRUCIBLE? The hardest thing was the swim test with the rifle. Noah Hacker ’18 Swimming with rifles, because you sort of psyche yourself out.

Jonathan James ’16 Rock climbing, because I am scared of heights. Dion Nguyen ’16 ONE Shane Heisler ’19.

TWO Justin Haupt ’17.

THREE Wyatt Brewer ’19.

FOUR Khaliguun Enkhbayar ’19 and Tamir Nyamdavaa ’18.

FIVE Noah Webster ’18.

SIX Erick Puente ’18.

All photos shot February 6.

Photos ONE, THREE and SIX

by Christian Foster ’19.

Photo TWO by Dion Nguyen ’16.

Photo FOUR by Jonathan James ’16.

Photo FIVE by Justin Touchette ’16.

AT RIGHT Rongyang Yi ’18.

Photo by Erin Chambers.

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FIVE LTC Willis Kleinsorge shows eighth graders Isaac Gastelum and Ashton Knipfer how to light their burner February 12.

IF YOU HAD WISHES FROM A GENIE WHAT WOULD YOU WISH FOR? To learn English, to have more friends, to learn to play every instrument. Yelin Zhou ’17

More wishes so that I could have anything I wanted.

Noah Webster ’18

Otto Ian Albertsen Christian Avery Ashton Zhuoli Cai

Juan Pablo Cepeda Bremer Edward Cha Yanlin Chen

Davaasuren Dashdavaa Mitchell David Duing Jose Hermilo Elizondo Villarreal Jeremy Elkins

Francisco Javier Fletes Dorantes Class President Jackson Taylor Ford Emiliano Gonzalez Malachi Weldon Grice

Noah Scott Hacker Thuqan Mohammed Hindawi Hernan Huerta Hijuelos Eric Juarez

2018 SOPHOMORES: THE CLASS OF

Money, success, World peace, because it will end all other problems. another genie.

Michael Naughton ’20 Angel Alcaraz ’19

ONE Cesar Perera ’18 struggles to complete a pull-up during the Cadet Challenge on February 16. TWO Mitchell Duing ’18 clips a flag to a flagpole at the Mexico Veterans Home on November 10.

THREE Angel Alcaraz ’19, Jose Balanza ’17, Nyamkhuu Chinguun ’19, Davaasuren Dashdavaa ’18, Victor Armando Leon ’18, Kian Moriarty ’16 and Jorge Servin ’18 pose September 26 at the Crucible.

Photos ONE, TWO and FIVE by Erin Chambers.

Photo THREE by Nathan Nolan ’22.

Victor Armando Leon Aguilar Victor Arturo Leon Aguilar YiJun Li Carlos Victor Liriano Class Secretary

Qiyu Liu Jacob Ross McMahon Luis Mario Merino Cantu Class Representative Lucas Owen Moore

FOUR Cadets Nelson Aguilera ’16, Mitchell Duing ’18, Jose Elizondo ’18, Malachi Grice ’18 and freshman Joshua Evans pose before marching to the mess hall AT for the Warrior Dinner RIGHT on September 26.

Adrian Photo by Garrett Villarreal ’17.

Stafford ’18.

Photo by Erin Chambers.

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SIX Seventh grader Nicolas Gonzalez and eighth graders Kevyn Bruce, Dongyang Chen and Derek Nguyen pose March 4 outside a Target store. Photo courtesy of LTC Willis Kleinsorge.

ONE Emilio Camou ’19, Carlos Liriano ’18 and juniors Rory Davis, Raul Escarcega and Zenghui Zhang laugh as they sprint down the third floor steps toward safety February 26 during the ALICE (Alert, Lockdown, Inform, Counter, Evacuate) drill February 26.

Photo by Erin Chambers.

TWO Military Policeman sophomore Gabriel Vallejo shows off his MP uniform patch October 20. Photo by Weitao Cong ’16.

THREE Bo Tang ’16, Zhuoli Cai ’18, Yutong Dongfang ’19, Haijunhao Yu ’19, Zenghui Zhang ’17 and Jiaxuan Zhou ’18 watch as LT Kevin Bissmeyer’s history classes re-enact a gentlemen’s duel at Colonels Field on January 15. Photo by Dion Nguyen ’16.

William Lewis Moore Feb. 2016 Student of the Month Pursuing Victory with Honor Award, March 2016 Joseph Alexander Mulvey Paul Joseph Murphy James Hayden Myrick Charles Kevin Norman Class Vice President

Tamir Nyamdavaa Cesar Perera Pelayo Gabriel Perez

Juan Pablo Perez Pavon Erick Sebastian Puente Evan B. Reynolds Alexander Davies Krueger Schaaf January 2016 Student of the Month Alexander Joseph Seibert

Jorge Servin Galindo Francisco Javier Siller Garrett Henry Stafford Gabriel Vallejo Yinzhou Wang

Donovan Earl Washburn Noah Webster Donald Brown Williams Class Treasurer Hank Sallee Williams

Rongyang Yi Eryao Zhang Sizheng Zhang Jiaxuan Zhou Zihan Zhu

FOUR Charles Norman ’18 and seniors Jason Russell and Robert Van Huss pose at the helicopter landing site during the Army Day picnic October 30. Photo by Rodrigo Garza Navarro ’16.

FIVE Jorge Servin ’18 and Oscar Lopez ’21 watch as the Fighting Colonels face Father Tolton at the Homecoming football game on October 3.

Photo by Justin Touchette ’16.

AT RIGHT Ethan Ford ’20.

Photo by Erin Chambers.

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ONE Junior Railsplitter Parker Koontz takes aim September 26 at the Walk Back in Time. TWO Soccer players Fahad Aliev ’16, Gerardo Calanda ’19, Cesar Perera ’18, Photsavat Pongsuea ’17 and Gregory Prinster ’17 pose September 1. THREE Yinzhou Wang ’18 and Hank Williams ’18 pet Augie the therapy dog October 20. FOUR Otto Albertsen ’18, Clayton Ebert ’17 and Joshua John ’17 attend a band field trip to Kansas City on February 16.

Photo ONE by Alexander Seibert ’18. Photo TWO by Alexander Sheldon ’22. Photo THREE by Christine Smith. Photo FOUR by Cheryl Morris.

Arnoldo Aguirre Tello Yednekachew McAllister Atkins Pursuing Victory with Honor Award, December 2016 Jose Maria Balanza Yuqi Chen Raul Alejandro Correa Zavala

Sugar Dashdavaa Rory M. Davis Clayton Ebert

Charles Eckardt Elias Cole Elizondo Gabriel Elizondo Class Cadet Council Representative, Pursuing Victory with Honor Award, Dec. 2015

My favorite class is History of Ideas with Dr. Frank Giuseffi. It is a lot of fun, and sparks a lot of good conversations and discussions that I never had even thought about before. ... It is really fun to tackle philosophical questions.

Aaron Thompson ’17 AP Economics, because it keeps me interested all the time.

Chinguun Khatigin ’16 U.S. History. Rory Davis ’17 Algebra, because I like everything related to math.

Jorge Servin ’18 My favorite class is Accounting II because I really like accounting and enjoy taking the class. ...

I would like to continue with my family business as an accountant.

Alfonso Leon ’16 My favorite subject is science.

It’s about the facts and beauty in life itself. Noah Hacker ’18 Accounting. Hector Chapa ’16 I love Office Suites because I know the program really well. I am able to help classmates who are new to it. Jackson Ford ’18 Algebra. Zhuoli Cai ’18 Art, because I can express how I feel. Angel Alcaraz ’19 ESL English, because the teachers teach very well. Yelin Zhou ’17 History. Every problem and solution can be found in history.

Every question has been all ready asked. Nothing we do is truly unique. We only need to look at our past. Griffin Gilman ’17

Raul Rafael Escarcega Sean Michael Fitzgerald September 2015 Student of the Month Cesar Alonso Garza

Alejandro Gastelum Reyes Class Vice President Griffin Gilman Mig Raoul Gisa

Justin Gregory Haupt Ethan Istas Yuqi Jin

Joshua Alexander John Oybek Kirkland Parker Gregory Koontz

AT RIGHT Isaac Gastelum ’20.

Photo by Erin Chambers.

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Juan Carlos Letamendi Yasheng Lou Rodrigo Ricardo Maceda Anguiano Ernesto Melgar Ngonga Julien Mugabo

Justtin Muilenburg Bayar-Erdene Oldokhbayar Photsavat Pongsuea Class Secretary Gregory Mitchel Prinster Class President Ramon Edmundo Rodriguez Medina Class Treasurer

Robert Lester Shields Jean-Luc Shyaka Juan Diego Silva Zuniga Benjamin Alexander Snider-Bilbrey

Aaron Michael Thompson Alejandro Tovar Lopez Hector Manuel Villanueva Bosque Adrian Villarreal

Jorge Villarreal Garza Kenneth Westcott Pursuing Victory with Honor Award, March 2016 Michael Wetzel

Photos ONE, TWO, FOUR, FIVE, SIX and SEVEN by Erin Chambers.

Photo THREE by sixth grader Lincoln Haynes-Kechik.

Photo EIGHT by Quinten Boyd ’22.

Lihan Zhang Yuchen Zhang Zenghui Zhang Yelin Zhou

On September 23, students in Veronica Anderson’s science classes made dry ice bubbles while studying sublimation, the process of changing from solid to gas without passing through a liquid stage. The objective was to make as large a bubble as possible using dry ice, soap and strips of cloth.

ONE Gabriel Elizondo ’17 and Miguel Gonzalez ’16.

THREE Bayar-Erdene Oldokhbayar ’17.

FIVE Jean-Luc Shyaka ’17 and Clayton Ebert ’17.

SIX Russell Holman ’16.

SEVEN Jose Mejia ’16.

EIGHT Jon Snyder ’16.

FOUR Oybek Kirkland ’17 juggles the ball during a preseason soccer practice August 13.

TWO Sugar Dashdavaa ’17, Noah Hacker ’18, Ethan Istas ’17, Dion Nguyen ’16 and Ryan Pinks ’16 of Delta Company pose October 30 during the Army Day competition.

AT RIGHT Chinguun Khatigin ’16.

Photo by Erin Chambers.

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Nelson Aguilera Band Company Independence, Missouri United States Matheus Henrique Alexandre Santos Bravo Company Platoon Leader Class Cadet Council Representative Sao Jose dos Campos Sao Paulo, Brazil Fahad Aliev Battalion S5: Public Affairs Officer Pursuing Victory with Honor Award Baku, Azerbaijan “The most expensive thing in the world is trust. It can take years to earn and just a matter of seconds to lose.”

2016 SENIORS: THE CLASS OF

Cody Chase Allen Band Company Sullivan, Illinois United States Naranmandakh Ayulgui Charlie Company First Sergeant Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia Mohammad Emran Babak Battalion Commander Logar, Afghanistan “Raise your words, not your voice.”

Purevsuren Bayanbaatar Charlie Company Platoon Leader Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia Bilguun Sandag Byambatsogt Delta Company Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia "Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time."

William Alexander Carter Delta Company Platoon Leader Boulder, Colorado United States

ONE Haozhang Li ’16 checks his mailbox in Stribling Hall on August 24. Photos ONE and TWO by Erin Chambers. Photo FIVE by Christian Foster '19.

TWO Cadets pose October 17 at the Senior Ring Dance. (Pictured: seniors Matheus Alexandre, David Garza, Jesus Gracia, Yunil Jeon, Nishan Khanal, Enkhbilegt Luvsandorj, Emilio Nanni and Rene Padilla.) FIVE Nathan Nolan '22 rides a ferris wheel at a field trip to the City Museum on October 29.

ALFONSO LEON: The time has come — the time for us to step out and let others do what we did and what we didn’t.

We faced a lot of challenges in our high school journey. We saw friends, mentors and faculty leave. But we worked our way through so that we could finish the year strong, so that we could leave a great legacy, so that our MMA brothers would say, "I want to be like him."

THREE Eighth graders Derek Nguyen and Carlos Rodriguez pose with their award-winning science fair display.

For a full list of science fair winners, see page 017. Photo courtesy of LTC Willis Kleinsorge. FOUR Connor Cunningham '16 participates in the annual Flower Pinning Ceremony during Spring Family Weekend on April 17. Photo by Lucas Moore '18.

AT RIGHT Thomas Huckins ’20.

Photo by Erin Chambers.

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Hector Hugo Chapa Gonzalez Charlie Company San Pedro Garza Garcia Monterrey, Mexico Weitao Cong Charlie Company Executive Officer Changzhou Jiangsu, China

FAHAD ALIEV: The two years I experienced here have been unforgettable. I don’t regret a single moment. I met some great people and accomplished new things.

It’s time to say goodbye. To my brothers of the Class of 2016: I wish you guys nothing but the best in your future endeavors.

JOHN CURLEY: When we walk through the gates of MMA for the final time, neither our rank nor our position will matter. But who we are, the man that we have become, and the leader that we have developed into, will stay with us forever. I thank my family for the opportunity I have been granted, and for showing me that it matters not what someone is born, but what they grow to be.

Jacob Andrew Conyers Band Company Catawissa, Missouri United States Oscar Cortada-Alias Battalion Command Sergeant Major Pursuing Victory with Honor Award Barcelona, Spain

Connor Joel Cunningham Band Company First Sergeant St. Louis, Missouri United States “With freedom comes responsibilities, and I dare not linger, for my long walk is not ended.”

John Thomas Curley Battalion S3: Training & Operations Tampa, Florida United States “If you’re the smartest person in the room, you’re in the wrong room.”

ONE Nelson Aguilera ’16. TWO Finley Lomas ’16. THREE Connor Cunningham ’16.

FOUR Jose Mejia ’16. FIVE Emran Babak ’16. All photos shot September 11 by Erin Chambers.

CONNOR CUNNINGHAM: What is the key to success? Survival. In the real-world, it’s sink or swim. It is your job to fight your way to the top.

No one will carry you, and not many will assist you.

Life is not an easy journey. If you are beaten down, pick yourself up. If you fail, try until you succeed.

Some people say that the definition of insanity is trying something over and over and expecting the same result. To me, it is called perseverance.

OH, LET’S GO FLY A KITE LCDR William Bushnell, first-year English instructor Megan Klukowski and her post-9/11 literature class spent fourth period September 11 flying kites above Colonels Field.

“We flew kites today because we are reading a book called Kite Runner,” Brennan Morand ’16 said. “In Afghanistan they have a tradition where they fly kites and they have competitions.

We had the Battalion Commander Emran Babak come to our class and teach us about that tradition, and then we went out and flew kites.”

“I really wanted the boys to do something hopeful on September 11,” Klukowski said.

“We had Babak, who is from Afghanistan, teach us about kite fighting in his culture, answer some actual questions ... and teach us how to fly the kites. It was the total experience for the cadets, with someone actually from the country [teaching] them.”

AT RIGHT Shane Heisler ’19.

Photo by Erin Chambers.

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Thomas Brian Dean Echo Company Executive Officer East Hampton, New York United States Ethan Tye Eisenmann Band Company Executive Officer, Drum Major Class Secretary Tulsa, Oklahoma United States “If you ever feel like trash, everyone you hate wins.”

Christian Mason Ell Echo Company Columbia, Missouri United States

Jose Emilio Estrada Pinon Class Vice President El Paso, Texas United States Orlando Farias Battalion S2: Security & Intelligence Mission, Texas United States Oscar Isaias Garcia Charlie Company Platoon Leader Tulsa, Oklahoma United States

David Jose Garza Delta Company San Pedro Garza Garcia Nuevo Leon, Mexico Mauro Garza Valencia Battalion S4: Supply & Logistics Monterrey, Mexico Rodrigo Garza Navarro Charlie Company Platoon Leader Cancún, Quintana Roo, Mexico

ONE Seniors Cody Allen, William Carter, Christian Ell, Finley Lomas, Jason Russell and Justin Touchette attend a band field trip on February 16.

TWO Seniors Nelson Aguilera, Dion Nguyen, Jared Violette and Evan Willimon post flags in the Mexico Square on November 10.

Photo ONE by Cheryl Morris. Photo TWO by Erin Chambers.

Eduardo Gonzalez Luna Flores Charlie Company Commander Guadalajara Jalisco, Mexico “Don’t be sorry — be right.”

Miguel Angel Gonzalez Ling Bravo Company Platoon Leader Monterrey Nuevo Leon, Mexico Jesus Francisco Gracia Villasenor Battalion Executive Officer Anmore, British Columbia Canada

Sean Patrick Hannagan, II Echo Company Platoon Leader Santa Bar Saint Elmo, Illinois United States “Courage is being scared to death, but saddling up anyway.

Russell Lowell Holman Battalion S1: Adjutant Brentwood, Tennessee United States “Temet Nosce Ex Tenebris Lux.” Jonathan Carter James Delta Company Poplar Bluff, Missouri United States

Yunil Jeon Band Company Commander Class President Poongnap-dong Songpa-gu, South Korea “Lord give me chastity and continence.

But not yet.”

Maverick Shawn Jones Class Treasurer Student of the Month, March 2016 Mexico, Missouri United States “Baseball was, is and always will be, to me, the best game in the world.”

Nishan Khanal Columbia, Missouri United States

AT RIGHT Tamar Modise ’21.

Photo by Erin Chambers.

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Chinguun Enkhjin Khatigin Delta Company Platoon Leader Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia “Refinement without extravagance and knowledge without effeminacy.”

James Devon Lane Band Company Wentzville, Missouri United States “The best revenge is massive success.”

David Lazcano Bravo Company Commander Monterrey Nuevo Leon, Mexico “What we do in life echoes in eternity.”

ETHAN EISENMANN: Be prepared for the responsibility that lies ahead, because it isn’t as simple as it looks. It’s not just calling commands, getting a saber and doing whatever you want.

There’s a lot of work that comes with it, as well as setting the example for those that follow. To my Band of Brothers: thank you for all of the memories. We have come a long way from where we began. Keep working hard while I’m gone.

Thank you to all of my dear friends. I’ve never had friends that I could call family. Thanks for going through all of the good times, the laughs and the challenges with me. Good luck to you all.

Aeron James Lee Echo Company Platoon Leader Wichita, Kansas United States Alfonso Leon Aguilar Echo Company First Sergeant Caborca, Sonora Mexico Haozhang Li Echo Company Nanning, China

Qihui Liu Bravo Company Xiangyang Hubei, China Finley Joseph Lomas Mexico, Missouri United States Enkhbilegt Luvsandorj Delta Company Commander Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia

MAVERICK JONES: I would like to thank my family for the opportunity to attend the Academy. These five years that I have spent here have been the most interesting of my life. I have met many people and have made a lot of great memories here. Cadets reading this may complain now about being at this school, but one day soon you will realize that you have enjoyed an opportunity that not many others get. Use it and be thankful for it. You will look back and cherish your time at this school. I promise you that.

RUSSELL HOLMAN: Even in a million lifetimes, I could never express my heartfelt gratitude toward MMA and those who have helped make my time here some of the best years of my life. Thank you to my fellow cadets, faculty, staff and the best family anyone could ask for. The memories, experiences and relationships I have built will carry me through the rest of my life. Cadets: just remember that MMA is what you make of it. The more you put in, the more you will receive. Know yourself, know your opportunity, and pursue it all with honor and integrity.

NISHAN KHANAL: As I write this, I can see these four years flash by. Words to describe these years are as diverse as the school itself: extraordinary, quick, enjoyable, sad, eye-opening, wistful, tiring and evolving. MMA has helped me grow as a student and a man of character. I would like to thank my teachers who guided me, fellow students and friends who accompanied me, and my family who supported me through it all. I cherish this incredible experience that will guide me in life.

Gavin Beau Jacobson Martin Centralia, Missouri United States Jose Mejia Latofski Delta Company Platoon Leader Tampico, Tamaulipas, Mexico “The secret of getting things done is to act.”

Kenneth Kyle Mertens Mexico, Missouri United States

Robert Anthony Moore Band Company Platoon Leader Norman, Oklahoma United States “To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment.”

Brennan Ross Morand Band Company Platoon Leader Hermosa Beach, California United States Kian John Moriarty Charlie Company Collierville, Tennessee United States “The blood of the covenant is thicker than the water of the womb.”

Seniors Eduardo Gonzalez, Miguel Gonzalez and Turbold Tumurkhuu play tug-of-war on August 29.

Photo

by Rose Chambers.

AT RIGHT Tamir Nyamdavaa.

Photo by Erin Chambers.

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Emilio Cristobal Nanni De Valle Bravo Company Executive Officer Saltillo, Coahulia Mexico Temuulen Nerguibaatar Bravo Company Platoon Leader Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia Dion Nguyen Delta Company Overland Park, Kansas United States

Rene Antonio Padilla Cines Delta Company First Sergeant San Salvador, San Salvador El Salvador Christian Ernesto Paz Valdez Charlie Company Platoon Leader Guadalajara Jalisco, Mexico Ryan Pinks Echo Company St. Charles, Illinois United States

Robert James Pryor Bravo Company Essex Fells, New Jersey United States Jason Matthew Russell Band Company Pursuing Victory with Honor Award Glencoe, Missouri United States Wyatt Samuel Smith Columbia, Missouri United States

Jon Paul Snyder Echo Company Platoon Leader Houston, Texas United States Damdinbazar Sumiyabazar Delta Company Executive Officer Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia Bo Tang Charlie Company Wuhan Hubei, China

Justin Christopher Touchette Echo Company Marion, Illinois United States Turbold Tumurkhuu Echo Company Commander Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia Kyle Antoon Van Eekeren Delta Company Chesterton, Indiana United States

Robert Jaycee Van Huss Bravo Company DeSoto, Missouri United States “Happiness comes at a price. Life gives you just enough of it to bear the pain.”

Jared Gregory Violette Bravo Company Farmington, Minnesota United States Evan McCabe Willimon Echo Company Edmond, Oklahoma United States

AERON LEE: If you think it’s hard to be at Missouri Military Academy, it only gets harder as life moves on. Being at this school is the stepping stone for you to become someone who is successful, responsible and patient.

JONATHAN JAMES: Thank you to all my friends and family who have had my back and supported me through my life. Thank you to all the staff and faculty that kept me on the right path and encouraged me. To all my brothers at MMA who have become like family: you will never be forgotten. Thank you for all the laughs and the encouragement. Thank you MMA for giving me the chance to make a future for myself and for letting me be part of an amazing brotherhood. I met friends and brothers that will always be a part of my life. Thank you for teaching me to never give up and to chase after what I want in life.

RODRIGO GARZA NAVARRO: I want to thank everyone at MMA for making my senior year a memorable one. It’s been a pleasure to share this year with you all. A special thank you to MAJ Larry McClarey for teaching me Economics and Government. I hope you and Smokey continue to be okay. Another thank you to CPT Robert Olive, AKA The Arthurian Legend, who taught me how to properly write an essay and gave me many useful tips. Y finalmente muchas gracias a mi tia y a mi familia que me proporcionaron con esta gran oportunidad. To all future cadets and underclassman: Keep your head up and keep working hard, because AT in the end it’s totally worth it. Best of luck!

RIGHT

AT LEFT Seniors Miguel Gonzalez, Jesus Gracia, Russell Holman, Yunil Jeon and Rene Padilla pose back campus August 11 during Leadership Camp. Photo by Brennan Morand ’16.

Raul Correa ’17.

Photo by Erin Chambers.

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LT Robert Abbott Residential Life, Bravo David Adams Admissions CPT Murrell Andrew Adams Residential Life, Delta LT Zoe Alsbury Residential Life, Delta SGM Charles Anderson Residential Life, Echo Veronica Anderson High School Science Instructor Larry Anthony Maintenance Chaz Baker Enrollment Counselor Dawn Baker Campus Health Center Edsel Baker Associate Dean, Middle School Penny Bealmear Executive Assistant LT Lewis Bell High School English Instructor Christine Beshears Middle School 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 Executive Assistant Nannie Blue Quartermaster Dr. James P. Bonanno Social Studies Instructor Cassandra Brooks Development Martha Bruce Quartermaster Michael Buckallew Residential Life Dan Burton Maintenance LCDR William Bushnell Dean of Faculty Robert Calaluce Campus Health Center Angie Campbell Quartermaster Erin Chambers Publications Coordinator MAJ Bill Chrismer Residential Life, Bravo ONE Art instructor Cheryl Morris poses with Enkhbilegt Luvsandorj ’16 and Donald Williams ’18 at registration day August 14. Photo by Rudi Petry.

TWO Yasheng Lou ’17 participates in a Socratic Seminar led by Dr. Frank Giuseffi and LT Kevin Bissmeyer on January 29. Photo by Erin Chambers.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE CLASS AT THE ACADEMY? MAJ Larry McClarey’s AP Macroeconomics class is my favorite class. I say this because he really knows how to communicate the material so that it sticks, and I have enjoyed being able to be his student for two years. Fahad Aliev ’16

Social studies is my favorite subject.

Jordan Hornick ’20

Mark Clark Academy Barber David Cross Maintenance Melody Daly Quartermaster

MaryAnn Dickherber Quartermaster MAJ Dennis Diederich Quartermaster CPT Carl P. Estenik, III Senior Army Instructor

WHO IS YOUR FAVORITE MENTOR AT MISSOURI MILITARY ACADEMY? SGM Charles Anderson. He is always doing the right thing [and] making sure the cadets and the leaders know what they are supposed to be doing. Alfonso Leon ’16

CPT Andrew Adams, because he is a great mentor and is the reason Delta is the best company. Shane Heisler ’19

My favorite Mentor is without a doubt CPT Michael Koontz.

Rodrigo Garza Navarro ’16

AT RIGHT Jacob McMahon ’18.

Photo by Erin Chambers.

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MAJ Kevin Farley Athletic Director Dr. Frank Giuseffi Academic Dean Amy Groves Director of HR and Financial Aid Irene Hard Quartermaster Michael Harding Director of Curriculum Development

Diane Henry Development Chad Herron Quartermaster David Higgins Residential Life

ONE First-year librarian and February 2016 Teacher of the Month Fran Robley poses November 19.

TWO & THREE Otto Albertsen ’18 receives his first hair cut of the school year on August 21.

FOUR The Sage food service team poses at the annual holiday meal December 17. Photo by Christian Foster ’19.

James Hilderman Maintenance 1SG Randal Jacobson JROTC Instructor Jason Jones Maintenance MAJ Ananta Khanal High School Math Instructor LTC Willis Kleinsorge Middle School Science Instructor Megan Klukowski High School English Instructor CPT Michael Koontz Residential Life, Bravo Michael Kulas Technology WO2 Andrew “Freddie” Lomas Bandmaster CPT Steven Manning Mathematics Instructor CPT Gregory Maximovitch Webmaster, Business Instructor LT Stephen Maziarz Mathematics Instructor MAJ Lawrence McClarey Social Studies Instructor Charles “Tony” McGeorge Academy President John Medina Accounts Payable, Payroll Specialist MAJ Keith Morgan Business & Technology Instructor Teacher of the Month, March 2016 Cheryl Morris Art Instructor Greg Morton Director of Facilities & Maintenance Pearl Newbrough Executive Assistant CPT John Noel Physical Education and Health Instructor CPT Robert Olive High School English Instructor Sarah Oliver Chief Financial Officer

Photos ONE, TWO and THREE by Erin Chambers.

AT RIGHT Nishan Khanal ’16.

Photo by Christian Foster ’19.

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LT Robert Owen Officer In Charge Margrette Pappin Spanish Instructor LT Kevin Payne Residential Life, Band/Charlie Connor Pearson Marketing Intern MAJ Michael Pemberton High School Science Instructor LT Sean Peters High School Mathematics Instructor CPT Mark Phillips Residential Life, Echo Kevin Quinn Director of Development COL Dana Reynard Academics MAJ Peggy Reynard Business Instructor CPT Thomas Roberts Residential Life Fran Robley Academy Librarian CPT Scott Robley Residential Life, Band/Charlie LTC Greg Seibert Commandant of Cadets Daniel Severns Maintenance Ayanna Shivers College Placement Director MAJ Michael Shoemaker High School Mathematics Instructor Lu Shu ESL Instructor Christine Smith Academy Vice President Gary Stewart Admissions Charles Stockdall Maintenance Bernard Strunk Maintenance Renae Stumpe Learning Resource Center Director Michael Templeton Maintenance WO2 Richard “Rik” Thornton Director of Cadet Life

ONE On March 2, English instructor Mike Harding poses for a photograph inside an outhouse built by MMA cadets on the Pine Ridge trip.

TWO MAJ Edsel Baker, LT Lewis Bell, MAJ Keith Morgan and CPT John Noel celebrate national bowtie day in style on August 28.

THREE Residential Life staffers LT Robert Abbott, CPT Murrell Adams, LT Zoe Alsbury, SGM Charles Anderson and CPT Steven Manning pose for a photo during summer training July 29.

FOUR Max Newberry and Julia Hunt, stables.

Photo ONE by William Moore ’18.

Photos TWO and THREE by Erin Chambers.

GSYGT Mark "Gunny" Tompkins Logistics, Transportation and Activities Officer Judith Twells Residential Life Richard Twells Residential Life Janet Welch Admissions Julia Welch Accounts Receivable Gina Whitesell Canteen Manager David Wilkins Technology Rachel Yim High School Science Instructor

AT RIGHT Stamatis Pelekanos ’19.

Photo by Christian Foster ’19.

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ACADEMIC BRIEFS PAGE 048 ENGLISH & MATH PAGE 050 DISSECTIONS PAGE 054 ART CLASS PAGE 056 HS SCIENCE: ANDERSON PAGE 060 MS SCIENCE PAGE 062 JROTC PAGE 064 HS SCIENCE: YIM PAGE 066 LIBRARY PAGE 068 HISTORY & ENGLISH PAGE 070

Most Improved Award Juan Letamendi ’17 Norman Rockwell Award (for the best illustration) Hank Williams ’18 Eduardo Gonzalez ’16 Michelangelo Art Award (for the best in sculpture) Naranmandakh Ayulgui ’16 Junior School Art Achievement Award Jesus Perales ’20 Art Achievement Award Gabriel Perez ’18 Pablo Picasso Art Award (for always sketching and improving) Cesar Garcia ’20 Parker Koontz ’17

Leonardo Da Vinci Art Award (for being a writer, an artist and a renaissance man) Emran Babak ’16 Vincent Van Gogh Art Award (for the best Painting student) Emilio Nanni ’16 Banksy Graffiti Art Award Sugar Dashdavaa ’17 Yinzhou Wang ’18 Best Unconventional Art Award David Garza ’16 Heart & Soul Award (for dedication to art) Hernan Huerta ’18 Creative Arts Award Gabriel Vallejo ’18

EPPLE MEMORIAL ART SHOW AWARDS Best in Show, President's Award Gabriel Vallejo '18 Best in Clay Alfonso Leon '16 Best in Paint Ernesto Melgar '17 Best in Drawing Juan Diego Silva '17 Dean's Award Eduardo Gonzalez '16 Commandant's Award Clayton Ebert '17 First Place Zenghui Zhang '17 Second Place Christian Paz '16 Third Place Noah Hacker '18 Carlos Liriano '18

AT LEFT Clayton Ebert ’17.

Original photo by Cheryl Morris.

Digital illustration by Erin Chambers.

DERBY CARS

On February 9, sixth graders Nathan Nolan and Alexander Sheldon began their derby car construction project in Christine Beshears’ class. Cadets designed their vehicles, sanded nails to serve as axels, then used hand saws to transform wooden blocks into car bodies. The duo then used masking tape to make straight lines and used small brushes for detailed work.

A race was held March 21 on a sloped concrete path. After multiple attempts at designing a course, students discovered that lining the track with yardstick bumpers allowed their cars to run straight. The vehicles inched their way down the course, with Nolan’s Batmobile coming in first at 32 seconds and Sheldon’s Italian Racer taking up the rear at 37 seconds.

(Nolan pictured below on March 21.

Photo by Alexander Seibert ’18.)

OBSERVATIONAL SKILLS

First-year instructors Megan Klukowski and Rachel Yim combined their English and science classes August 27, hiking into the back campus woods and settling near a creek. Cadets were challenged to use their observation skills and write poems about nature using their five senses.

Thomas Kiefer ’19 I see greenish brown water.

I see trees and dried-up dirt.

I see branches afloat in the stream.

I hear the tree frogs begin to croak.

I hear the cicadas but cannot find them.

They seem to be cloaked.

I hear the train whistling As it chugs along the rails.

I hear the cadets’ footsteps As they walk along the trail.

James Myrick ’18 I feel the wind blowing against my neck And the sand on my shoes.

I smell the water from the creek And the mud beneath it.

I hear the train coming by, And the cicadas.

Conner Nelson ’19 I see fallen trees floating downriver.

I see deer tracks running Up and down the hillside.

I see frogs hopping on their merry way.

I hear crickets and locusts Talking in the trees.

I hear the crunching of rocks Under peoples’ feet.

I hear a train yelling in the distance.

I touch the fine dirt.

ABOVE Yasheng Lou ’17 studies a back campus lake for inspiration on August 27. Photo by Erin Chambers.

MAJ REYNARD’S INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS

On April 7 and 8, students in MAJ Peggy Reynard’s first and seventh period International Business classes presented their business concepts. Groups discussed the location, start-up costs, cash flow, staffing needs, information needs and expenses of their ventures.

Seniors Kyle Mertens and Nishan Khanal proposed a food service business called Gandalf’s Pizza.

Sophomore Edward Cha and senior Jared Violette began their presentation by distributing business cards for their company EJ’s Ultimate Fitness, a professional training facility with gym locations across the world. The duo detailed a plan to air commercials for their business during boxing television programs and pursue

would import paint, rims, carbon fiber and steel in order to export customized vehicles across the world.

Juniors Gabriel Elizondo and Photsavat Pongsuea presented HydraPure, a business which would be located in Switzerland and would package and provide premium quality bottled water. The partners estimated start-up costs of $750,000 and cash paid out after the first year at approximately $1,081,000.

sponsorships with companies such as Nike, Reebok, Everlast and Fitbit.

A pitch by Carlos Liriano ’18 and Yinzhou Wang ’18 described a company called Hope’s Consulting, which would help the public prepare for, communicate about and recover from natural disasters.

ARVM Customizations, a luxury car company presented by juniors Adrian Villarreal and Rodrigo Maceda,

ENTREPRENEURSHIP On November 4, seniors Enkhbilegt Luvsandorj, Matheus Alexandre and Kian Moriarty and juniors Tuguldur Altangerel, Oybek Kirkland and Aaron Thompson raised several thousand dollars to boost the art supply budget by selling tickets for a morning

lock-in. Instead of reporting for inspection, participating cadets received a sleep-in. For $10 each, they spent the morning playing basketball, chatting and working out in the weight room. Alongside CPT Greg Maximovitch, the Entrepreneurship students solicited approximately 205 individual donations. (Photo by Erin Chambers, December 2.)

ECONOMICS

On February 19, two chaperones (Dr. James Bonanno and LT Kevin Bissmeyer) and four cadets (seniors Emran Babak, Gavin Martin, Damdinbazar Sumiyabazar and Rodrigo Garza Navarro) attended the "Up to Us" Budget Simulation Conference at Westminster College.

(At right, Photo courtesy of Bonanno.)

"I am taking AP Economics this year," Babak said. "Attending this conference [presented] a real life situation where economists have decide where to use their [money] and where not to. The interesting part of the conference was that it was managed and run by the students themselves."

VISITING MONSANTO

by MAJ Mike Pemberton On February 15, a group of MAJ Mike Pemberton’s Environmental Science and Biology students visited Monsanto in Chesterfield, Missouri. Monsanto is an agricultural company that delivers products to farmers all around the world. They are focused on empowering farmers to produce more from their land while conserving natural resources.

Our desire to tour their facility came from our studies in genetics and ecology. Part of our curriculum in both Biology and Environmental Science focuses on the importance of plants.

Like Monsanto, our cadets study different ways to make agriculture more productive and sustainable.

Our tour started with a group experiment.

In one of Monsanto’s research labs, cadets extracted and observed strawberry DNA.

They learned each step’s importance and why scientists extract DNA from organisms. After the experiment, the cadets split into two groups to tour the facilities. Some of the stops on the tour included research labs, a AT biotechnology center, RIGHT and various Alfonso greenhouses.

Leon ’16.

Photo by Lucas Moore ’18.

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ONE Alain Mestre ’20 gathers firewood January 21 on Survival Day. Photo by Justin Touchette ’16. TWO Kevyn Bruce ’20 and Robert Van Huss ’16 pose October 21. Photo by Christine Smith.

WHAT DID YOU LEARN ON SURVIVAL DAY?

At the Survival Day, I learned to never give up and always try your best no matter the situation.

Nicolas Gonzalez ’21 On Survival Day we went out and learned a few basics of survival as well as how to build a fire. Sadly, I was unable to make a fire.

My favorite part of that day was working together.

Michael Naughton ’20 I was able to make a fire. I learned that making a fire takes patience. Derek Nguyen ’20 I learned that everything is easier said than done.

Don’t come into something acting like you already know it. I was able to start the fire but it soon took a sharp turn when somebody smothered the flames with too many sticks. My favorite part was getting to enjoy back campus while learning something new. Jordan Hornick ’20

HARDING’S MS SURVIVAL DAY On January 21, middle school cadets hiked into the back campus woods for a fire lighting and tracking lesson with English instructor Mike Harding.

Seventh and eighth graders read Jack London’s To Build A Fire while the sixth grade read Gary Paulsen’s Hatchet. Surrounded by the cold, snowy woods, cadets learned the basic elements of survival: how to build a shelter and start a campfire without matches.

“The winter snow and cold gave us the perfect opportunity to venture out and practice these skills and show the cadets how difficult it is to survive without the right equipment and knowledge,” Harding said.

Cadets first gathered tinder and firewood to build lean-to shelters and fire pyramids. Students then practiced using a variety of fire-starting tools to create sparks. Eighth graders Thomas Huckins and Carlos Rodriguez, among others, were successful in starting fires with toilet paper and dryer lint.

THREE Noah Hacker ’18 and [FOUR] Thuqan Hindawi ’18, Carlos Liriano ’18, Evan Reynolds ’18, Alexander Seibert ’18, Alejandro Tovar ’17, Gabriel Vallejo ’18 and Zenghui Zhang ’17 play Koob on the front lawn during CPT Robert Olive’s English class August 31. Photos by Erin Chambers.

After cadets tested their survival skills, Harding said students “discussed how lessons learned in fire lighting, such as preparedness, adaptability and determination, are also useful in a cadet’s journey through life.

BUSHNELL’S ROMANTIC WANDERERS Cadets in LCDR William Bushnell’s second and third period English III classes tried their hand at photography November 3, embodying the “romantic wanderer” as they roamed campus.

The visual lesson began with an introduction to the Romantic Movement in art, followed by a day in the AT MMA art room creating collages with nature RIGHT Evan images to capture the spirit of American Willimon ’16.

Romanticism.

Photo by CONTINUED ON PAGE 052 Brennan Morand ’16.

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CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE Following their photography “expedition” across campus, students added prints of their own photos to the magazine collages and presented their work to their peers.

According to Bushnell, the transitive learning exercise was designed to promote individual creativity.

OLIVE’S VIKING OLYMPICS Cadets in CPT Robert Olive’s English classes tossed “koobnogins” at “koobs” on the front lawn August 31.

Olive’s start-of-term lesson plans each year include a friendly koob competition as cadets prepare to study the Viking invasion of England.

Koob is similar to horseshoes.

The object of the ancient game is to topple the opposing team’s wooden blocks by aiming and throwing sticks across the field.

“I think during the Koob game, we focused a lot on teamwork.

We won!” sophomore Garret Stafford said. “But I think that even if we did not win, we still would have been happy because we had fun.”

MAJ KHANAL’S CONCEPTUAL PHYSICS With a ruler, a coin, a thumbtack and a piece of paper, cadets in MAJ Ananta Khanal’s Conceptual Physics gathered on the front lawn and calculated the diameter of the sun September 2.

Khanal first distributed yellow cardboard squares and pins, which small groups of students used to poke tiny holes in their papers.

Each team then received a coin, placed it on the ground and studied the shadow their papers made on the concrete.

According to Khanal, the object of the experiment was to cast a circular shadow on the ground through the hole in the cardboard.

“Make sure the image of the hole will [exactly] cover the coin,” Khanal instructed.

“Then measure the distance.”

Holding the papers at an angle and observing the shadow, cadets quickly concluded that larger holes were necessary to create a visible circle in the shadow. Students used pencils and fingers to widen the gap in their papers. While one partner held the paper in place, another measured the distance between the coin and the cardboard.

Back in the classroom, Khanal and his students pooled their data and prepared a formula to calculate the estimated diameter of the sun based on their findings.

Groups of students suggested figures from 2.2 million to 4.9 million kilometers.

“We were a little bit inaccurate with our measurements,” Alexander Schaaf ’18 said.

The actual diameter of the sun is 1.4 million kilometers.

Cadets compared their educated guesses to the actual figure and discussed possible reasons for the discrepancies.

“We didn’t measure down to less than a milliliter,” Malachi Grice ’18 suggested.

“Our measurement of the distance is pretty rough,” Khanal concluded.

Photo ONE by Brennan Morand ’16.

Photos TWO and SIX by Erin Chambers.

Photo FOUR by Rudi Petry.

Photos THREE and FIVE by Justin Touchette ’16.

Photo SEVEN by Devin Kotas ’17.

ONE Justtin Muilenburg ’17 photographs Teardrop Lake on November 3.

TWO Malachi Grice ’18 and Eric Juarez ’18 play koob on the front lawn August 31.

[THREE] Cesar Garcia ’20 stokes a campfire and [FIVE] Jesus Perales ’20 gathers firewood in the back campus woods during Mike Harding’s survival day on January 21.

On August 27, MAJ Mike Pemberton challenged his biology students to identify tree types based on the unique characteristics of their leaves and trunks. Classes gathered on the front lawn, picking, inspecting and drawing leaves and bark as he lectured.

Pin oaks, Pemberton explained, are the fastest-growing oak tree.

They reach physiological maturity after 60 to 70 years and are commonly used for furniture. White ash trees have hard bark often used to manufacture baseball bats, skateboards and drumsticks. Black and white swamp oak trees, often used for firewood and flooring, can live for hundreds of years.

Other trees discussed included cedar, red oak, sweet gum, hackberry and ginkgo.

MMA’S JAPANESE GINKGO According to Pemberton, the ginkgo is common in China and Japan but is rarely found in the U.S. “This is a Japanese ginkgo,” he said, indicating a tree near the sidewalk at the corner of the middle school building. (Pictured below. Photo

by Erin Chambers.) “The ginkgo is dioecious, meaning trees are male or female. … Typically a tree will have buds on it or seeds on it.

There’s no need for this tree to have seeds because it’ll reproduce within itself. It has to, because if it didn’t, after one year … it would be dead. …

This is probably one of the only trees like this in the entire town.”

FOUR MAJ Mike Pemberton lectures August 27 while students Juan Cepeda ’18, Carlos Liriano ’18, Qiyu Liu ’18, Jean-Luc Shyaka ’17 and Zenghui Zhang ’17 take notes.

SIX On September 2, MAJ Ananta Khanal’s students Hank Williams ’18 and Kyle Van Eekeren ’16 widen the hole in their paper during a Conceptual Physics assignment.

SEVEN Elias Elizondo ’17 takes photographs November 3 during LCDR William Bushnell’s class.

AT RIGHT Garrett Stafford ’18.

Photo by William Moore ’18.

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IN THEIR OWN WORDS

How would you describe the specimen you dissected?

Interesting. ... It felt like an animal you just took out of water. Carlos Liriano ’18 Leathery. ... It was not gross. I gut deer so I am used to it. Wyatt Brewer ’19 Disgusting! Alexander Sheldon ’22 It was gross. Tyler Jansing ’19 Nasty. Jean-Luc Shyaka ’17 Smooth. Nathan Nolan ’22 Slimy. Scout Jones ’22

LTC KLEINSORGE: TURKEY WING

On January 12, the sixth grade class spent fourth period dissecting turkey wings in LTC Willis Kleinsorge’s science classroom.

Cadets donned protective goggles and aprons and wielded scalpels and scissors, separating the skin from the bones in order to view the muscles.

Kleinsorge also indicated a coloration change from pink tissue to white, from muscle to tendon.

Cadets learned to identify bones, tendons, tissues, muscles, ball and socket joints and hinge joints.

“This is a muscle bundle,” Kleinsorge said. “That’s one muscle. Is that the bicep, tricep?”

COW HEART

On March 10, sixth graders again wielded scalpels and dissected animal tissues — this time the heart, esophagus and lungs of a cow.

Students began with the heart, identifying the cardiac muscle tissue, atrium and ventricle.

“See how small it is compared to the ventricle?” Kleinsorge said of the cow's atrium.

“The ventricle is huge.”

When examining the lungs, the class reflected on what effects smoking would have on the tissue. “[The lung] becomes really hard and black,” Kleinsorge said. “It doesn’t allow the air to pass through there.”

The dissection lab ended with a discussion of the esophagus and vocal chords. As his classmates watched, Nathan Nolan ’22 blew into a bag attached to the esophagus and inflated the lungs.

FIVE Nathan Nolan ’22 examines the tissue and [SIX] vocal chords of a cow in science class March 10.

A BONE TO PICK In early March, cadets in Rachel Yim’s high school science classes completed a Comparative Animal Skeletal Anatomy lab. Small groups

of students rotated through six stations and created data tables with their observations. Skeletons on display included human, cow, coyote, snake, juvenile cat and adult cat.

RACHEL YIM: FETAL PIGS

SEVEN A juvenile cat skull is displayed during the Comparative Animal Skeletal Anatomy Lab on March 10.

FOUR First-year freshmen Liam VanHoesen and Tyler Jansing cut into their frog specimen February 18 in Rachel Yim’s science class. “My favorite thing has probably the classes and teachers that are here,” Jansing said of Missouri Military Academy. “They are the most down-to-Earth teachers I have ever had.”

Photo SEVEN by Christian Foster ’19. Photo TWO by Brennan Morand ’16. Additional photos by Erin Chambers.

Pressing down the tip of the scalpel just above the umbilical cord, senior Jose Estrada made the first of many incisions during a fetal pig dissection December 16.

Fifth period biochemistry seniors Estrada and Jared Violette first donned safety goggles, gloves and aprons in preparation for their examination.

“Biochemistry students have been studying human anatomy and physiology, and the fetal pig dissection was the final project for the unit,”science instructor Rachel Yim said. “The students did a very careful and thorough dissection.”

Cadets began by determining the animal’s gender (male) and securing each of the specimen’s legs to a corner of their operating pan to allow for easier internal incisions.

The duo began their examination in the thoracic (chest) cavity, dissecting the thymus, thyroid, heart, lungs and trachea. In the abdominal cavity, cadets identified and dissected the stomach, spleen, pancreas, liver, small and large intestines, kidneys, bladder and testes.

Body systems explored included the respiratory, urinary, reproductive and cardiovascular systems.

TWO Yim helps Estrada and Violette cut into their fetal pig specimen December 16.

THREE Angel Alcaraz ’19, Juan Letamendi ’17 and Nyamkhuu Chinguun ’19 prepare to cut into their leopard frog specimen February 18.

MAJ PEMBERTON: LEOPARD FROGS On January 28, cadets in November 2015 Teacher of the Month MAJ Mike Pemberton’s fifth hour class began their dissection of leopard frogs.

Students started with a visual inspection of the external anatomy, determining the gender of their specimen based on the frog’s size (female frogs are usually larger) and digits (male frogs have thick thumb pads.)

After examining the head anatomy — mouth, external nares, tympani, eyes and nictitating membranes — cadets pinned down their specimen’s legs and cut the hinges of the lips to open their frog’s mouth.

The internal investigation began with the identification of mouth structures — teeth, glottis, pharynx, esophagus and tongue — and continued with the digestive system — stomach, intestines, liver, pancreas, etc. Cadets finished their dissection by confirming gender based on the reproductive system of their specimen.

Additional frog specimens were dissected by Rachel Yim’s classes in midFebruary.

ONE Jean-Luc Shyaka ’17 and Juan Cepeda ’18 select a frog to dissect in MAJ Mike Pemberton’s science class on January 28.

AT RIGHT Oscar Lopez ’21.

Photo by Brennan Morand ’16.

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A: Haozhang Li ’16 B: Eugenio Felix ’17 C: Eduardo Gonzalez ’16 D: Rene Padilla ’16

Cheryl Morris and her art students pose November 5 before shipping their shoes to Haiti. Pictured: eighth graders Jordan Hornick and Jesus Perales; sophomores Juan Cepeda, Edward Cha, Eric Juarez, Victor Armando Leon, Carlos Liriano, William Moore, Cesar Perera, Evan Reynolds and Gabriel Vallejo; juniors Yuqi Chen, Clayton Ebert, Alejandro Gastelum, Alejandro Tovar and Jorge Villarreal; and seniors Naranmandakh Ayulgui, David Garza, Mauro Garza, Eduardo Gonzalez, Haozhang Li, Enkhbilegt Luvsandorj and Ryan Pinks.

E: Eric Juarez ’18 F: Lihan Zhang ’17 G: William Moore ’18 H: Joshua Campbell ’17

I: Jorge Villarreal ’17 J: Evan Reynolds ’18 K: David Garza ’16 L: Alejandro Gastelum ’17

M: Yuqi Chen ’17 N: Gabriel Vallejo ’18 O: Juan Cepeda ’18 P: Cesar Perera ’18

Q: Mauro Garza ’16 R: Enkhbilegt Luvsandorj ’16 S: Christian Paz Valdez ’16 T: Alejandro Tovar ’17

U: Carlos Liriano ’18 V: Jiaxuan Zhou ’18 W: Clayton Ebert ’17 X: Alejandro Gastelum ’17

Y: Zenghui Zhang ’17 Z: Jordan Hornick ’20 «: Naranmandakh Ayulgui ’16 @: Alfonso Leon ’16

◊: Ryan Pinks ’16 �: Victor Armando Leon ’18 Composite image and all photos by Erin Chambers.

[ONE] Victor Armando Leon ’18, [TWO] Juan Cepeda Bremer ’18 and [THREE] Emilio Nanni De Valle ’16 paint their canvas shoes October 6.

WHAT SHOE DESIGN DID YOU CHOOSE? WHY DID YOU PICK IT? Rainbow colors.

It will look majestic.

Sugar Dashdavaa ’17

I decided to do camouflage because these shoes are also going to some boys and I would like make them happy with a manly pair of shoes. William Moore ’18

The following is a Q&A with Cheryl Morris, second-year art teacher and organizer of MMA’s Painted Shoe Project.

Q: WHAT INSPIRED THE PROJECT? A: I want to teach our boys that it is important to give back and it can be done in creative ways. Art can cross borders and bridge people together. I always like to do projects in my classroom that deal with real life and real art. Last year the kids really enjoyed painting mess hall chairs for the Festival of the Arts, so I wanted to do another 3D painting project.

My mother’s church sends Christmas boxes to Haiti each year and we thought it would be a wonderful addition to their care packages. Each child receives a shoebox of goodies ranging from hair bows to toothpaste and toy cars to cotton dresses. After researching Haiti, I realized they still are struggling in so many areas.

My shoe design is the Minions because I think a lot of people like them. Alfonso Leon ’16

from many different countries, so we They are a colorful nation and I thought covered many different nationalities. I am canvas shoes painted with bright, happy hoping with this gesture of care that we colors would be a good addition to their can give a child some hope. care packages. This in return teaches our boys about the benefits of helping others.

(Additional shoes were designed, painted and delivered Q: WHAT WERE THE GUIDELINES? to children in the the A: We used acrylic paint and Sharpies for Dominican Republic in the fine details. The shoes were coated April 2016.) with several layers of clear spray to help CONTINUED the longevity of the pieces. I approved ON NEXT each idea. I didn’t want words written on PAGE the shoes in case the language barrier misconstrued the meaning. I wanted the shoes to be colorful and for each artist to take pride in what they were doing because the shoes would go to someone AT special. I took pictures of each boy and RIGHT their shoes. This picture traveled Nicolas with the shoes so the children Gonzalez ’21. down in Haiti could see their Photo by artist. My students come Brennan Morand ’16.

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steP-bY-STep: HOW tO make YOUr OwN SHEet OF pAPEr

On December 1, amateur artists in Cheryl Morris’ art classes created their own one-of-a-kind sheets of handmade paper out of water, dried flowers, recycled newspaper, spices and construction paper.

ONE During art class September 2, sophomore Luis Merino takes a peek at junior Hector Villanueva’s elements of art exercise exploring line. Photo by Cheryl Morris.

TWO David Garza ’16 shows off his flexible wire sculpture February 26.

STEP ONE: BLEND AND SUBMERGE

— Mix raw materials and lots of water. Blend well.

— Submerge three flat boards (a wooden frame called a deckle, a plastic grid and a metal screen) into a wide plastic tub. Next, pour the substance into the tub.

STEP TWO: FLATTEN

— Lift boards out of water.

Blended fibers will stick to screen as board is lifted.

— Exchange deckle for a metal screen. Lay the mixture flat on tabletop.

— Apply pressure evenly, smoothing out any lumps.

STEP THREE: DRY

— Remove screens and grid.

Dab with sponge to remove excess water.

— Iron under dry cloth to evaporate moisture. Dry overnight on metal rack.

FAR LEFT William Moore ’18.

LEFT Jorge Villarreal ’17.

Photos by Erin Chambers.

CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE Morris began the second day of her second year teaching art at Missouri Military Academy with a discussion of the fundamentals of watercolor painting.

First up for Morris’ third period were the seven types of watercolor paintbrushes: round, flat, filbert, fan, angle, mop and rigger.

Using the example of a sailboat scene, Morris said the mop would be used to paint large

Naranmandakh Ayulgui ’16 Purevsuren Bayanbaatar ’16 Kevyn Bruce ’20 Edward Cha ’18 Nyamkhuu Chinguun ’19 Davaasuren Dashdavaa ’18 Sugar Dashdavaa ’17 Khaliguun Enkhbayar ’19 Cesar Garcia ’20 Fernando Garcia ’21 Nicolas Gonzalez ’21 Thuqan Hindawi ’18 Qiyu Liu ’18 Alfonso Leon ’16 Oscar Lopez ’21 Enkhbilegt Luvsandorj ’16 Lucas Moore ’18 Juan Pablo Moreno ’21 Tamir Nyamdavaa ’18 Stamatis Pelekanos ’19 Jesus Perales ’20 Carlos Rodriguez ’20 Damdinbazar Sumiyabazar ’16 Gabriel Vallejo ’18 Rongyang Yi ’18 Eryao Zhang ’18 Yuchen Zhang ’17 Zenghui Zhang ’17 SPONSOR Cheryl Morris

areas, like the sky and the sea. The rigger brush, according to Morris, is better suited for long, crisp lines — like ropes or fenceposts.

Up next was a lesson on paper weights and “tooths” — hot press is smooth while cold press paper is textured. Sketchbook paper is generally 90 pound stock, which is cheap but prone to warping when wet.

According to Morris, 140lb is most commonly used and can be easily flattened out when warped.

Paper can be as thick as 300lbs, which is sturdy and rarely buckles.

“As you become a more serious watercolorist, you may want that heavier paper,” Morris said. “I always use cold press because I like the tooth of it. I like how the water relates to it. You lay the water down and it kind of flows a little differently. It will catch that grit of the paper and make some really neat textures.”

Pulling up a diagram on the projector, Morris next transitioned to the anatomy of watercolor paint tubes; each color includes an extender and segments of pigment, brightener, vehicle, binder, plasticizer, humectant, dispersant and water.

Following Morris’ lecture, each cadet tested watercolor brushes and practiced brush techniques on cold press paper.

Early in the fall semester, cadets painted apples and trees to demonstrate color theory; studied line and other elements of art; created "All

WHY DID YOU JOIN ART CLUB?

I joined Art Club because I really like painting and making new creative things.

Jesus Perales ’20 To relax, express [my] creativity and have fun.

Kevyn Bruce ’20 I joined because I like to make paintings and statues.

Juan Pablo Moreno ’21

About Me" banner projects, which featured facts about themselves and drawings about their interests; and created cubist pieces in the style of Picasso.

On October 21 and November 3, art students enjoyed a field trip to the St. Louis Cathedral Basilica and St. Louis Art Museum.

Later in the fall semester, cadets tried their hand at Huichol yarn painting, created cardboard dioramas of theatre sets and sewed handpainted throw pillows.

During the spring semester, additional projects included creating wire, clay and toothpick sculptures. Morris introduced pottery to the art curriculum in March, utilizing MMA’s kiln to fire cadet sculptures ranging from pipes to plates to penguins.

THREE Carlos Liriano ’18 completes his toothpick cabin February 5.

FOUR Jack Mitchell ’19 molds his clay creation March 21 during first period art class.

Photo by Christian Foster ’19.

FIVE Art Club members pose March 2. Photos TWO, THREE and FIVE by Erin Chambers

AT RIGHT Jordan Hornick ’20.

Photo by Erin Chambers.

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WHAT DID YOU THINK OF THE FLARP LAB? It is better than Play-Doh. ... Flarp can be less messy and it makes noises when air bubbles are trapped inside. Bayar-Erdene Oldokhbayar ’17

I had no idea about what flarp is and I had never heard of it before. ... I found it interesting because I [have never made] stuff like that before.

Enkhbilegt Luvsandorj ’16

EXPLOSION On November 11, first-year high school science instructor and January Teacher of the Month Veronica Anderson taught cadets to create miniature explosions by combining sodium metal and water in mess hall cups.

According to Anderson, the reactants created sodium hydroxide and hydrogen, which caused the explosion due to heat from the exothermic reaction.

IN THEIR OWN WORDS

What one word best describes your flarp?

Warm. Oscar Cortada ’16 Cool. Clayton Ebert ’17 Chaos. Miguel Gonzalez ’16 Liquidy. Jesus Gracia ’16 Sticky. Ethan Istas ’17 Soft. Ngonga Mugabo ’17 Spectacular. Evan Reynolds ’18

“The reaction is classified as a single displacement exothermic reaction,” Anderson said.

Our flarp turned out to be too sticky and wet and did not hold together that well. So we decided to heat it back up and added slightly more borax, and that did the trick because, after cooling, it was much better than our initial product. Russell Holman ’16

“Sodium displaces one of the hydrogen atoms in water to produce the explosive hydrogen and form sodium hydroxide.”

IMPLOSION & DISPLACEMENT On March 24, cadets continued their exploration of chemical and physical reactions. With water and a hot plate, Anderson showed students how to cause an aluminum can to crush under pressure.

Cadets also conducted a Single Displacement Reaction Lab on February 16, using stoichiometry to calculate the amount of aluminum necessary to change copper sulfate crystals from a blue to a brown color.

FLARP Heat 175 milliliters of water. Add 125ml of glue, 30ml of borax and a few drops of food coloring. What do you get? Flarp. Anderson’s fifth period class created individual batches of flarp, a sticky putty mixture, in a hands-on lab lesson September 1.

Seniors Jesus Gracia and Oscar Cortada and juniors Ethan Istas and Ngonga Mugabo donned safety goggles and demonstrated the measuring, weighing, boiling and mixing techniques they learned in August class sessions.

“Put the glue in the big beaker. You will put the water in the small beaker,” Anderson instructed. “It works best, I think, if you heat all 175ml of water at once and while it’s heating measure out your borax.”

Cadets next dumped their solutions onto tabletops and kneaded the mixtures until they reached a doughlike consistency. Slight variations in ingredient amounts left some students with more liquid mixtures than others.

“It’s very sticky and it’s all over my hands,” Istas said of his pink flarp.

At the end of the lesson, cadets packed their flarp into plastic bags to take away with them.

Other topics of discussion in Anderson’s class during CONTINUED ON PAGE 063

FOUR Jason Russell ’16 holds the remnants of a plastic cup which was destroyed November 11 in [ONE] an exothermic reaction. TWO Oscar Cortada ’16 weighs out his borax and [THREE] Jesus Gracia ’16 adds food coloring to his flarp mixture. FIVE Juniors Ngonga Mugabo and [SIX] Ethan Istas knead and stretch their flarp. Photo FOUR by Nathan Nolan ’22. Additional photos by Erin Chambers.

AT RIGHT Christian Ashton ’18.

Photo by Erin Chambers.

page 061

NINE Fernando Garcia ’21 compares the contents of two canisters during the Black Box Paradox activity August 27. Photo NINE by Erin Chambers.

SIX Cesar Garcia ’20 presents his viscosity lab findings to his classmates.

SEVEN Eighth graders Alain Mestre, Jakob Union, Jesus Perales, [EIGHT] Kevyn Bruce, Derek Nguyen and Thomas Huckins pour substances down their ramps during the viscosity challenge.

TEN Eighth graders Nguyen, Enrique Acevedo and Ethan Ford prepare to perform their dish detergent viscosity demonstration.

Photos courtesy of LTC Willis Kleinsorge.

Photos shot December 18.

SYRUP SALESMEN Eighth graders acted as syrup, shampoo and detergent salesmen on December 18, competing to “sell” their company’s product to their “consumer” LTC Willis Kleinsorge.

In the activity, small groups of cadets argued that their liquid product was the best buy based on viscosity.

Each group of cadets developed a means of testing for the physical property of viscosity; ran trials while manipulating the variables; collected data; created tables and graphs of their data; and drafted a business letter to a company represented in their mock investigations.

Extra credit was available for those who developed an ad to further promote their product.

The project culminated in a demonstration before an audience of classmates, with each group showcasing the superiority of their brand when compared to expensive competitors and cheaper generics.

Eighth graders Derek Nguyen, Kevyn Bruce and Thomas Huckins compared Hungry Jack, Log Cabin, Country Kitchen, Mrs. Butterworth’s and generic syrups. The trio demonstrated the viscosity of each substance by pouring small amounts of all five down a short ramp and monitoring the speed of their descent.

Our class was assigned to do an experiment on viscosity, which is the thickness of liquid. I paired up with my friends Huckins and Nguyen. We made a ramp and tested different syrups. The syrup that flowed down the slowest would be the most viscous. My hypothesis was that Hungry Jack would flow down the ramp the slowest. And my hypothesis was right! It was very fun and exciting.

Now I know what maple syrup I’m buying! Kevyn Bruce ’20 THE BLACK BOX PARADOX On August 27, Kleinsorge’s students shook and sniffed film canisters, honing their observational skills as they tried to guess each tube’s contents.

In the Black Box Paradox lab, three groups of seventh graders received a handful of canisters — some made of black plastic and others of transparent white — and were challenged to match each black canister to the white tube containing the same object. White canisters could be opened and their contents studied, while black canisters remained sealed.

Objects contained in the canisters included: a cork, marbles, dice, jumbo paper clips, pennies, paper, a private star, a peppermint, rice, salt, nails, BBs, erasers, thumb tacks and a rubber band.

Some canisters proved especially tricky. One canister contained three ball bearings while another

housed only one. Cadets had to determine which tube held twelve 4mm plastic beads and which contained the same number of 7mm and 12mm beads. Different types of batteries produced different sounds when their canisters were shaken — a rectangular 9-volt battery verses a cylindrical AA battery.

Oscar Lopez ’21 shook a white canister labeled with the letter O. Hearing no object bounce against the plastic, he opened the tube and found nothing within. Puzzled, he told Kleinsorge the canister was empty. The instructor responded by telling him to check the list; Lopez soon realized the contents matched the first item on the list — air.

As students went about their classwork, three tadpoles with tiny legs and tails swam around a fishbowl full of pond water, its opening covered by mesh. Cadets studied the life cycle of both the frogs and the insects they feed on — hence the fishbowl topper designed to prevent full-grown mosquitoes from escaping.

One lucky class watched as a pupa transformed into a full-grown adult mosquito on August 26.

Special thanks to middle school administrative assistant Penny Bealmear, who spotted, captured and donated the tadpoles.

SPRING SEMESTER On January 28, eighth grade cadets in LTC Willis Kleinsorge’s classes mixed combinations of liquids and

powders (baking powder, corn starch, baking soda, sugar, water, vinegar and iodine solution) to determine whether their reactions were chemical or physical.

Kleinsorge’s eighth graders next conducted a Changing State of Matter lab February 12. Students filled beakers with solid snow, then heated it and observed as the substance changed from solid to liquid to gaseous states.

Caleb Cloyde’s snow began to melt at one minute in, rising to a temperature of one degree Celsius.

“The snow changed into slush and water,”Joseph Kaplan wrote in his lab chart at the four minute mark.

“There are bubbles in the snow.”

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 060 the fall 2015 semester included malleability, noble gasses, metalloids, research methods and the branches of chemistry — analytical, physical, organic, inorganic, biochemistry and nuclear.

BALLOON-POWERED CARS On February 19, Anderson’s third period class raced handmade balloon cars to demonstrate Newton’s third law.

Each cadet designed and constructed one or more miniature cars and adjusted the design over several class periods.

Materials included Lifesaver candies, CDs, duct tape, scotch tape, construction paper, Styrofoam cups and straws.

THREE Davaasuren Dashdavaa ’18 races his balloon car against Anderson’s model. FOUR Thuqan Hindawi ’18 and [FIVE] Rory Davis ’17 inflate their balloon cars for test drives.

TWO Elias Elizondo ’17 inflates a balloon October 6 in an unrelated project.

THE PERIODIC CEILING OF TILES In late September, cadets each drew the name of a chemical element and decorated a ceiling tile with the properties of their assigned substance.

Rene Padilla ’16 — Na: Sodium.

Used in streetlights, produces brilliant yellow light. Sixth-most abundant metal in the Earth’s crust.

Mig Gisa ’17 — Zn: Zinc.

Atomic number 30. Used for wound healing and to treat stunted growth.

Davaasuren Dashdavaa ’18 Cr: Chromium. Discovered in 1797. Gray, lustrous, hard and brittle metal. Resists tarnishing and has a high melting point.

Cr Oxide used by Chinese thousands of years ago to cast metal weapons found with the Terracotta Army.

Jose Elizondo ’18 — Bi: Bismuth.

Discovered in 1753. Ingredient in Pepto Bismol. Used in cosmetics.

Jose Mejia ’16 — Au: Gold.

24K gold melts at 1945 °F. Aurophobia is the fear of gold. Gold is a noble metal.

Gold is extremely ductile and is edible.

Sean Hannagan ’16 — O: Oxygen.

Third-most abundant element. Causes the Northern Lights. ONE Pictured October 14 while constructing his tile.

Ngonga Mugabo ’17 — Ti: Titanium.

Melting point: 3034 °F. Discovered in 1791. Orbits the planet. Can refract light and absorb ultraviolet rays.

Edward Cha ’18 — Tc: Technetium.

Man-made in 1937. Used to make glow-in-the-dark materials such as Skechers shoes.

Photos by Erin Chambers.

AT RIGHT Richard Choy ’19.

Photo by Erin Chambers.

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BOMB-DIFFUSING ROBOTS You see those in so many movies, but you never really get to know what it’s like to drive them. I got to drive the large one. It was really cool because that is the one you see in video games and movies. The diesel powered robots — those things were huge and awesome! Aaron Thompson ’17 It was a really cool experience knowing [that] you were handling an $18,000 little robot.

I used the one that was big and could stretch far away. It was really hard getting used to the controls.

Jose Mejia ’16

FORT LEONARD WOOD At Fort Leonard Wood on October 19, cadets posed next to tanks, planes and a piece of the Berlin Wall; browsed history displays at the John B. Mahaffey Museum Complex; and piloted bomb-diffusing robots at the Robotic Systems Joint Project Office.

“The museum was really nice. I did not know that the [U.S. Army Corps of Engineers] were 80% French when it was originally started,”Aaron Thompson ’17 said.

Jose Mejia ’16 said his favorite part of the trip was observing life on the base.

FOUR Cadets gather on the front lawn January 28 for inspiration during LET class, recording every career they can think of.

Pictured: juniors Ethan Istas, Joshua John and Aaron Thompson; seniors Jesus Gracia and Turbold Tumurkhuu. Photo by Robert Pryor ’16.

“The goal was to see how many jobs it takes for a normal society to run,” Thompson said.

“Whether you went to a 7-Eleven or to the suburbs, everyone was in uniform,” he said.

MISSING MAN CEREMONY On November 15, six cadets participated in a Missing Man Ceremony at the Alive in Christ Lutheran Church in Columbia, Missouri.

The event was held in honor of prisoners of war and soldiers missing in action.

As senior Russell Holman narrated a somber script describing the symbolic setting of the empty table, sophomores Victor Arturo Leon, Charles Norman, and Gabriel Vallejo, junior Alejandro Tovar and

DISTINGUISHED CADET RIBBON At noon mess November 17, having been runner-ups for the Superior Cadet Award during the 2014-15 school year, cadets Emran Babak ’16, Sean Fitzgerald ’17, Francisco Fletes ’18 and David Lazcano ’16 received the JROTC Distinguished Cadet Ribbon via Special Order No. 14.

eighth grader Nehemiah Simmons presented dress hats representing all five service branches.

FORMAL INSPECTION On January 21, several student leaders visited the University of Missouri for a meeting with the men

SOLDIER’S BAR The following cadets were awarded the Soldier’s Bar in fall 2015. For spring semester recipients, see page 112.

SEVENTH GRADE: Santiago Sanchez.

EIGHTH GRADE: Dongyang Chen, Jordan Hornick, Nehemiah Simmons.

and women who carried out the 2016 Formal Inspection.

Photos shot October 19 at Fort Leonard Wood by Erin Chambers.

ONE Clayton Ebert ’17, Bo Tang ’16, Weitao Cong ’16, Haozhang Li ’16 and Lihan Zhang ’17 pose beside a

FRESHMEN: Richard Choy.

SOPHOMORES: Edward Cha, Malachi Grice, Charles Norman, Cesar Perera, Carlos Liriano, Victor Arturo Leon, Gabriel Vallejo, Sizheng Zhang, Jiaxuan Zhou.

JUNIORS: Alejandro Gastelum, Ngonga Mugabo, Gregory Prinster, Robert Shields, Jean-Luc Shyaka, Hector Villanueva.

flamethrowing tank. TWO Juniors Aaron Thompson and Tuguldur Altangerel and seniors Rene Padilla, Jesus Gracia and Weitao Cong pose with bomb-diffusing robots. Cadets played catch, operating the robots [FIVE] to retrieve baseballs thrown across the complex lawn.

SENIORS: Fahad Aliev, Oscar Cortada, Connor Cunningham, Thomas Dean, Ethan Eisenmann, Orlando Farias, Oscar Garcia, Sean Hannagan, Russell Holman, Yunil Jeon, Brennan Morand, Damdinbazar Sumiyabazar.

THREE Seniors Cody Allen, Jacob Conyers, Ethan Eisenmann, Jason Russell and Justin AT Touchette pose with a RIGHT tank and gift shop Jakob purchase: the U.S. Union ’20.

Army seal.

Photo by Erin Chambers.

page 065

WHAT WERE THE MINI SHRIMP LIKE? The look of the shrimp was pretty cool because besides the fact that they were dead, they looked alive.

Jordan Hornick ’20 I did try the mini shrimp and it was the saltiest thing I’ve every tried. It literally looked like a tiny shrimp. Zeth Colin ’19

HOW DID YOU HELP MAKE THE KIMCHI? OBSERVATION SKILLS Rachel Yim and December 2015 Teacher of the Month Megan Klukowski combined their classes August 27, hiking into the back campus woods and settling near a creek. Cadets were challenged to use their observation skills and write poems about nature using their five senses.

Jorge Servin ’18 I see a lot of green And very filthy water.

I feel I am in a peaceful place.

I hear a train passing by And not even a single noise.

I feel trees, plants and dirt.

I am in a very peaceful place.

Everything is full of dirt.

It smells of fresh air And it is a very peaceful place.

Jared Violette ’16 Why is the water moving so slow? What’s causing it to be so polluted? Around the river, everything seems dead. The further away you get from the river, the more life you see.

ABOVE Jorge Servin ’18 shows Jose Balanza ’17 his poem draft.

Photo by Erin Chambers.

I helped mix everything together.

Zeth Colin ’19 I got my hands down in there and mixed the funky smelling sauce.

Nehemiah Simmons ’20 My job for the kimchi was to mix the veggies and paste and also add the paste to the cabbage.

Jordan Hornick ’20

WHAT WAS THE END RESULT LIKE? The smell was different and weird while [it] looked like a spaghetti mix with cabbage.

Jordan Hornick ’20

ONE Yuqi Chen ’17, Jordan Hornick ’20, James Myrick ’18, Michael Naughton ’20, Stamatis Pelekanos ’19 and Ulysses Suarez ’19 pose with their batch of kimchi December 15. Photo by Quinten Boyd ’22.

THREE Senior students Jose Estrada, Yunil Jeon, Gavin Martin and Jared Violette and junior Robert Shields pose outside the University of Missouri Cadaver Lab with Dr. Scott Maddux. The biochemistry class visited the Women’s and Children’s Hospital and took a tour of the Cadaver Lab on October 21. Photo courtesy of Rachel Yim.

BUBBLE BOYS

In early December, Rachel Yim’s biology students stood on their desks and blew bubbles, then “parented” them — tried to prevent them from popping as long as possible.

TWO Yelin Zhou ’17 helps Yasheng Lou ’17 remove his kimchi-covered gloves. Rachel Yim demonstrated the technique, which helps keep one’s hands clean, earlier in the December 15 lesson. Photo by Tuguldur Altangerel ’17.

[We were assigned] to blow 100 bubbles and record the data. ... Our longest one was 356 seconds. The bubble was smaller than an ant and very easy to keep under control.

Nehemiah Simmons ’20 We tried to keep them from popping by blowing them up into the air every time they came down. It was really hard. ... I like Ms. Yim and I find biology really interesting.

Shane Heisler ’19 We fed our bubble more bubbles so it would merge into other bubbles to stay alive.

I learned that survival is hard.

Noah Hacker ’18 We waved air up so they didn’t hit the ground and we blew on them so they would go up.

Sky Thunderchild ’19 One of us was blowing bubbles while the other timed the bubbles until they popped and another [person] recorded it.

Thomas Kiefer ’19

High school science instructor Rachel Yim and her first, second, fourth and sixth period biology students spent December 15 mixing their own batches of kimchi, a traditional Korean side dish.

The main goal of the project was to study community biology and help students realize that communities come in many forms — even within our bodies.

Communities, Yim said, are groups of various species living in the same habitat and interacting with each other. Her biology classes studied miniature communities within the natural lacto-ferments kimchi and pickles.

“Most of my students have never tried dill pickles, kimchi, or both, so it will be a new experience for them,” Yim said.

“Additionally, since fermentation is one of the earliest forms of food preservation, it teaches them about food history — and patience, since they have to wait a week for pickles.”

After donning gloves, cadets mixed ingredients including cabbage, fish sauce, hot pepper flakes, garlic onion, ginger, radish, carrots and green onions.

The fermented salted shrimp or “saeujot” added to the mixture piqued the interest of several students. (Pictured above in photo FIVE by Alexander Sheldon ’22.)

“They are literally tiny little shrimp that have been stuck in salt. If you want to try one when we’re done you can. They just taste like salt,” Yim explained, holding up a bottle of miniature shrimp. “All those little black dots you see are their little eyes.”

As some students added chopped vegetables to the paste mixture, others squeezed the cabbage to drain excess moisture.

“Get in there and make sure it’s all mixed,” Yim said. “It might get messy!”

Once all the ingredients were added and mixed, cadets packed the final product into an airtight container.

“You need to pack it down.

Make sure that there’s no air in there,” Yim said. “Remember, air is the enemy of our bacteria that we want.”

According to Yim, cadets cultivated Lactobacillus bacteria, which are beneficial to human digestion and will out-compete any harmful bacteria originally present in the ferments.

After two days stored at room temperature, the kimchi was ready for cadets to enjoy.

(Pictured above in photo FOUR

by Christian Foster ’19.)

AT RIGHT Cesar Garza ’17.

Photo by Brennan Morand ’16.

page 067

New additions to the MMA library were abundant thanks to the leadership of first-year librarian Fran Robley, a retired reading teacher with more than 20 years of experience in education.

Flipster digital magazine subscriptions were offered, as were same-day print copies of USA Today, the Wall Street Journal and the Mexico Ledger.

More than 150 graphic novels, classic novels, popular young adult books, military stories and historical fiction novels were added to the MMA collection. Through a free inter-library exchange program, cadets and staffers were able to borrow books from college libraries for up to eight weeks.

Robley wrote two grants for the Miriam Arnold Edmonston Foundation, one during each semester, and received $2,500 in the fall and $4,600 in the spring with which to expand the MMA collection. She also introduced library movie screenings, the first of which was “Pirates on the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl” on September 19 in honor of National Talk Like A Pirate Day. “Saturday Movie Night was a huge success! We had 30 students who enjoyed popcorn, sodas and the movie,” Robley said.

Up next was “MAX,” the story of a soldier killed in Afghanistan and his service dog Max, on November 14.

It would be the book I am writing. I created a perfect world, a world where everyone fits into a picture with nobody better than the person next to them. Griffin Gilman ’17 Star Wars-themed Earth, because honestly who wouldn’t want to be a Jedi! ... I am a huge Star Wars addict. Jonathan James ’16 Plato’s Republic, because it is a good book. Aaron Thompson ’17 Sherlock Holmes.

Samuel Guo ’19 Ash Fall. Liam VanHoesen ’19 Harry Potter.

Thomas Dean ’16

ONE February Teacher of the Month Fran Robley and [TWO] Nishan Khanal ’16 pose during a library photo shoot November 19. THREE Book & Movie Club members pose for a group photograph March 2. FOUR Rodrigo Garza Navarro ’16 reads "The Once and Future King" in CPT Robert Olive’s Arthurian Legends class March 2. Photos by Erin Chambers.

Ethan Ford ’20 Jonathan James ’16 Joseph Mulvey ’18 Conner Nelson ’19 Derek Nguyen ’20 Jakob Union ’20 Liam VanHoesen ’19 CLUB SPONSOR Ayanna Shivers

What is your favorite thing about the library?

It is calm and quiet so that I can go sit down at a table and do my classwork or homework in peace and really be able to concentrate on it.

What do you think of the changes to the library?

It has improved quite a bit this year because it seems to have a more inviting/welcoming atmosphere. The artwork done by students that is placed throughout the library is a nice addition.

Interview by Thomas Dean ’16.

LEARNING TO LOVE THE WRITTEN WORD: JESUS GRACIA ’16

I like to read a lot. ... Before seventh grade, books didn’t really catch my attention. I have always enjoyed [books] but never really found time to read.

My father gave me a book in seventh grade, and I just began reading it.

I loved the book and asked my dad to buy me the rest of the series.

AT RIGHT Temuulen Nerguibaatar.

Photo by Erin Chambers.

page 069

ONE LT Kevin Bissmeyer, Alexander Schaaf ’18, Hector Chapa ’16, Ethan Istas ’17, Finley Lomas ’16, Benjamin Snider-Bilbrey ’17, Michael Wetzel ’17, Robert Shields ’17 and Gabriel Elizondo ’17 pose December 15 following their Southern Duel.

TWO Jared Violette ’16 reads a "Double" card March 29 during his final exam in CPT Robert Olive’s Arthurian Legends class.

THREE "The Arthurian Quest," a board game created by seniors Russell Holman, Sean Hannagan, Eduardo Gonzalez and Jose Estrada.

FOUR Justin Haupt ’17 participates in a Socratic Seminar led by Dr. Frank Giuseffi and LT Kevin Bissmeyer in the library January 29.

Photo ONE by Dion Nguyen ’16.

Additional photos by Erin Chambers.

On December 15, high school students in LT Kevin Bissmeyer’s third hour U.S. history class met on the battlefield (Colonels Field) to defend their honor in a traditional Southern (paintball) Duel.

The authentic re-enactment included performances by middle school drummers and was staged for an audience of students and staffers.

According to Bissmeyer, who was named September 2015 Teacher of the Month,

CONTINUED FROM ABOVE "I shot my opponent with a paintball gun and he didn’t hit me, so that counted as a win," Snider-Bilbrey said.

Hector Chapa ’16 and his second Ethan Istas ’17 were bested by senior Finley Lomas and his second Michael Wetzel ’17.

Bissmeyer acted as judge, while junior Justtin Muilenburg served as the medical examiner and declared the winner.

"The duel consisted of defending the honor of the insulted person, which in this case was Lomas being dishonored by Chapa.

He had to fight in order to keep his honor," Wetzel said. "I had to send a letter to Chapa’s second, who was Istas, telling him that Lomas wanted to protect his honor.

the exercise exposed students to an aspect of 17th to 19th century southern American culture they may be unfamiliar with.

"There existed a tradition and culture of honor which permeated every part of society," Bissmeyer said. "You were judged first as a man of honor. ... With personal honor playing such an important role, the stakes were obviously high. Insults to one’s honor were taken seriously."

According to Bissmeyer, a standard duel begins with an insult. Thus, the MMA reenactment began with a fake argument via e-mail exchange between students. Next were e-mails between each man’s second — a friend to take a duel participant’s place if he should be unable to battle. Seconds were required to arrange the duels in no more than four e-mails.

"I was given the job of giving the initial insult and then participating in the duel,"

... In the duel, my job was to make sure Lomas would not quit and also to make sure everything was set up — place, time, weapon. I think the result was amazing.

Lomas made an accurate, deadly shot’ at Chapa’s head and Lomas’ honor was not harmed. I think the way people used to duel was really impressive. … The way they organized the duel was really savage.

Shooting each other at 10 or 20 paces really requires courage."

ARTHURIAN LEGEND BOARD GAMES Second semester midterm exams were held during the last week of March. Though some teachers administered traditional exams, CPT Robert Olive assigned a different task to his Arthurian Legends class — create

junior Benjamin Snider-Bilbrey said.

"I think for the time, dueling was a good way to keep social order. And considering dueling did not actually end in death most of the time, it was not too brutal."

Snider-Bilbrey, with junior Robert Shields as his second, defeated Alexander Schaaf ’18 and his second Gabriel Elizondo ’17.

CONTINUED BELOW

your own working board game based on the classic novel The Once and Future King.

Olive supplied small groups of students with blank boards, pieces, glue, scissors and empty cardboard boxes to create their games. On March 29, he circled the classroom and awarded points as students tested their final products.

Senior project partners Jesus Gracia, Rodrigo Garza Navarro, Jared Violette and Fahad Aliev created a game entitled "The Arthurian Quest!" Each turn began with rolling two dice. If players rolled doubles, they drew a “Double” card — if not, they drew a “Legend” card. Double cards gave special instructions, such as “Continue to the Mythical

Forest” and “Merlin gives you advice.

Roll again.” Legend cards posed questions about the novel such as “How do Sir Grummore and Sir Palomides try to cure King Pellinore’s broken heart?”

CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE AT RIGHT Aaron Thompson ’17.

Photo by Christian Foster ’19.

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CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE Seniors Russell Holman, Sean Hannagan, Eduardo Gonzalez and Jose Estrada also created a game called “The Arthurian Quest.” In this version, the game is complete when the winner pulls a miniature, cardboard sword out of a small clay stone. Cadets also included power up spaces where players “transformed” into a squirrel, fish or owl and moved forward extra spaces.

Alexander Seibert ’18 and seniors Hector Chapa, Wyatt Smith and Emran Babak named their creation “The Game of Arthurian Legends.” The game included “Legend” trivia cards — players who failed to answer their Legend question correctly lost their next turn — as well as “War” cards. When a player lands on a red “War” space, they must answer trivia questions back and forth with an opposing player. The first player who gets a question wrong moves back ten spaces.

BOTTOM LT Kevin Bissmeyer’s sixth period students create a visual timeline on Colonels Field on September 1. “LT Bissmeyer’s is my favorite class. I like the uniqueness of the class and the fun it creates. For me it is a stress reliever. It’s calm and fun,” Nathan Nolan ’22 said. “I enjoy his personality. He has a unique way of teaching.” Photos and composite image by Erin Chambers.

TOP Alexander Schaaf ’18 and Benjamin Snider-Bilbrey ’17 fire at one another January 15 during an authentic southern duel. Photo by Dion Nguyen ’16.

13.8 BILLION YEARS AGO

3.8 BILLION YEARS AGO

Nathan Nolan ’22 @ goal line

A LONG, LONG, LONG, LONG, LONG, LONG, LONG, LONG, LONG, LONG TIME AGO

LT Kevin Bissmeyer’s sixth period students met September 1 on Colonels Field with a lofty goal: to create a scale visual timeline of our universe’s history. The following is a Q&A about the assignment with Bissmeyer.

Q: WHAT WAS THE PURPOSE OF THE TIMELINE PROJECT? A: We were working on something called the Big History Project. This program examined the history of mankind with a focus on attempting to answer big questions.

Why are we here? And why are things the way they are? By looking at how different cultures have attempted to answer these questions throughout time, we are able to

Alexander Sheldon ’22 @ 28 yard line

learn a great deal about diversity, continuity and cause and effect relationships.

These and a plethora of other ideas and movements link together throughout history to create a web of intersecting ideas.

Q: HOW DID YOUR STUDENTS CREATE THE TIMELINE? A: The first step was constructing a rudimentary timeline of scientificallyaccepted ideas about how and when

the universe came into being. We then constructed a scaled-down version of this timeline on the football field using six separate points to represent six important points in the human timeline.

Afterwards, the class discussed how much the planet and life itself have changed throughout the last 13 billion years, and how much things will probably change in the future. It was a good way to introduce the overall scale of history.

11,000 YEARS AGO

Lincoln Haynes-Kechik ’22 @ one yard line

200 YEARS AGO Scout Jones ’22 @ half yard line

200,000 YEARS AGO Dongyang Chen ’20 @ two yard line

PRESENT

LT Kevin Bissmeyer @ goal line

AT RIGHT Evan Reynolds ’18.

Original photo by Lucas Moore ’18.

Digital illustration by Erin Chambers.

SUMMER PAGE 076 REGISTRATION PAGE 078 OPENING PICNIC PAGE 080 TECHNOLOGY & FOOD PAGE 082 FALL COMMUNITY SERVICE PAGE 086 FALL FAMILY WEEKEND PAGE 090 CRUCIBLE & ARMY DAY PAGE 094 HALLOWEEN PAGE 096 CLASS CLOWNS PAGE 098 WINTER HOLIDAY PAGE 100 SPRING COMMUNITY SERVICE PAGE 104 LUNAR NEW YEAR & DIVERSITY PAGE 106 DUKE OF EDINBURGH'S AWARD PAGE 108 VALENTINE WEEKEND PAGE 110 CADET CHALLENGE PAGE 114 CHAPEL & MILITARY POLICE PAGE 116 EDUCATIONAL TOURS PAGE 118 SWIMMING PAGE 120

John Curley ’16 becomes the third write-in candidate elected Missouri Boys State governor in 76-year history

HIGHLIGHTS On June 18, John Curley ’16 was elected governor of the American Legion’s Missouri Boys State 2015, achieving the impossible through virtue and values.

According to the MBS newspaper, Curley’s unconventional campaign was driven by the “pursuit of transparency.” Curley’s platform pointed out the unfeasibility in his opponents’ campaign promises and won the votes of his 992-member MBS constituency.

Curley received four additional titles at Missouri Boys State, a week-long youth leadership and citizenship program. He was also appointed Governor’s Chief of Staff, County Committee Chair, City Party Chairman and Ward Committeeman, Ward II. “I am so proud of John,” MAJ Kevin Farley, who attended the swearing-in ceremony, said. “When he does something, he does it full force and with honor.”

ONE Nehemiah Simmons ’20 splashes into the Meramec River during a Leadership Camp field trip July 14. TWO Christian Ashton ’18 practices his form, keeping his foil pointed at his opponent’s neck. Forms discussed during the July 7 fencing lesson included first position, advance, en garde, retreat, extend, lunge, recover, septime and octave. Photos by Erin Chambers.

A handful of first-year cadets cut their summer breaks short, arriving for English as a Second Language Camp in late July. Pictured on August 14: eighth graders Enrique Acevedo and Yuan Cui; freshmen Gerardo Calanda, Richard Choy, Yutong Dongfang and Haijunhao Yu; sophomore Zihan Zhu; and juniors Arnoldo Aguirre, Yasheng Lou and Yelin Zhou. Photo by Erin Chambers.

ESL CAMP

LEADERSHIP CAMP 2015

Wyatt Brewer ’19 Isaac Gastelum ’20 Noah Hacker ’18 Elian Harants ’20 Ashton Knipfer ’20 Tamar Modise ’21 Gabriel Perez ’18 Ryan Pinks ’16 Alexander Sheldon ’22 Nehemiah Simmons ’20 Evan Willimon ’16 Leadership Camp Excellence Award Noah Hacker ’18

SUMMER RIBBONS

In June 2015, sophomores Jeremy Elkins and Paul Murphy; juniors Sean Fitzgerald, Photsavat Pongsuea and Gregory Prinster; and seniors Weitao Cong, Oscar Cortada, Alfonso Leon and Miguel Gonzalez earned the Summer Camp, Adventure Training and Orienteering Ribbons for attending the JROTC Cadet Leadership Challenge camp.

SUMMER SOCCER CAMP AUGUST 4: First practice. “We have a lot of hard work ahead, but the talent is quite impressive,” coach MAJ Kevin Farley said. We also have a group of guys with great attitudes. Really excited about MMA soccer in 2015.”

AUGUST 7: Camping.

AUGUST 10: Mini golf.

AUGUST 11: UEFA Super Cup in the Canteen.

SUMMER ACADEMY 2015

Robert Abbott ’21 Christian Ashton ’18 William Carter ’16 Jeremy Elkins ’18 Christian Ell ’16 Jackson Ford ’18 Joshua John ’17 Oybek Kirkland ’17 Aeron Lee ’16 Lucas Moore ’18 Photsavat Pongsuea ’17 Alexander Seibert ’18 Jakob Union ’20 Kyle Van Eekeren ’16 Robert Van Huss ’16

OTTO ALBERTSEN ’18 vacationed at Lake Superior in Michigan, celebrated his 15th birthday, hiked, rafted, skateboarded and visited his brother in Colorado.

LTC WILLIS KLEINSORGE rode his bicycle 237 miles across Missouri from one end of the Katy Trail to the other.

PRESIDENT CHARLES MCGEORGE spent a week in China on an admissions trip. He shared dinner with eighth grader YUAN CUI and his family on June 23 and met with sophomore YINZHOU WANG and his mother on June 27.

BRENNAN MORAND ’16 spent three weeks at Wolf Camp, a nature survival program held in Puyallup, Washington.

BAYAR-ERDENE OLDOKHBAYAR ’17 and ENKHBILEGT LUVSANDORJ ’16 played basketball and climbed rock walls at Nairamdal Summer Camp in Mongolia.

THREE Summer Academy student Jakob Union ’20 shows off his rocket before blasting it off across Colonels Field on July 10.

FOUR Summer Academy student Robert Van Huss ’16 lifts weights in the gymtorium July 7. Photos by Erin Chambers.

AT RIGHT Juan Pablo Moreno ’21.

Photo by Erin Chambers.

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HINDWAI’S HAIRDOS Thuqan Hindawi ’18 poses for photos before and after his start-of-school haircut August 28. Photos by Erin Chambers.

ONE Jonathan James ’16 receives a hair cut August 3.

TWO Juan Letamendi ’17 struggles with a button during a uniform fitting August 14.

THREE Aeron Lee ’16 moves his belongings into his barracks bedroom August 3.

FOUR Yasheng Lou ’17 and Haijunhao Yu ’19 carry their purchases (including soda, chips, playing cards and pillows) back to the bus July 27 during an ESL camp Walmart trip.

FIVE CPT Steven Manning gives Ethan Ford ’20 directions to class on the first day of school August 24.

SIX Chad Herron fits Finley Lomas ’16 for his dress uniform gloves August 14.

The first batch of students to register for the 2015-16 school year were leadership, soccer and football campers on August 3, followed by New Boys on August 14 and returning students August 21.

On registration days, cadets first reported to admissions to turn in their paperwork and passports, followed by a stop at accounting to sign the enrollment contract and make final payments.

Up next was a visit with the Clinic staff to fill out medical forms followed by a quick chat with Parents Committee representatives. In the library, students signed up for classes and band membership, checked in with the College Placement Department and received their laptops from IT staffers After a check-in with the Commandant, cadets headed to Mark Clark for their first high-and-tight hair cut of the school year.

After being fitted for a hat, gloves, shorts, shirt and other basic uniform pieces by Quartermaster staffers, cadets and their families moved their belongings into their new barracks rooms.

Following New Boy registration, students then reported for cadet training.

“We all went to the Field House and they put us in formation and then taught us simple marching like left face, right face, forward and about face,” Christian Foster ’19 said.

“Then we marched to the pond and ate ice cream.”

Photos ONE, THREE and SIX by Rudi Petry.

Photos TWO, FOUR and FIVE by Erin Chambers.

WHAT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT ITEM ON YOUR BACK-TO-SCHOOL SHOPPING LIST? Snacks and drinks, because without them you have to be hungry and thirsty.

Michael Naughton ’20 Teabags. Finley Lomas ’16 Protein. Jason Russell ’16 Games. Derek Nguyen ’20 Hygiene items to keep clean.

Joshua John ’17 A Swiffer, because of Saturday morning inspection.

Jesus Perales ’20 Chips Ahoy. ...

Best cookies on the market.

Noah Hacker ’18 Starbucks drinks. ...

I can’t live without Starbucks.

Christian Foster ’19 Noodles. Best thing you can have after a long study hall during the weekdays.

Emran Babak ’16 Soda. Connor Cunningham ’16 Marshmallows. I’m obsessed with eating marshmallows.

Sugar Dashdavaa ’17 Mexican hot sauce.

Jose Mejia ’16 Soup and soda.

Jackson Ford ’18

AT RIGHT Zhicheng Mao ’19.

Photo by Erin Chambers.

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The Corps gathered on Colonels Field on August 29 for the annual Opening Picnic and some friendly company competition.

Band Company dominated in the first contest — a sack race relay in which cadets stepped into MMA laundry bags and hopped to the middle of the field. Upon returning to the starting line, boys quickly shed the bag and the next boy stepped in for his turn.

Up next was a dizzy bat contest in which Band Company once again proved victorious. Cadets raced to the end of the field, turned several quick circles around a baseball bat and attempted to run back to the starting line. Many students fell in the grass in the process, too disoriented to see straight.

Piggy-back partners Alexander Sheldon ’22 and Rene Padilla ’16 of Charlie Company broke Band’s winning streak in the carpet squares contest.

Each company crossed the lawn while balancing on only a handful of squares passed from participant to participant.

With competitors forbidden to touch the grass, most groups chose to have middle and high schoolers cross the field together to save time.

David Lazcano ’16 next led Bravo to first place in the cross country ski challenge. Band took last in the tug-of-war contest despite the passionate effort of Charles Norman ’18.

Delta senior Dion Nguyen said the tug-of-war contest was his favorite event “because we were undefeated.”

Band took first in the final contests — singing Old MMA and chanting their company motto — to win first overall.

ONE Styles Fountain ’19 pulls as Charlie faces Delta in tug-of-war.

[TWO] David Lazcano ’16 carries Kevyn Bruce ’20 and [FIVE] Carlos Liriano ’18 carries Robert Abbott ’20 across Colonels Field during the Carpet Squares contest.

[THREE] Cody Allen competes in the sack race and his [FOUR] fellow Band senior Yunil Jeon conducts the Old MMA singing contest.

SIX Cesar Perera ’18 cheers after Delta beats Charlie in the tug-of-war.

Photos THREE, FOUR and FIVE

by William Moore ’18.

Photos ONE, TWO and SIX by Erin Chambers.

All photos shot August 29.

The tug-of-war because I led my company in it and we were undefeated.

Miguel Gonzalez ’16

The games we did. They were fun and we all participated in them.

Jorge Servin ’18

The games because they were really funny and we had a great time. I also liked the food and the opportunity to meet people from different companies. Angel Alcaraz ’19

[Working] together as a team to overcome every obstacle that came our way as Delta Brothers!

Jonathan James ’16

My favorite part about the school picnic was that I could talk to the other companies and eat food. Derek Nguyen ’20

Singing Old MMA, because it brought back memories.

Sky Thunderchild ’19

[Talking] with other companies.

You don’t really get a chance to talk with them that much on just a normal day.

Aaron Thompson ’17

AT RIGHT Parker Koontz ’17.

Photo by Erin Chambers.

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TWO Purevsuren Bayanbaatar ’16 grabs dessert August 11 during the first Sage meal.

FIVE Donald Williams ’18 puts ketchup on his burger August 11 during the first Sage meal.

Photos ONE, TWO and FIVE by Erin Chambers.

THREE Ramon Rodriguez ’17 uses his laptop during MAJ Mike Pemberton’s class on January 12. Photo by Cameron Newman ’22.

FOUR Charles Eckardt ’17 receives his new HP EliteBook Revolve laptop August 14 during registration. Photo by Rudi Petry.

DO US A FLAVOR Cadets served as "Flavor Ambassadors" on August 5 in the mess hall in trial four of the Lay's Do Us a Flavor contest. The four finalist flavors were Kettle Cooked Greektown Gyro, New York Reuben, Wavy West Coast Truffle Fries and Southern Biscuits & Gravy. The group majority ultimately cast their vote for the biscuits and gravy batch.

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THE NEW FOOD SERVICE THIS YEAR? Our new food service made a huge difference. We have got plenty of different food to choose. They are definitely tasty.

We can go get more food as [much] as we want. There is enough fresh fruit for everyone. Weitao Cong ’16

It’s like a buffet now. We have several options to choose and eat. Also, we can make our own sandwich at lunch and dinner. Bilguun Byambatsogt ’16

WHAT WAS YOUR FAVORITE FLAVOR OF LAY'S CHIPS? BISCUITS & GRAVY: John Curley ’16 Robert Moore ’16 Photsavat Pongsuea ’17 Jean-Luc Shyaka ’17 Wyatt Smith ’16 GRYOS: Maverick Jones ’16

NEW YORK REUBEN: Ethan Eisenmann ’16 Connor Cunningham ’16 TRUFFLE FRIES: Eduardo Gonzalez ’16 Miguel Gonzalez ’16 Jesus Gracia ’16 Rene Padilla ’16 Christian Paz ’16

The new food is way better than the food at my old school. I like how it is like a buffet and how we can get as much as we want.

I like how we can choose any sauce we want. ... The cookies are really good here. I like the drinks they have. Scout Jones ’22

A new service came in and boom, it was amazing.

Christian Ell ’16

ONE Charles Norman ’18 makes a sandwich August 11 during the first Sage meal at MMA. “It’s great. I like it,” Norman said of Sage. “They provide a lot more nutrition.”

TECHNOLOGY MMA launched the fourth year of its oneto-one laptop program in August, assigning each student a laptop for the school year.

Last year’s Lenovos were replaced by a new Hewlett Packard EliteBook Revolve model featuring a swivel-screen display.

According to IT staffer Mike Kulas, the switch combats computer malfunction.

The HP Revolves use flash storage, which means less moving parts and faster operating speed.

“They’re very nice. Faster than what we used to have,” Thomas Dean ’16 said.

“A huge improvement from last year.”

The machines also feature a longer battery life, the latest-generation wireless technology and a touch screen.

“I like that you can flip the screen and make it like an iPad,” Alfonso Leon ’16 said.

FOOD SERVICE Trays, plates, utensils and cups stayed the same — but many positive changes to the mess hall were introduced August 11 with the first meal provided by food service company Sage.

Cadets created their own cheeseburgers, adding pickles, mushrooms, lettuce, bacon, onion and tomato. Side dishes included pasta salad, kale, green beans, carrots, sweet potato and regular fries, cookies and yogurt. A new topping bar included saltine crackers and salad toppings such as broccoli, boiled eggs, tuna, olives, cranberries and sunflower seeds.

Notable changes included the addition of a make-your-own sandwich bar including a variety of bread, meat and cheese.

As in previous years with Fresh Ideas food service, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and fresh fruit were available daily. Mayonnaise, barbecue sauce and hot sauce improved upon the condiment bar previously featuring only ketchup and mustard.

“You can get whatever you want,” Scout Jones ’22 said. “The new food service is the best of many good things at MMA.” AT RIGHT

Eric Juarez ’18.

Photo by Erin Chambers.

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TWO Yanlin Chen ’18, Tyler Jansing ’19, Jack Mitchell ’19, Erick Puente ’18 and Adrian Villarreal ’17 march to the mess hall February 6.

THREE Martin Farias ’20 poses with Naranmandakh Ayulgui ’16 on December 10.

FOUR Senior Jared Violette shines his shoes April 10.

FIVE Seventh graders Juan Pablo Moreno, Tamar Modise and George Pietrofere pose December 17.

SIX Rory Davis ’17 and Khaliguun Enkhbayar ’19 pose February 6.

SEVEN Yuqi Jin ’17, Joseph Mulvey ’18, and other mid-year students form up January 15.

EIGHT Sophomore Otto Albertsen sings as the student rock band performs "Na Na Na" by My Chemical Romance on April 16.

NINE Student rock band members pose April 16 at the Festival of the Arts.

Pictured: seniors Connor Cunningham, Yunil Jeon and Ethan Eisenmann, juniors Paul Murphy and Noah Hacker.

TEN Oscar Garcia '16 celebrates after winning $300 in the halftime heads-or-tails game at the Festival of the Arts on April 16.

ELEVEN After a mic malfunction, Yunil Jeon '16 improvises and sings "Holiday"

by Green Day with a megaphone.

ONE Cadets cruise the Mississippi River during an art field trip to St. Louis on April 12. Pictured: Cheryl Morris, CPT Greg Maximovitch and Dr. Frank Giuseffi; seniors Thomas Dean, Rodrigo Garza Navarro, Chinguun Khatigin, David Lazcano, Aeron Lee, Alfonso Leon, Haozhang Li, Emilio Nanni and Jon Snyder; juniors Clayton Ebert, Ngonga Mugabo, Adrian Villarreal and Jorge Villarreal; sophomores Jeremy Elkins, Thuqan Hindawi, Hernan Huerta, Luis Merino, William Moore, Evan Reynolds and Gabriel Vallejo; freshman Shane Heisler; eighth graders Guido Arredondo, Cesar Garcia and Jesus Perales; and seventh grader Fernando Garcia.

TWELVE Salty River Boys Otto Albertsen '18, Noah Hacker '18 and Robert Van Huss '16 pose after performing "I am a Man of Constant Sorrow" on April 16.

Cadets were joined by MAJ Mike Shoemaker on bass and CPT Thomas Roberts and William Moore '18 on acoustic guitar. Photos EIGHT to TWELVE by Erin Chambers.

For more on the student rock band, visit page 153.

Photo THREE by Santiago Sanchez '21.

Photo FOUR by Jonathan James ’16.

Photo ONE courtesy of Cheryl Morris.

Photo SEVEN by Dion Nguyen ’16.

Photo FIVE by Alexander Sheldon ’22.

Photos TWO, SIX and EIGHT

by Christian Foster ’19.

AT RIGHT Justin Touchette '16.

Photo by Erin Chambers.

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The cities of Auxvasse, Fulton, Columbia and Mexico received a helping hand from Missouri Military Academy cadets on September 29 — the Academy’s annual Fall Community Service Day. PRESSER PERFORMING ARTS CENTER After tidying up the grounds of the Audrain County Historical Society, MAJ Mike Shoemaker’s students joined MAJ Larry McClarey’s advisees to organize props and clear out old set pieces at the Presser Hall Performing Arts Center.

Our advisory group went to Presser Hall and helped the folks over there with carrying their props and relocating them. We made shelves, then we stacked the shelves with the theatre props including flowers, typewriters, cameras, vases, liquor and weapons.

They all look so realistic but are actually fake and so light and easy to use. Bilguun Byambatsogt ’16 AUXVASSE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL Cheryl Morris headed to Auxvasse Elementary with her students, who picked up litter and tended

to flowerbeds, while 1SG Randal Jacobson’s advisees spent the day at Arthur Hills Golf Course.

ESL instructor Cheryl Lu and her helpers picked up litter at a local park and alongside Pollock Road.

We got to help out the seventh graders and then help all the first, second, third and fourth graders pick up trash. This was a good trip because we got to help a school look nice and have fun at the same time. Christian Foster ’19 CONTINUED ON PAGE 089

JENNINGS COMMUNITY SERVICE: PHOTO & ARTICLE COURTESY OF LTC WILLIS KLEINSORGE Five cadets gave up their free time September 26 to do community service work in a very poor area of Jennings, MO. Eighth grader Michael Naughton’s father and the Jennings Police Department hosted a cleanup of several blocks in the poorer part of their jurisdiction.

Dongyang Chen ’20, Joshua John ’17, Weitao Cong ’16, Hector Chapa ’16 and Naughton made their way to Jennings, not sure what they would find upon arrival.

Naughton’s father greeted us, handed us gloves, loaded us up in a pickup with a trailer hitched to it and put us to work.

Volunteers had already spent several hours cleaning up 60 abandoned properties in a five to six block radius and hauling tons of garbage and brush to the curb.

Our group loaded trailer after trailer of debris and then unloaded it into three huge demolition dumpsters. We filled all three

to the max, two with garbage and one with brush. We loaded up one more trailer and my pickup bed and headed to the dump.

It was a day of hard labor, but our effort was worth it. Mr. Naughton treated us to a meal at a Chinese restaurant then took us on a tour of the police headquarters and jail.

Senior cadets [TWO] Damdinbazar Sumiyabazar and [AT RIGHT] Finley Lomas cuddle with cats while volunteering September 29 at the Audrain Humane Society. Photos by Erin Chambers.

ONE Cheryl Morris and her advisory pose after sprucing up the Auxvasse Elementary School landscaping.

(Pictured: Joseph Kaplan ’20 and freshmen Gerardo Calanda, Emilio Camou, Christian Foster, Alexander Hamm and Joseph Palen.)

Photo courtesy of Cheryl Morris.

AT RIGHT Sergio Contreras ’19.

Photo by Erin Chambers.

page 087

LT Lewis Bell and MAJ Keith Morgan’s students spent Fall Community Service Day re-painting the bottom, sides and stripes of the local YMCA pool.

Below: Gregory Prinster ’17.

YMCA POOL

CHAMBER OF COMMERCE LCDR William Bushnell’s advisees visited the local Chamber of Commerce, first pulling weeds and picking up trash, then washing windows and painting the conference room a warm shade of gold.

Pictured above: senior Jonathan James. Photo by Erin Chambers.

VETERANS HOME SFC John Biddle and LT Steven Maziarz accompanied students to the Mexico Veterans Home, where they picked up trash on the lawn, washed dishes and spent time with residents.

“Community service is important,” Noah Hacker ’18, pictured above, said. “Some of the workers have tough jobs and they need just some extra help.”

IN HIS OWN WORDS,

by Alexander Seibert ’18 We helped serve food to the residents and we were able to talk with them and get to know what life was like at the VA home. It was also very fun to get to know a little history as well.

When we went in to play bingo with the residents, we realized it would be a very intense game.

There were a lot of winners and a lot of game faces shown.

WHAT DO YOU LIKE ABOUT MMA? My favorite thing about Missouri Military Academy so far was the art field trip and the community service, because the art trip was very fun and the community service makes me feel good. ... I also really want to earn the community service bar! Jesus Perales ’20 CONTINUED FROM PAGE 087 Three advisory groups — approximately thirty students — packaged nearly 5,000 pounds of food for area communities at the Central Missouri Food Bank in Columbia, Missouri.

We put oatmeal in a bag, stapled it, wrapped it and boxed it. We finished about 12 boxes. A box is filled with about 40 bags. That’s a lot! Christian Ell ’16

BELOW LT Steven Manning’s advisees dig weeds, prune bushes and sweep sidewalks while tidying the grounds of the J. B. and Greeta B. Arthur Cancer Center. (Pictured: Manning, eighth graders Yuan Cui, Isaac Gastelum, Jordan Hornick and Thomas Huckins.)

LT Sean Peters’ advisees organized a supply shed, washed windows, cleaned a transport truck and walked dogs at the Audrain Humane Society.

Below: David Garza ’16.

IN HIS OWN WORDS,

by Thomas Dean ’16 The back storage shed consisted of bags upon bags of dog food, cat food and cat litter. The amount of spiders in the room was unbelievable!

We had to take all of the bags and boxes out of the room so we could sweep the floor. We then sorted the boxes and bags by size and color before we put them back.

As we cleaned the windows, we visited with the baby kittens and saw some that were born just one week before we arrived. Even though they looked like rats, they were still very cute. The bigger cats loved to climb up on your shoulders.

AUDRAIN HUMANE SOCIETY Overall, this year’s community service day was a blast. The dogs and cats at the shelter were extremely cute and fun to play with. The back storage room is the cleanest it’s been in a long time. I enjoyed helping out.

WHAT WAS THE BEST PART OF THE DAY? Being with my brothers, helping out, seeing them laugh, and having a good time with them while we helped at the Food Bank. Jose Mejia ’16 At the end of the day, it was all worth it because hard work really does pay, and our group got to go on a Sonic run after we had finished. Nelson Aguilera ’16 SIXTH, SEVENTH AND EIGHTH GRADE SERVICE Middle schoolers spent the day gathering chestnuts at a local farm.

At first I thought I was going to hate picking up chestnuts all day, but it was actually fun. I would like to do more. Scout Jones ’22

AT LEFT Seventh graders Robert Abbott and Tamar Modise and eighth graders Cesar Garcia and Michael Naughton pose during Fall Community Service Day on September 29.

For more information about the bike helmet, visit page 166. Photo courtesy of LTC Willis Kleinsorge.

AT LEFT Matheus Alexandre ’16 washes windows at the Chamber of Commerce while Nelson Aguilera ’16 holds his ladder steady. Photo by Erin Chambers.

AT RIGHT Peter Clinton ’21.

Photo by Erin Chambers.

page 089

ONE Juan Diego Silva ’17 shakes hands with Emran Babak ’16 during the Passing Through ceremony.

TWO Waiters help set up for the Senior Ring Dance.

Pictured: seventh grader Santiago Sanchez; eighth grader Thomas Huckins; freshman Stamatis Pelekanos; sophomores Yinzhou Wang and Zihan Zhu; and juniors Jose Balanza, Sugar Dashdavaa, Aaron Thompson and Michael Wetzel.

All photos shot October 17 by Erin Chambers.

address to parents and family Following a pancake breakfast members gathered in the to benefit the MMA Boy Centennial Gymtorium.

Scouts, cadets and their family members attended parentJose Estrada ’16 also received teacher conferences and the Presidential Citation browsed the Scholastic Book for creating the short film Fair in the library.

Extraordinary Experience, a movie shot on his personal The MMA community raised a GoPro camera during the total of $1,508.74 to support 2014-15 school year. the Academy library through Book Fair sales and a company Following the Convocation, competition. families joined their cadets for a picnic lunch in the field house.

“Thanks to all the cadets and parents who supported our MMA library through their barrack collection box contributions during Fall Family Weekend,” librarian Fran Robley said.

PASSING THROUGH Following seven weeks studying the basics of being a cadet at MMA, new students were formally welcomed into the 127th Corps of Cadets on October 17 during the Passing Through ceremony.

“They have studied their cadet handbooks and passed a rigorous test. They have learned the basics of military drill and ceremonies, learned military SENIOR RING DANCE structure and bearing, how to keep their rooms and clothing, At the third annual Senior Ring and the basics of contributing Dance, upperclassmen formally to a team,” announcer Donald received their senior rings and Williams ’18 said. “While they were recognized one-by-one. still have much to learn, they Following the ceremony, have met the requirements guests enjoyed a meal, posed and earned the right to wear for photos with their dates the Gold Star, indicating under a larger-than-life membership in a JROTC Honor ring and then hit the Unit with Distinction.” dance floor.

As each new student’s name CONTINUED was called, he shook hands ON NEXT with administrators and joined PAGE his company formation in front of Stribling Hall.

CONVOCATION Following the Battalion Review, President Charles McGeorge AT RIGHT presented the Yuqi Chen ’17.

State of the Photo by School

“My parents gave me my senior ring.

When they opened the box, I literally felt like Frodo from The Lord of the Rings, watching it shine upon my face with its golden detail.”

Jose Mejia ’16

THREE Senior students Fahad Aliev, Emran Babak, Bilguun Byambatsogt, Jose Estrada, Orlando Farias, Mauro Garza, Jesus Gracia and Russell Holman pose after receiving their senior rings.

FOUR Maverick Jones ’16 and his grandmother Beverly Winslow pose for photos at the senior ring ceremony on Colonels Field.

FIVE Wearing his new senior ring, Jon Snyder ’16 plays the mellophone as he marches across Colonels Field. “A mellophone is the marching version of the French Horn, the instrument I play,” he said. “I’m playing it there because we were doing a review.”

SIX Kyle Van Eekeren ’16 slow dances at the Senior Ring Dance.

Dion Nguyen ’16.

[TWO] Peter Clinton ’21 and [THREE] Gavin Martin ’16 pose with their favorite Book Fair selections on October 14.

FIVE Senior library helpers Dion Nguyen and Brennan Morand assist Fran Robley with the Book Fair cash register October 14.

DRILLDOWNS & DECORATIONS Delta Company Commander Enkhbilegt Luvsandorj ’16 was declared the winner of both the cadet versus cadet and alumni versus cadet drilldowns during the Battalion Review on Colonels Field.

“I won because it was my third time in [the] drilldown,” Luvsandorj said, “and I was the best!”

HOMECOMING HIGHLIGHTS Luvsandorj’s company was also declared the winner of the Homecoming Decorations Contest.

FOUR Luvsandorj, Rene Padilla ’16 and Damdinbazar Sumiyabazar ’16 pose at noon mess October 5 after receiving the Best Homecoming Decorations plaque on behalf of Delta Company. Photo by Erin Chambers.

ONE Cadet Chorus members Justtin Muilenburg ’17, Otto Albertsen ’18, Robert Van Huss ’16 and Thomas Huckins ’20 perform October 3 in the Chapel at the Homecoming Convocation.

All photos by Erin Chambers.

CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE Middle school students created Reading Fair posterboards discussing the plot, setting and characters of a novel they read for class. These projects were displayed in the hallway for throughout Fall Family Weekend.

SIX Jackson Ford ’18 drums with alumni and fellow band members October 3 during the annual Homecoming mess march.

SEVEN Senior Jacob Conyers poses at the Senior Ring Dance in the Centennial Gymtorium on October 17.

I see myself as a Private First Class or Lance Corporal in the Marine Corps. I will enlist after the completion of high school.

Noah Webster ’18

I want to study law in Mexico or cosmetic surgery in South Korea.

Gabriel Vallejo ’18 Graduating high school and going to college. Emilio Camou ’19

Santiago Sanchez ’21 on Skellig: One day, Michael meets his neighbor. Her name is Mina. Michael decides to tell Mina about this awesome creature that no one had seen before with a little problem called arthritis.

In the ocean studying animals, helping the ocean life.

Christian Foster ’19 I see myself either being in the Air Force or working with a huge video game development company.

Aaron Thompson ’17

Eighth graders Caleb Cloyde, WrayVauze Givens, Derek Nguyen and Jakob Union on Skeleton Creek: Ryan writes in his journal about an adventure, a place called the Dredge and a ghost named Old

In ten years I can see myself with a family. I plan on getting there through hard work and perseverance.

Jacob Conyers ’16 I see myself as a pilot or a lawyer. I will get there by taking pilot lessons and going to a university. Noah Hacker ’18

Joe Bush. Ryan and Sarah talk about what happened at Skeleton Creek. They must get more evidence so that nobody will think they’re making up a story about Skeleton Creek.

College wrestling, football or the Marine Corps! Charles Norman ’18

AT RIGHT Dion Nguyen ’16.

Photo by Erin Chambers.

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ONE Yednekachew Atkins ’17 scales the back campus rock wall during the fall Crucible on September 26.

Photo by Erin Chambers.

TWO Miguel Gonzalez ’16 and Gabriel Elizondo ’17 pose with the helicopter on Colonels Field on October 30.

Photo by Rodrigo Garza Navarro ’16.

THREE Nelson Aguilera ’16 rappels down the back campus tower on September 26 during the fall Crucible.

Photo by Erin Chambers.

FOUR Junior Raul Correa and sophomore Jeremy Elkins pose for a photo October 30 during the Army Day competition.

Photo by Rodrigo Garza Navarro ’16.

FIVE Gabriel Perez ’18 shows off his paintball “war wounds”on September 26 at the fall Crucible.

Photo by Erin Chambers.

SIX Derek Nguyen ’20 completes an obstacle course challenge September 26.

Photo by Erin Chambers.

SEVEN Noah Webster ’18 helps Jack Mitchell ’19 up as they complete the obstacle course on February 6.

Photo by Dion Nguyen ’16.

EIGHT Charlie seniors Purevsuren Bayanbaatar and Kian Moriarty; juniors Jose Balanza and Clayton Ebert; sophomores Victor Armando Leon and Jorge Servin; and Nyamkhuu Chinguun ’19 pose October 30. Photo by Rodrigo Garza Navarro ’16.

THE CRUCIBLE

New students were formally welcomed into the Corps on September 26 (fall semester) and February 6 (spring semester) following The Crucible, a series of physical challenges designed to test cadets to their limits.

Events included a combat water survival swim, a ruck march, an obstacle course, a paintball battle, a climbing wall and a rappel down the MMA tower. Following The Crucible, cadets celebrated with a Warrior Dinner in the mess hall.

Charlie Company proved victorious October 30 during the annual Army Day competition, out-performing other companies in physical challenges and teamwork exercises.

ARMY DAY

From 5 a.m. to noon on October 30, cadets divided into platoons and competed in events including a dummy grenade toss, radio messaging, relay races, First Aid training, knot tying, one-rope bridge crossing and pugil stick battles. Cadets split into platoons which competed to earn points for their companies.

Charlie Company won the competition and earned the Golden Boot trophy.

While cadets ate a picnic lunch at Colonels Field, they received a surprise visit from the Missouri National Guard, who landed a helicopter on Colonels Field to celebrate Army Day.

NINE Liam Van Hoesen ’19 completes the paintball portion of The Crucible on February 6.

Photo by Christian Foster ’19.

AT RIGHT George Pietrofere ’21.

Photo by Erin Chambers.

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On October 29, middle school cadets [ONE] Scout Jones ’22, [TWO] Tamar Modise ’21 and [THREE] Guido Arredondo ’20 create Halloween “slime” in LTC Willis Kleinsorge’s class.

Photos courtesy of Kleinsorge.

FOUR CPT Michael Koontz offers candy to hungry Bravo cadets November 4.

FIVE Pumpkins decorate the Delta lawn November 2.

SIX Costume contest winners pose November 10 at noon mess.

Photos by Erin Chambers and Lucas Moore ’18.

MOORE MEMORIES Three-year-old [LEFT] Robert Moore ’16 and [RIGHT] two-year-old William Moore ’18 both dressed up as the Man of Steel in 2001. Photo courtesy of Linda Angel.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE SCARY MOVIE? Scary Movie 2 because it’s funny [and] kind of scary.

Jakob Union ’20 I like all scary movies.

Photsavat Pongsuea ’17 I like Paranormal Activity.

Ramon Rodriguez ’17 The Conjuring.

Jacob Conyers ’16 I like Halloween, but I don’t like scary stuff that much. I usually don’t watch any scary movies. Scout Jones ’22 I hate scary movies because I’m scared of everything!

Christian Foster ’19

COSTUME CONTEST WINNERS

BRAVO COMPANY First: Gangster Miguel Gonzalez ’16 Second: Bacon Juan Pablo Moreno ’21 Third: Power Ranger Kevyn Bruce ’20

WHY IS HALLOWEEN THE BEST HOLIDAY?

MMA GHOST LEGENDS, by Sean Fitzgerald ’17 For years, cadets have been witnessing paranormal activity.

Many of these ghostly stories have been told so many times that you start to believe them.

You hear of someone seeing an eerie glow, or hearing footsteps when nobody else is awake.

People have said they’ve heard or seen a paranormal being in the field house, gymtorium and all the barracks buildings.

The most well-known legend is that of an Echo cadet who woke

up an entire floor. Many kids peeked their heads out to see what the noise was, but all they saw was one of their leaders standing in the hall.

He suddenly started to run down the hall with such rage that cadets shut their doors. He beat on doors and stared through the window into the rooms. After about ten minutes, it was completely quiet. Cadets waited in their rooms, afraid to leave. One cadet did. What he found was his leader passed out on the floor. What he saw was a ghostly figure walking away.

It allows people to be free and express themselves.

Brennan Morand ’16 You get dress up as either scary or funny things and go to parties.

Thomas Kiefer ’19 Because it is one week after my birthday. Joseph Palen ’19 Because you get to express yourself by using a costume.

Jesus Perales ’20

WHAT WAS YOUR COSTUME? My Halloween costume was a zombie skeleton. I chose it because it looked realistic and really cool. Joseph Palen ’19 This Halloween I dressed up as a Cholo because I had to improvise a last-minute costume. Jesus Perales ’20 I was a headless man, and I picked it because I wanted something scary!

Sky Thunderchild ’19 I was Wilfred, a dog from a show on Netflix. … I am a hardcore fan of the show.

Connor Cunningham ’16

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE TYPE OF CANDY?

WHO HAD THE BEST DECORATIONS? Echo. We worked really hard on the decorations.

We used more than 75% of our free time decorating.

Jesus Perales ’20 Delta, because it took them only seven people to put this together. They have been planning for weeks.

Jakob Union ’20 BAND COMPANY First: Jesus Christ Thomas Kiefer ’19 Second: Wilfred the Dog Connor Cunningham ’16 Third: Death Robert Moore ’16

CHARLIE COMPANY First: Pig Killer Styles Fountain ’19 Second: Ladies’ Man Oscar Garcia ’16 Third: Luigi Clayton Ebert ’17

My favorite type of candy is chewy Jolly Ranchers.

Jakob Union ’20 My favorite type of candy is Twix.

Photsavat Pongsuea ’17 My favorite types of candy are Twizzlers and Tootsie Rolls.

Thomas Kiefer ’19 Skittles. Joseph Palen ’19 KitKat is my favorite candy.

Jacob Conyers ’16 I like Milk Duds and I like Twix.

Ramon Rodriguez ’17 Sour stuff.

Robert Abbott ’21 My favorite type of candy is sour candy. Jesus Perales ’20 My favorite candy is Reese's.

Sky Thunderchild ’19

DELTA COMPANY First: Captain Underpants Cesar Perera ’18 Second: Gangster Edward Cha ’18 Third: Assassin Quinten Boyd ’22

ECHO COMPANY First: Muscle Man Alejandro Tovar ’17 Second: Gorilla Jeremy Elkins ’18 Third: Pilsbury Doughboy Eric Juarez ’18

COSTUME CONTEST On October 31, each company voted for a winner to compete for the school-wide title.

Overall costume contest winner sophomore Cesar Perera received an $100 gift card.

First, second and third place winners from each company earned $50, $30 and $20 gift cards from the Parents Committee respectively.

DECORATION CONTEST Thanks to a haunted house constructed by band seniors in the barracks basement, Charlie and Band defeated Delta, Bravo and Echo on October 31 in the annual decoration contest.

“When Charlie and Band work together we are unstoppable,” freshman Thomas Kiefer said.

“Plus we had a haunted house!”

Robert Moore ’16 said his favorite part of the Halloween holiday was “making the haunted house in the basement of Charlie.”

“It was a nice experience and a fun way to spend the last Halloween of my senior year,”Moore said.

DECORATING BAND BARRACKS,

by Brennan Morand ’16 We spent from 8:30 a.m. to around 5:30 p.m. setting up a haunted house in the TV room of Charlie and Band Company. Together seniors Ethan Eisenmann, Robert Moore and I gave up our sleep-in so that we could put up this haunted house and win the decoration contest.

We seniors wanted our last Halloween party to be a blast, and it was.

When you first entered the room, you would go to the left and walk down the hallway. There you would meet a kid lying on the ground asking you to help him. He was covered in blood and there was a strobe light aimed at him. As you turned to the next room, Styles Fountain ’19 would run at you, dressed in costume as a pig butcher with a bloody knife.

In the next room there was a record player playing old music. I was also in that room trying to sell brains, hands, hearts and livers in jars.

When no one wanted any, I told them to get out and said the doctor was ready for them.

The doctor in the next room was Eisenmann.

He was splattering fake blood everywhere and telling a “dead” Joshua John ’17 to wake up because he didn’t have permission to die yet.

Moore was dressed up as an evil bird and was casting spells over the dead body.

In the next room were a couple of clowns that I hung up. Garrett Stafford ’18 stood in the corner, waited until people entered the room and AT then popped up RIGHT James behind them to Lane ’16. scare them.

Photo by Erin Chambers.

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ONE Seniors Kyle Mertens, Robert Moore and Nishan Khanal pose October 17. TWO Ethan Eisenmann ’16 poses with books October 13. SIX Noah Webster ’18 and [EIGHT] Yunil Jeon ’16 enjoy a meal April 9. THREE Robert Van Huss ’16 and Joseph Kaplan ’20 pose November 11 at the Mexico Veterans Home. FIVE Samuel Guo ’19 goofs off during JROTC class March 22.

The soccer team, breakfast, the pool [and] teachers MAJ Larry McClarey and CPT Greg Maximovitch.

Matheus Alexandre ’16 Discipline and routine.

The routine is what has helped me the most.

Finley Lomas ’16 Bonding with random people from all over the world.

Michael Naughton ’20 My position and having lifelong friendships.

Thomas Dean ’16 All the different activites and events this school has to offer. It’s like a whole new experience every single day.

Hector Villanueva ’17 I like living in the dorms with some really good guys.

Jared Violette ’16 Here we bond with each other. ...We call ourselves a family. I like it because it unites us. Bilguun Byambatsogt ’16

I am a triplet.

Christian Ashton ’18 I was a Chief Master Sergeant in my old AFJROTC at Lafayette High School.

Aaron Thompson ’17 I composed a soundtrack for a video game.

Jackson Ford ’18 I can do a wheelie on a bike!

Derek Nguyen ’20 I love to play chess.

Chinguun Khatigin ’16 All my life I have written in cursive. For about nine years. ... I started writing in print and it is much better!

Hector Villanueva ’17 I love war and firearm history.

William Moore ’18 I love water skiing.

Angel Alcaraz ’19

FOUR Junior Gregory Prinster climbs a tree during English class November 3. Photo by Miguel Gonzalez '16.

SEVEN Parker Koontz ’17 poses in art class August 26. Photo courtesy of Cheryl Morris.

NINE Purevsuren Bayanbaatar holds fellow senior David Garza "hostage" with a glue gun April 12.

TEN CPT John Noel tastes a Milk Bone on April 7 while bidding farewell to Augie the therapy dog.

ELEVEN Yijun Li ’18, Zhicheng Mao ’19 and Zihan Zhu ’18 goof around while picking up litter April 12 during Spring Community Service Day. Photos SIX and EIGHT by Lucas Moore ’18. Photo NINE

by Sean Hannagan ’16.

Photo TEN by Christian Foster ’19.

Photos ONE and THREE by Erin Chambers. Photo TWO by Justin Touchette ’16. Photos FIVE and ELEVEN by Jonathan James ’16.

AT RIGHT Lihan Zhang ’17.

Photo by Erin Chambers.

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SANTA SHU

The holiday season began November 5 as ESL instructor Lu Shu accompanied ten students to the Audrain County Historical Museum Complex, where they decorated two community Christmas trees.

Participants: freshman Nyamkhuu Chinguun, pictured below; freshmen Yutong Dongfang, Zhicheng Mao and Haijunhao Yu; sophomores Zhuoli Cai, Qiyu Liu and Jiaxuan Zhou; junior Zenghui Zhang; and seniors Temuulen Nerguibaatar and Turbold Tumurkhuu.

Photo courtesy of Lu Shu.

HOLIDAY HOMEWORK

During the last few school days before winter break, Mike Harding tasked his students with designing holiday cards for residents at the Mexico Veterans Home. Some students created cards with their laptops, while others hand-wrote and drew their designs. Cadets also read a novel over the break for a book review upon their return.

CHRISTMAS CAROLING

Between second and third periods on December 17, band members, cadets and staffers sang carols outside the academic office.

HELPING HANDS

On December 11, seniors Weitao Cong, Orlando Farias, Jonathan James, Mauro Garza, Rodrigo Garza Navarro, David Lazcano and Christian Paz spent the evening riding the Holiday Express Santa Train through downtown Mexico. Dressed as elves, cadets entertained 4,000 visiting children and adults while providing community service.

“Our boys were great,” event chaperone Fran Robley said.

“I was so proud to hear all the compliments on their good manners and willingness to help!”

CANS & CLOTHES

In December, cadets collected 6,078 cans of food for the Mexico Help Center. The project was a company competition — Bravo proved victorious with 2,500 cans — but Yunil Jeon ’16 said the purpose was really to create a sense of family and community.

“While Mexico is not technically our home, this is where we live for 10 months out of the year,” Jeon said. “Your home is where your family is, and this is where our family resides.”

On December 15, eighth graders Caleb Cloyde and Jesus Perales; freshmen Zeth Colin, Samuel Guo and Joseph Palen; sophomore Christian Ashton; and seniors Hector Chapa and Justin Touchette helped sort and pack bags of donated clothing as part of a community service project to benefit foster children.

Pictured above. Photo by Lincoln Haynes-Kechik ’22.

EVENSONG

Cadets celebrated the traditional MMA Evensong ceremony’s 75th anniversary December 18.

The event featured a retelling of the Christmas story by Justtin Muilenburg ’17, Alexander Schaaf ’18 and Finley Lomas ’16 (pictured above); a performance of We Three Kings by Muilenburg, Eduardo Gonzalez ’16 and Eryao Zhang ’18; band and choral performances; a song by guest soloist Sarah Kliethermes; and songs by the new all-staff choir.

Photo by Justin Touchette ’16.

BRUCE’S BALLAD

A holiday poem by Kevyn Bruce ’20 Christmas is coming again With lots of jolly and joy Snowflakes dancing in the air With friends and family again Singing Christmas carols Giving and getting presents Happy faces everywhere The best time of the year Christmas is here!

ABOVE Bruce and Enkhbilegt Luvsandorj ’16 receive Thinking of You (TOY) boxes from the Parents Committee on December 17.

Photo by Erin Chambers.

ECHO’S CHRISTMAS CELEBRATION

A reflection by Thomas Dean ’16 I am in Echo Company and helped set up our amazing party over the week prior to the event. Alfonso Leon ’16 helped out a lot by taking a sheet of chicken wire, making an E out of red Christmas lights and hanging it up in between the columns by our front door. It looked amazing hanging up with the rest of the Christmas lights, and the E appeared to be floating from a distance.

MSD DINNER

Seniors Evan Willimon, Drake Davis and Sean Hannagan (dressed as Santa) attend the annual Missouri School for the Deaf dinner December 17. Photo

by Justin Touchette ’16.

GOOD BEHAVIOR

ABOVE Hector Chapa ’16 attaches a bow to the Band Company sign December 9.

Photo by Erin Chambers.

TOP LEFT Senior cadets Eduardo Gonzalez, Yunil Jeon, David Lazcano, Enkhbilegt Luvsandorj and Turbold Tumurkhuu pose December 14 with cans collected for the annual food drive.

Photo by Christine Smith.

We went for more of a classical Christmas approach — just regular red and white Christmas lights and candles in all of the front windows.

In my opinion, the Echo Company barracks looked amazing.

Decorating the barracks with Leon and Turbold Tumurkhuu ’16 was extremely fun and entertaining — from Leon’s crazy Mexican music and dance moves to the mentor’s idea of tying fishing line to a tennis ball to help raise the lights up along the columns.

AT LEFT Echo cadets Alejandro Tovar ’17, Matheus Alexandre ’16 and Thuqan Hindawi ’18 pose with the company’s holiday-themed welcome sign December 9.

Photo by Erin Chambers.

AT RIGHT Echo Company’s holiday decorations light up the darkness December 12.

Photo by Christine Smith.

On December 11, cadets received the Maroon Bar for keeping “a clear disciplinary record for the past academic month.”

MIDDLE SCHOOL Robert Abbott ’21 Enrique Acevedo ’20 Kevyn Bruce ’20 Isaac Gastelum ’20 Scout Jones ’22 Juan Pablo Moreno ’21 FRESHMEN Nyamkhuu Chinguun SOPHOMORES Edward Cha Davaasuren Dashdavaa Mitchell Duing Malachi Grice Noah Hacker Carlos Liriano Paul Murphy Gabriel Perez Yinzhou Wang Rongyang Yi JUNIORS Parker Koontz Jean-Luc Shyaka SENIORS Emran Babak Connor Cunningham David Garza Maverick Jones Nishan Khanal Enkhbilegt Luvsandorj Dion Nguyen Jared Violette

AT RIGHT Jared Violette ’16.

Photo by Erin Chambers.

page 101

ONE The Cadet Chorus performs December 18 at Evensong.

TWO Evan Willimon ’16, Haijunhao Yu ’19 and David Garza ’16 receive holiday gift boxes courtesy of the Parents Committee on December 17.

THREE Fernando Garcia ’21 receives a chocolate Santa and a scroll describing the Saint Nick’s tradition December 6.

FOUR Miguel Gonzalez ’16, Jacob McMahon ’18, Luis Merino ’18 and Damdinbazar Sumiyabazar ’16 receive their Thinking of You (TOY) boxes at noon mess December 17.

FIVE Jorge Servin ’18 signs “I love you” with a group of Missouri School for the Deaf students at the annual MSD dinner on December 17 in the MMA mess hall.

SIX Day student WrayVauze Givens ’20 receives his holiday goodies courtesy of the Parents Committee on December 9.

SEVEN On December 17, Rhonda Blaue discovers a $100 bill in her gift box from the Parents Committee. She later donated the funds back to the organization.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE HOLIDAY?

NINE Carlos Rodriguez ’20 and Kevyn Bruce ’20 receive holiday gifts from the Parents Committee on December 17.

TEN Brennan Morand ’16 helps assemble and organize TOY boxes on December 17.

EIGHT Senior students Mauro Garza and Orlando Farias try out the driver’s seat of CPT Thomas Roberts’ motorcycle at the holiday parade December 12.

Christmas, because of the long winter break vacation we get and the good vibes I always get around this time. It just seems like everyone is a lot happier.

The year is basically over and you get to start a fresh one.

Nelson Aguilera ’16 Christmas and New Year, because all of [my] family members are together.

Photsavat Pongsuea ’17 Hanukkah, because it is a Jewish holiday. Jakob Union ’20 Christmas, because it’s the most wonderful time of the year.

Michael Naughton ’20 Christmas! I love seeing the decorations; lights everywhere in the streets; the cold; the feeling of Christmas; and most of all, spending time with [my] family.

Jose Mejia ’16 New Years is my favorite because I get to spend time with my girlfriend. Jacob Conyers ’16 Christmas, because I get to go home and spend the two weeks with my family and friends.

Ramon Rodriguez ’17

Photos ONE, TWO, FOUR, SIX, SEVEN and TEN by Erin Chambers.

Photos THREE and NINE by Enkhbilegt Luvsandorj ’16.

Photo FIVE by Jonathan James ’16.

Photo EIGHT by Justtin Muilenburg ’17.

AT RIGHT Zenghui Zhang ’17.

Photo by Erin Chambers.

page 103

THREE Robert Shields ’17, Thuqan Hindawi ’18 and Rodrigo Garza Navarro ’16.

FOUR Seniors Robert Pryor and Naranmandakh Ayulgui.

SIX Senior Bilguun Byambatsogt.

Photos shot by Sean Hannagan ’16 at Presser Hall on April 12.

vaccuumed theater On April 12, cadets were seats; built a fake flower divided up by LET classes decoration for the and visited four locations in mid-Missouri to help the local Steel Magnolias production; and helped pull community. weeds from the front lawn.

Ninety LET I students Thirty LET III students visited a soup kitchen in cleaned up trash and Columbia while 15 seniors planted approximately in LET IV volunteered with 450 redbud and sumac the Angel Wings program. trees at the A. P. Green "Angel Wings is a nonEstates. profit organization that "During this project, I gives away free clothing and toys to foster kids who learned that a single tree can provide seven people do not have anything," with oxygen for a whole senior Jon Snyder said. lifetime," senior Jesus Snyder and several of his Gracia said. "Planting fellow LET IV classmates 500 trees will benefit sorted and packaged many people." hygiene items including According to junior Aaron shampoo, conditioner, Thompson, the trees will soap, floss, toothpaste, help combat soil erosion toothbrushes, lotion and caused by a nearby creek. loofahs. (Pictured in photo FIVE by Erin Chambers.)

"I learned how to plant a tree, which isn’t as Other LET IV students simple as digging a hole spent their day at the and putting a tree in," Angel Wings store helping Gregory Prinster ’17 box up winter inventory and sort and hang summer said. "We had to work together in order to carry clothing. the equipment and to plant All too often, chilldren in the seedlings in the most foster care are subjected efficient way." to constant home changes ONE Hector Chapa ’16, until they either grow too Thomas Dean ’16, old for the system or are Jeremy Elkins ’18, adopted by a family. These Kenneth Westcott ’17 and constant moves typically CPT John Noel. leave these kids with little to no clothes. To make TWO Senior Temuulen it easier on the children Nerguibaatar. and foster parents, Angel Wings provides a large SEVEN Juniors Ernesto selection of free clothes Melgar and Ramon for all seasons. Robert Rodriguez.

Moore ’16 Photos shot by Sean Sixty LET II students Hannagan ’16 at traveled to Mexico’s Presser Hall on Presser Hall Performing April 12.

Arts Center. Some helped move materials from past productions, such as a large stained glass backdrop, to storage.

Others painted walls; moved furniture; mopped and swept the AT floors; RIGHT cleaned Ashton and Knipfer ’20.

Photo by Erin Chambers.

page 105

AT RIGHT Chinese instructor Wei Xu, Charles Eckardt ’17 and sophomores Garrett Stafford, Gabriel Vallejo and William Moore pose with their art February 8.

Photo by Erin Chambers.

“In Chinese class we celebrated the Lunar New Year by learning about Chinese calligraphy, traditions and greetings,” Stafford said.

Seniors: Dion Nguyen, Jose Estrada, Aeron Lee, Qihui Liu. Juniors: Yuqi Jin, Photsavat Pongsuea, Zenghui Zhang, Yelin Zhou. Sophomores: Zhouli Cai, Jeremy Elkins, Rongyang Yi, Sizheng Zhang.

Freshmen: Yutong Dongfang, Zhicheng Mao.

MEXICO HIGH SCHOOL GLOBAL ROUNDTABLE

Matheus Alexandre ’16, Bilguun Byambatsogt ’16, Weitao Cong ’16, Mig Gisa ’17, Yunil Jeon ’16, Qiyu Liu ’18, Ngonga Mugabo ’17 and Jorge Villarreal ’17 served as panelists at the sixth annual MHS Global Roundtable in February. Cadets answered questions posed by MHS juniors about their home countries. Topics included economics, education and governmental structure.

Seniors: Naranmandakh Ayulgui, Bilguun Byambatsogt, Yunil Jeon, Chinguun Khatigin, Aeron Lee, Enkhbilegt Luvsandorj, Temuulen Nerguibaatar, Damdinbazar Sumiyabazar, Turbold Tumurkhuu. Sophomores: Edward Cha, Davaasuren Dashdavaa, Jeremy Elkins, Tamir Nyamdavaa. Freshmen: Angel Alcaraz, Nyamkhuu Chinguun, Sergio Contreras, Khaliguun Enkhbayar.

DOUGH MOLDING

On October 12, MMA and the Columbia Friends of China hosted a visit by painter and sculptor Dao Jiang Ji, who demonstrated molding techniques for Cheryl Morris’ students. Each cadet then crafted his own delicate pink rose.

ABOVE RIGHT William Moore ’18 and Evan Willimon ’16 pose with their roses October 12.

Photo courtesy of CPT Greg Maximovitch.

ACROBAT PERFORMANCE

Morris continued her study of China later that month, hosting a field trip October 20 to a performance by The National Acrobats of the People’s Republic of China.

ABOVE LEFT Attendees Clayton Ebert ’17, Jordan Hornick ’20, Gabriel Vallejo ’18, Yinzhou Wang ’18 and Zenghui Zhang ’17.

Photo courtesy of Morris.

ONE Yuan Cui ’20 helps hang Lunar New Year decorations in Barnard Hall on February 2.

Photo by Nelson Aguilera ’16.

THREE Angel Alcaraz ’19, Dongyang Chen ’20, YiJun Li ’18, Sergio Contreras ’19 and Jiaxuan Zhou ’18 pose at noon mess.

Photos TWO, THREE and FOUR shot February 8 by Erin Chambers.

WHAT DO YOU MISS MOST ABOUT YOUR HOME COUNTRY? The thing that I miss the most is the traditional food.

Ramon Rodriguez ’17 Everything, but what I miss the most is the weather and people. Rene Padilla ’16 I miss the amazing different types of food like galbi, barbeque beef; kimchi chigae, spicy cabbage soup; and gom tang (ox tail soup.) American food is too fattening and bad for the body. Edward Cha ’18 I miss my parents, because they support and help me.

Raul Escarcega ’17

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE HOLIDAY? Carnival is the best holiday.

[We spend] the whole week just having fun.

We celebrate with a lot of parties [and] loud music.

Matheus Alexandre ’16 Dia de los Muertos!

It’s a festival honoring the dead and there is a lot of food. Jose Mejia ’16 Lunar New Year.

Tamir Nyamdavaa ’18 My favorite holiday is Children’s Day, which is a day dedicated to the kids of Korea. I celebrate it by getting a day off of school and being with family and friends. Edward Cha ’18 New Years, because I go out with a couple of friends and enjoy the night.

Thuqan Hindawi ’18 Lunar New Year is my favorite holiday because we wear Mongolian traditional clothes, eat Mongolian traditional food and meet with all of our family, siblings and cousins. Temuulen Nerguibaatar ’16

WO2 Freddie Lomas and his son senior Finley Lomas pose October 28. Photo courtesy of Cheryl Morris.

AT RIGHT Enrique Acevedo ’20.

Photo by Lucas Moore ’18.

page 107

BRONZE BOYS

The following students received their Bronze Duke of Edinburgh’s Awards during the school year.

Nyamkhuu Chinguun ’19 Weitao Cong ’16 Davasuren Dashdavaa ’18 Sugar Dashdavaa ’17 Gabriel Elizondo ’17 Alejandro Gastelum ’17 Oybek Kirkland '17 Ramon Rodriguez ’17 Robert Shields '17 Alexander Seibert ’18 Jean-Luc Shyaka ’17 Benjamin Snider-Bilbrey ’17 Hector Villanueva ’17 The following students received their Silver Duke of Edinburgh's Awards during a ceremony April 16.

Yunil Jeon '16 Russell Holman '16

Photos ONE and THREE by Michael Naughton ’20.

Photo FOUR by Lucas Moore '18.

ONE Aaron Thompson ’17 hikes on October 23 during his Adventurous Journey. THREE Juniors Griffin Gilman and Ramon Rodriguez, sophomore Mitchell Duing and eighth grader Michael Naughton pose October 23.

FOUR Cadets pose April 16 after receiving their Duke of Edinburgh's Award medals during Spring Family Weekend.

On October 23, a small group of cadets (juniors Ramon Rodriguez, Aaron Thompson and Griffin Gilman, sophomore Mitchell Duing and eighth

grader Michael Naughton set out on an Adventurous Journey.

In order to qualify for the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, cadets must provide community service, cultivate a special skill, complete a physical training regimen and plan and embark on a muiltiple-day Adventurous Journey.

"What our group did was a 22 mile hike — mind you, all in the pouring rain — slept overnight at a lake, and then hiked about another 6 to 8 miles back," Thompson, pictured at left, said.

CONTINUED BELOW

WHAT WAS THE HARDEST PART OF YOUR AJ?

WHAT DID YOU LIKE MOST ABOUT YOUR AJ?

Walking miles on end with a kit.

Michael Naughton ’20

Hanging out with the guys and enjoying our time together, as some of them have graduated.

The jokes and conversations we all had in the morning or at night around the fire. Jose Estrada ’16

We walked 13 miles, and it was really exhausting. Ramon Rodriguez ’17

CONTINUED FROM ABOVE "It was a lot of fun, and we all had a great time. By the time we reached where we were going to camp, we were all so happy that we could finally stop! We had a feast of MREs and some frozen food. It was a great time, even if we did come back with some sore feet."

An additional twelve students received their Bronze Duke of Edinburgh’s Award medals April 16, having completed their Adventurous Journey on April 8 and 9.

SENATE RECOGNITION Four cadets were honored in Jefferson City on February 24 by the Missouri House of Representatives and Senate for earning Silver Duke of Edinburgh’s Award medals. Seniors Jose Estrada, John Curley, Alfonso Leon and Yunil Jeon, who completed their Adventurous Journey during the 2014-15 school year, all stood on the floor of the House and Senate as their names were read and they received plaques.

What has the DOE program taught you?

I would like to encourage young people to complete this program. I believe that this program opens a lot of doors for college and for careers. You also learn a lot about team work, community service, and physical activities. LEON It has taught me dedication more than anything else. Rather than change activities or interests on impulse, I am forced to stick with what I am working on. Over 3 days, I hiked with my friends

with nothing more than the bags on our backs. CURLEY TWO Curley, Leon, Estrada and Jeon receive their DOE Awards on February 24.

AT RIGHT Conner Nelson ’19.

Photo by Erin Chambers.

page 109

Valentine Weekend began on February 13 with early morning parent-teacher conferences and a Boy Scout pancake breakfast.

During the biannual Passing Through Ceremony held in the field house, new cadets graduated from recruit training and became full members of the Corps of Cadets. Following a small college fair featuring William Woods University, Missouri S&T, the U.S. Army and a tip session

on college essay composition, the festivities continued with the annual Valentine Dinner and Ball.

The event, which featured a Great Gatsby theme and was organized by the junior class and librarian Fran Robley, culminated with the crowning of 2016 Valentine Ball Queen Lorena Salinas Montelongo

by Miss Missouri McKensie Garber.

(See photo FOUR.) CONTINUED ON PAGE 112

FIVE New recruits Yanlin Chen ’18, Rory Davis ’17, Cesar Garza ’17, Justin Haupt ’17, Yuqi Jin ’17, Jack Mitchell ’19, Erick Puente ’18 and Donovan Washburn ’18 are welcomed into the Corps of Cadets at the biannual Passing Through ceremony.

SIX Christian Ashton ’18 and Mikaela Clancy and [SEVEN] Jack Mitchell ’19 and Malia Smith pose at the Great Gatsby-themed Valentine Ball.

EIGHT Raul Escarcega ’17 and Angel Alcaraz ’19 march in the Valentine review.

NINE Julien Mugabo ’17 escorts Miss Missouri’s Outstanding Teen Alexis Piskulic through the receiving line.

All photos shot February 13.

Photo TWO by Justin Touchette ’16.

Additional photos by Erin Chambers.

MAROON BAR

On March 3, twelve cadets received the Maroon Bar via Special Order No. 44, having displayed outstanding behavior throughout February 2016.

Victor Armando Leon ’18 Carlos Liriano ’18 Ngonga Mugabo ’17 Michael Naughton ’20 Alexander Schaaf ’18 Damdinbazar Sumiyabazar ’16 Aaron Thompson ’17 Gabriel Vallejo ’18 Yinzhou Wang ’18 Haijunhao Yu ’19 Sizheng Zhang ’18 Zenghui Zhang ’17

ONE Alejandro Gastelum ’17 escorts Valentine Queen candidate Fatima Maniya to the stage.

TWO Guidon Alejandro Tovar ’17 prepares for the Valentine review.

THREE Kevyn Bruce ’20 receives kisses from Miss Missouri McKensie Garber and Miss Missouri’s Outstanding Teen Alexis Piskulic.

AT RIGHT Emiliano Gonzalez ’18.

Photo by Erin Chambers.

page page 111 111

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 110 Eight cadets (junior Jose Balanza and Gabriel Elizondo; sophomores Jeremy Elkins and Noah Webster; freshmen Samuel Guo and Conner Nelson; and senior Jonathan James) and two staffers (LT Sean Peters and WO2 Rik Thornton) joined 160 fellow participants and took the Mexico Polar Plunge on February 13 at Plunkett Park.

Kiwanis Lake was frozen over except for a small chunk cut out for the Plunge. The temperature high during the Plunge was 22 degrees.

MMA donated $500, which contributed to the weekend’s total donations of $24,000 toward Special Olympics Missouri. SOMO provides sports training and competition for children and adults with intellectual disabilities.

HOW DID THE WATER FEEL? The water was so cold that it stung you. It was a rush of cold that went through your body. … I started to cry when I got out because it was so cold. Jonathan James ’16 The water was definitely below freezing. … After I got out, I couldn’t feel my feet for an hour so it must have been really cold. My whole body went numb after I dunked my head. Noah Webster ’18 The water was like a million degrees below zero. It felt like my whole body was going to freeze! My hair froze and I couldn’t feel my feet or my hands for almost an hour. Jeremy Elkins ’18 WHY DID YOU DECIDE TO TAKE THE POLAR PLUNGE? Because I love doing charity fundraisers. James I took the Polar Plunge because it was for a good cause. Elkins

SOLDIER’S BAR

At the Valentine Ball on February 13, Otto Albertsen ’18 and Noah Hacker ’18 serenaded the crowd with ukulele solos.

WHY DO YOU LIKE THE UKULELE? I began teaching myself the acoustic guitar. After falling in love with the instrument, I decided I wanted something a little more portable and easy to take with me. Albertsen I’ve played ukulele for only two months now. My parents got me a ukulele for a Christmas present and I immediately fell in love with it. Hacker HOW DID YOU PICK YOUR SONG? The song I played was called Can’t Help Falling in Love. I heard the original by Elvis Presley far before I even picked up a ukulele. Albertsen The ukulele song I played was called You and I. My mother and I used to listen to the song when I was young. But after years rolled by, I forgot the song existed.

I remember hearing the song again on a commercial. Hacker HOW DID IT FEEL TO PERFORM? Playing for the Valentines Ball was a good experience, considering it was the first time I had played the uke in front of an audience. I was very nervous leading up to the performance, but when I stood millimeters away from the mic, I kind of forgot I was even playing. Albertsen I felt very nervous at first going up on the stage. I was afraid of people judging me on how I played. But I just decided I’m not going to allow someone’s opinion to affect the things I love. Hacker ABOVE Hacker and Albertsen perform February 13 at the Valentine Ball.

BELOW Hacker and Carlos Liriano ’18 pose February 18 with a wire guitar they created during art class.

Photos by Erin Chambers.

On March 3, having displayed outstanding military courtesy, bearing, neatness, attitude and performance of duty throughout February 2016, eleven cadets were awarded the Soldier’s Bar via Special Order No. 43.

Davaasuren Dashdavaa ’18 Mitchell Duing ’18 Jordan Hornick ’20 Jose Mejia ’16 Luis Merino ’18 Temuulen Nerguibaatar ’16 Nehemiah Simmons ’20 Damdinbazar Sumiyabazar ’16 Gabriel Vallejo ’18 Jared Violette ’16 Jiaxuan Zhou ’18

DO YOU FOLLOW YOUR HEAD OR YOUR HEART? Heart, because I think love is the most important thing. Christian Foster ’19 With my head. Emotions cause unnecessary bias. Samuel Guo ’19

Depends on the situation.

But mostly I think with my head.

Rodrigo Garza Navarro ’16 My heart. Lucas Moore ’18

DO YOU BELIEVE IN LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT?

I believe in it because I have experienced it.

Rodrigo Garza Navarro ’16 No, it takes time. Samuel Guo ’19 Yes. Jason Russell ’16

No, because just because someone is pretty or handsome does not mean they are the one for you. Christian Foster ’19

DESCRIBE YOUR WORST DATE EVER.

I took a girl to the movies and she had the most obnoxious laugh. Rodrigo Garza Navarro ’16 We went to the same restaurant that her parents went to! Miguel Gonzalez ’16

AT RIGHT Tyler Jansing ’19.

Photo by Erin Chambers.

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FALL CADET CHALLENGE TOP SCORES 88% Purevsuren Bayanbaatar ’16 86% Oscar Cortada ’16 86% Bayar-Erdene Oldokhbayar ’17 83% Naranmandakh Ayulgui ’16 82% Christian Paz ’16 81% WrayVauze Givens ’20 79% Robert Shields ’17 78% Yunil Jeon ’16 77% Oscar Garcia ’16 76% Ngonga Mugabo ’17 76% Nyamkhuu Chinguun ’19 75% Martin Farias ’20 70% Jean-Luc Shyaka ’17 64% Damdinbazar Sumiyabazar ’16 64% Thomas Huckins ’20

ONE CPT Steven Manning and Gabriel Perez ’18 help coach Kevyn Bruce ’20 during the pull-up challenge October 28.

TWO Sizheng Zhang ’18 and [FOUR] Haozhang Li ’16 complete the mile run September 16.

THREE Seniors Oscar Garcia, Purevsuren Bayanbaatar and Naranmandakh Ayulgui, who all scored in the top 15 at the fall Cadet Challenge, pose January 16.

FIVE Emilio Camou ’19, Juan Cepeda ’18, Cesar Garcia ’20, Nicolas Gonzalez ’21 Ngonga Mugabo ’17, Carlos Rodriguez ’20

and Ulysses Suarez ’19 watch as Robert Van Huss ’16 executes a flip October 28.

SIX Yelin Zhou ’17 and [SEVEN] Noah Hacker ’18 strain to do curl-ups August 27 during the Cadet Challenge.

EIGHT Sophomore Thuqan Hindawi shows his strength September 16 during the pull-up test.

Photos ONE and FIVE by Christine Smith.

Photo THREE by Jonathan James ’16.

Photos TWO, FOUR, SIX, SEVEN and EIGHT by Erin Chambers.

AT RIGHT Robert Shields ’17.

Photo by Lucas Moore ’18.

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Matheus Alexandre ’16 Juan Cepeda ’18 Gabriel Elizondo ’17 Jose Elizondo ’18 Orlando Farias ’16 Styles Fountain ’19 Mig Gisa ’17 Victor Armando Leon ’18 Luis Merino ’18 Gabriel Vallejo ’18

ONE Military Policemen pose with the new security vehicle February 2. TWO CPT Carl Estenik's daughter studies junior Aaron Thompson's hat at a Fusilier meet January 29.

THREE Shane Heisler '19 climbs the rock wall March 5. FIVE Cadets attend Sunday Vespers in the newly-renovated Memorial Chapel on September 20. Photo FIVE by Brennan Morand '16.

Eighth graders [FOUR] Nehemiah Simmons and [EIGHT] Isaac Gastelum stretch during a Yoga Club meeting November 11. Photos ONE, FOUR, EIGHT and NINE by Erin Chambers.

SIX Band Company's Joshua Evans '19 and Jacob Conyers '16 compete in the carpet squares contest August 29 during the Opening Picnic.

SEVEN John Curley '16 peers through the rifle sight during The Crucible on February 6. NINE Military Policemen pose October 17.

Photo TWO courtesy of LTC Willis Kleinsorge. Photos THREE and SEVEN by Christian Foster '19. Photo SIX by William Moore '18.

AT RIGHT Mig Gisa ’17.

Photo by Erin Chambers.

page 117

ONE Cadets pose at the Re-Member facility March 4. TWO Students pose in Washington, D.C. on March 5.

Cadets pose in Italy on [THREE] March 16 and [FOUR] March 18. Photos THREE, FOUR and FIVE courtesy of Robert Moore ’16.

WHAT WAS THE MOST MOVING THING YOU SAW ON YOUR TRIP? The Holocaust museum.

It is very touching to know what the people went through. Ethan Ford ’20

The Arlington National Cemetery was the most moving because we saw JFK’s grave and saw a few of the 425,000 graves of others who sacrificed their lives for us. ... I wanted to visit the war memorials because of the history of military [service] in my family. Jordan Hornick ’20

PINE RIDGE On February 26, seven cadets and two chaperones set out for the Oglala Lakota reservation in Pine Ridge, South Dakota.

Paul Murphy returned for his second trip, while fellow sophomore William Moore returned for the third time.

"I decided to go because I went last year and loved the experience," Murphy said.

"I decided to go back because you always learn something new about their cultures that you couldn’t learn anywhere else," Moore said. "I also wanted to keep helping them because they need all the help they can get."

Alongside fellow Re-Member volunteers, cadets helped improve the lives of impoverished Native Americans by building outhouses, chopping firewood, constructing wheelchair ramps and improving mobile home foundations.

WASHINGTON, D.C. Seven cadets and one chaperone departed March 5 for the nation’s Capital. Stops on the trip included the Lincoln Memorial, Arlington National Cemetery, the Washington Monument and the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial.

ITALY EDUCATIONAL TOUR Escorted by Missouri Military Academy staffers Rhonda Blaue, Edsel Baker and Dr. James Bonanno, seventeen students visited Italy.

The program, which was coordinated by Worldstrides International Discovery Programs, began March 13 with an overnight flight to Italy.

Photo ONE courtesy of William Moore ’18.

Photo TWO courtesy of LT Kevin Bissmeyer.

ITALY Guido Arredondo ’20 Gerardo Calanda ’19 Jose Estrada ’16 Joshua Evans ’19 Alejandro Gastelum ’17 Samuel Guo ’19 Russell Holman ’16 Jordan Hornick ’20 Victor Armando Leon ’18 Victor Arturo Leon ’18 Luis Merino ’18 Robert Moore ’16 Juan Pablo Moreno ’21 Jesus Perales ’20 Santiago Sanchez ’21 Jakob Union ’20 Rongyang Yi ’18 Rhonda Blaue, Edsel Baker Dr. James Bonanno PINE RIDGE Oscar Cortada ’16 Jeremy Elkins ’18 Joshua Evans ’19 Jackson Ford ’18 Aeron Lee ’16 William Moore ’18 Paul Murphy ’18 Mike Harding LTC Paul Gillette

In Venice, cadets enjoyed a gondola ride and visited St. Mark’s Square, the Grand Canal, the Doge’s Palace and the Bridge of Sighs.

On day four of their journey, en route to Florence, cadets viewed the early Christian and Byzantine mosaics of Ravenna. In Florence, students visited the Duomo, the Baptistery doors and

the Church of Santa Croce. At the Accademia museum, students viewed Michelangelo’s David and works from artists such as da Vinci and Botticelli.

That evening, cadets created their own pasta and cooked spaghetti with creme caramel. (Joshua Evans ’19 pictured in photo FIVE on March 17.)

Cadets next traveled through Tuscany and explored Assisi, visiting the Basilica of St. Francis. They then continued into Rome, stopping at the Piazza Navona, the Spanish Steps, the Trevi Fountain, St. Peter’s Basilica, the Sistine Chapel, the Colosseum, the Arch of Constantine and Trajan’s Column.

WASHINGTON, D.C. Ethan Ford ’20 Isaac Gastelum ’20 Jordan Hornick ’20 Joseph Kaplan ’20 Oscar Lopez ’21 Michael Naughton ’20 Ulysses Suarez ’19 LT Kevin Bissmeyer

Students next visited Pompeii, a Roman city frozen in time by the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius in 79 A.D., before flying back to the United States.

AT RIGHT James Myrick ’18.

Photo by Erin Chambers.

page 119

LEARNING TO SAVE LIVES

Three seniors — Oscar Cortada, Weitao Cong and Fahad Aliev — studied and swam for nearly 40 hours over four days to earn their lifeguard certification.

Stopping only for meals, cadets trained from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. on September 11; from 7:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. on September 12; and from 7:30 a.m. on Sunday, September 13 to 4 a.m. on Monday, September 14.

The trio thus met the requirements to earn a two year Red Cross Life Guard Qualification. Challenges included a CPR/AED course, a 300-meter swim, a brick test and a two minute endurance test in which students treaded water without using their hands.

Additional students were certified in February, including senior John Curley.

IN HIS OWN WORDS:

By John Curley '16 The class was tough. What made it hard, though, were the long hours in the classroom with intermittent pool exercises.

The hardest part was the final assessment, which included two tests and three live scenarios, all of which we had to perfect.

The majority of failures were for small mistakes — missing a few questions on the test or forgetting a certain procedure in the water, like giving detailed instructions to civilians.

I don’t take the life of another lightly. I constantly think about the possibility of being in danger.

First-year cadets [FIVE] Hank Williams ’18, [SIX] Yinzhou Wang ’18 [EIGHT] and Sugar Dashdavaa ’17 complete a water survival course August 18. Photos ONE, FOUR, FIVE and SIX and EIGHT by Erin Chambers.

CADET LIFEGUARDS The following students earned their lifeguard certification at MMA: Fahad Aliev ’16 Weitao Cong ’16 Oscar Cortada ’16 John Curley ’16 Aeron Lee ’16 Jacob McMahon ’18 Justtin Muilenburg ’17 Juan Diego Silva ’17 Aaron Thompson ’17 Evan Willimon ’16

On August 18, JROTC instructors CPT Carl Estenik, 1SG Randal Jacobson and SFC John Biddle led a water combat survival course in the MMA Natatorium.

While weak swimmers practiced treading water, their more experienced brothers constructed emergency flotation devices with pairs of ACU pants.

Each cadet tied the fabric at the ankles into a knot, hung the knot around their neck and dove in. By holding the waist opening wide while jumping, they trapped air inside the pants and held the bubble closed.

Cadets floated the length of the pool on their backs, refilling the pants by scooping in additional water — which sinks, according to Estenik, allowing air to rise to the top of the pants.

In a similar exercise, cadets were instructed to hold a rifle in front of themselves before stepping out into the pool. Once submerged, they released the weapon and treaded water.

AT RIGHT Yuchen Zhang ’17.

Photo by Erin Chambers.

Cadet swim coaches during the exercise were seniors Bilguun Byambatsogt, Oscar Cortada and Emilio Nanni.

ONE Weak swimmer Yelin Zhou ’17 struggles to keep his head above water August 18.

TWO Tyler Jansing ’19 and [SEVEN] Joseph Mulvey '18 take their Crucible swim test February 5. Photos by Christian Foster ’19.

THREE Eighth grader and summer camp attendee Ashton Knipfer practices administering CPR on July 13. Photo by Connor Pearson.

FOUR Cadet lifeguards Aaron Thompson ’17, Oscar Cortada ’16, Weitao Cong ’16, Juan Diego Silva ’17 and Aeron Lee ’16 pose April 10.

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SOCCER PAGE 124 FOOTBALL PAGE 130 WRESTLING PAGE 134 BASKETBALL PAGE 138 GOLF PAGE 142 RUGBY PAGE 142 ARCHERY PAGE 144 HORSEBACK PAGE 144 LACROSSE PAGE 148 TENNIS PAGE 148

AT RIGHT Senior Rene Padilla.

Original photo by Justin Touchette ’16.

Digital illustration by Erin Chambers.

FORT ZUMWALT TOURNAMENT 8/25 Lutheran Saint Charles 8-2 W 8/27 Ritenour 1-0 W

MOBERLY INVITATIONAL 9/10 Canton HS 12-2 W 9/12 Father Tolton 5-1 W 9/12 Fatima 6-0 W

MEXICO BULLDOG INVITATIONAL 10/10 Chilicothe 10-1 W 10/10 Mexico HS 3-0 W

REGULAR SEASON 8/28 Warrenton 8-3 W 9/1 Southern Boone 0-4 L 9/3 Father Tolton 3-4 L 9/15 Fatima 4-3 W 9/22 Hannibal 4-2 W 9/24 Mexico HS 4-1 W 9/28 Elsberry 11-1 W 10/5 Elsberry 5-1 W 10/8 Barat Academy 1-0 W by forfeit 10/15 Soldan Intl.

Studies 5-1 W 10/17 Fulton 11-0 W 10/20 Smithton 9-0 W

DISTRICTS & SECTIONALS 10/21 Kirksville, District 8 Playoffs 5-0 W 10/24 Mexico High School, District 8 Championship 2-0 W 10/27 St. Francis Borgia, Sectionals 1-3 L

Fighting Colonels bring home THREE tournament trophies, NINETEEN season wins and ONE District Championship After bad weather caused a late start to the Fort Zumwalt Tournament, the MMA varsity soccer team finally kicked off their 2015-16 season with an 8-2 victory over the Lutheran St. Charles Cougars on August 25.

MMA came out strong with a goal in the fourth minute courtesy of a 30-yard shot by senior Matheus Alexandre. A second goal came from senior Jesus Gracia, who scored on a diving header minutes later.

Colonel strikers Mig Gisa ’17 and Donald Williams ’18 followed with goals of their own to end the first half with a 4-1 lead. The second half mirrored the first as Alexandre scored again, followed by Gracia, who scored twice more for a hat-trick.

Juan Perez ’18 scored his first goal at MMA. Alejandro Gastelum '17 and seniors Alexandre, Jose Estrada and Rene Padilla

BELOW Cadets celebrate after defeating Mexico High School 3-0 and winning the Mexico Bulldog Invitational championship plaque on December 10. Pictured: sophomores Malachi Grice, Victor Arturo Leon, Cesar Perera, Juan Perez and Donald Williams; juniors Arnoldo Aguirre, Edward Cha, Alejandro Gastelum, Mig Gisa, Oybek Kirkland, Gregory Prinster and Juan Silva; and seniors Matheus Alexandre, William Carter, Jose Estrada, Jesus Gracia, David Lazcano and Rene Padilla. Photo by Tristan Hendrix ’16.

each contributed one assist and Arnoldo Aguirre ’17 made two.

“He showed the best leadership I’ve ever seen by an athlete here,” head coach MAJ Kevin Farley said of team captain Estrada.

Cadets triumphed 1-0 on August 27 versus Ritenour, with the score tied at 0-0 until the 74th minute.

Of MMA’s 19 shots on goal, only a shot by Gracia off a pass from Aguirre made it past the keeper.

“It was neck and neck throughout the game, with a few early shots being saved by their keeper, and a very early second half shot from Yednekachew Atkins ’17 going just wide,” assistant coach LT Sean Peters said.

According to Peters, senior goalkeeper Justin Touchette started out nervous but “gained confidence as the match progressed and made some very important saves, at one point recovering a fumble that looked sure to go in. He certainly kept us in the game.”

Touchette made 8 saves in the 80-minute match.

“The Fighting Colonels never got frustrated or gave up and continued to attack,” Farley said.

ARTICLE AT CONTINUED RIGHT ON NEXT Juan Diego PAGE Silva ’17.

Photo by Brennan Morand ’16.

page 125

Williams both had three goals and three assists each. Gisa, Gastelum and senior David Lazcano scored one goal each.

William Carter ’16 watched the goal for 180 minutes and saved six shots. Atkins spent 60 minutes in goal and saved six shots. Gracia was named Legerland Athlete of the Week by The Mexico Ledger for his performance at the tournament.

FACING FATIMA On September 15 — not counting the three goals he scored that night during MMA’s 4-3 defeat of Fatima High School — Gracia was named the highest-scoring soccer player in Missouri’s Class 2A division, topping the charts in goals scored, total points and games won. Alexandre was named the No. 8 scorer in Missouri, followed by Williams at No. 16.

Competing against the Comets for the second time this season, MMA was down by three points at halftime. Padilla provided assists in the 53rd minute and 69th minute for goals by Gracia. One last goal by Gracia brought the score to a tie until the final 24 seconds.

“It was really great to see an MMA team not give up when things didn’t look very good.

The Fighting Colonels overcame adversity, and that will make this team even stronger,” Farley said.

Carter covered the goal for the duration of the game, stopping 8 of 11 shots on goal.

The junior varsity team took the field following the varsity match, defeating the Fatima JV team 2-0. According to Farley, Lazcano “ripped a couple of ... bullets from outside the penalty box” within the first two minutes.

The varsity Colonels won a home game 4-2 over Hannibal on September 22 and proved victorious again two days later with a 4-1 home win over Mexico High School on September 24.

“Soccer practices have always been Less than three minutes great experiences for me. They allow me into the game, Gracia scored the first goal of the to relieve my stress and be with my friends evening — he scored twice who love the sport as much as I do.” more on the night, earning JUAN DIEGO SILVA ’17 his sixth hat-trick of the season. Gastelum found the net thanks to a penalty kick awarded for an MHS handball in the box. Carter spent the full recovering from injuries and not playing, so game in the goalbox, making six saves. it is giving us a great opportunity for some younger players to get more playing time.

DEFEATING ELSBERRY We are still far ahead of where we were last The team triumphed twice in a row over the season, so we continue to anticipate a great Hawks with an 11-1 home win September 28 season ahead.” followed by a 5-1 road win October 5.

MOBERLY INVITATIONAL Padilla contributed three points and two The team bounced back in their second assists during MMA’s first match, which was tournament of the season, ultimately taking called 17 minutes early due to the Colonels’ home the Moberly Invitational trophy. significant lead. Gracia scored four goals while Alexandre, Williams and sophomore On September 10, cadets defeated Canton Francisco Fletes added one goal apiece.

12-2. Gracia scored 5 goals while Alexandre contributed 3 goals.

Assists were provided by Alexandre, Estrada, Fletes, sophomore Edward Cha “Many players scored during the match and and senior Christian Paz. Carter spent 63 left the Moberly crowd in awe of their passing minutes in the box, saving six shots. and scoring ability,” Farley said.

“This game was much more enjoyable than MMA next faced Father Tolton the morning our 11-1 win,” Farley said of the second win. of September 12, defeating their semifinal “In our first match against Elsberry, everyone rival by 5-1. That afternoon, the team won the was goal hungry, and it was nice to see our invitational by defeating Fatima 6-0. boys work on their possession in this match.

During the three tournament matches, That will pay huge dividends in future games the team scored 23 goals total. Eleven as we approach the playoffs.” were courtesy of Gracia; Alexandre and CONTINUED ON PAGE 129 CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE On August 29, MMA faced Warrenton and won 8-3 to go 3-0-0 on the season. Cadets boasted six first-half goals against the Warriors — three of which were courtesy of Gracia, who picked up his second hat-trick.

Alexandre and Gisa provided assists.

Alexandre scored twice while Williams scored off an assist from Aguirre.

Cadets took a total of 27 shots on goal, while Touchette stopped six shots for MMA. “A tired MMA soccer team is ready for the free weekend!” Farley said.

FIGHTING COLONELS FALTER The then-unbeaten Fighting Colonels stumbled the following week, losing a home game 0-4 on September 1 against Southern Boone.

Despite the loss against the Eagles, Farley congratulated Juan Silva ’17 for his maturity.

“Juan really stepped up as a leader toward the end of the match,” Farley said. “He spoke to the team and told them, ’Failure will make us stronger and help us find success.’ It was very impressive to see him step up as a leader and work so hard as a player.”

Cadets then fell 3-4 on September 3 versus the Father Tolton Trailblazers in a double overtime fight. The Colonels couldn’t find the net early in the game — six times during the first 10 minutes, MMA shots reflected off posts or went wide of the goal.

Keeper Touchette stopped 8 of 12 shots.

Atkins scored once while Alexandre scored on an assist from Aguirre. Silva scored off an assist from Gisa.

“This week was not as kind to us as last week,” Farley said. “We have a lot of starters

VARSITY

Arnoldo Aguirre ’17 Matheus Alexandre ’16 Yednekachew Atkins ’17 William Carter ’16 Edward Cha ’18 Jose Estrada ’16 Francisco Fletes ’18 Alejandro Gastelum ’17 Mig Gisa ’17 Jesus Gracia ’16 Oybek Kirkland ’17 David Lazcano ’16 Victor Arturo Leon ’18 Rene Padilla ’16 Christian Paz ’16 Juan Perez ’18 Cesar Perera ’18 Juan Diego Silva ’17 Justin Touchette ’16 Donald Williams ’18

Photos ONE and TWO by Erin Chambers.

Photo THREE by Alexander Sheldon ’22.

JUNIOR VARSITY Fahad Aliev ’16 Gerardo Calanda ’19 Zeth Colin ’19 Jonathan James ’16 Malachi Grice ’18 Eric Juarez ’18 Juan Letamendi ’17 Lucas Moore ’18 Emilio Nanni ’16 Photsavat Pongsuea ’17 Gregory Prinster ’17 Jorge Villarreal ’17 Michael Wetzel ’17

AWARDS

Pursuing Victory with Honor Award Yednekachew Atkins ’17 Fahad Aliev ’16 MVP, All-State Honorable Mention, First Team All-District and All-Region Team Rene Padilla ’16 Most Improved Donald Williams ’18 Best New Boy, Defensive MVP, Workhorse Award, First Team All-District, All-Region Team, All-State Honorable Mention and Most Positive Attitude Matheus Alexandre ’16 First Team All-District, Senior Leader Award and Defensive MVP Jose Estrada ’16 Most Outstanding Offensive Player, First Team All-District, First Team All-State, All-Region Team, All-Region Offensive Player of the Year Jesus Gracia ’16 TWO Rene Padilla ’16 shows off his balance during a preseason practice August 13.

“I really enjoy playing my favorite sport here with my friends,” Padilla said.

ONE Matheus Alexandre ’16 lunges to steal the ball from an MHS player in MMA’s 4-1 home win September 24. Alexandre primarily played center midfielder, right midfielder and striker.

Alexandre said his favorite moment of the season was “when we won the district championship” on October 21 and the “whole school [was] there cheering and supporting us.”

JESUS GRACIA ’16 BREAKS ACADEMY’S SINGLE-SEASON SCORING RECORD On October 17, with his family in the stands, Gracia tied the single-season scoring record only 32 seconds after the start of the Fall Family Weekend game. The feat broke the previous MMA record of 47 goals set by Thomas Gonzalez in 1993.

Gracia’s 58th and final goal of the season came October 27, putting him at third on the MSHSAA all-time leading goal scorers list with an average of 2.76 goals per game.

Gracia scored at least one goal in every game he played this season.

MEET JESUS GRACIA Gracia spent the first decade of his life in Monterrey, Mexico. Sick of frequent shootings — and after their home and car were broken into — 14-year-old Jesus and his family made the monumental move to Vancouver, Canada.

“In Mexico, I had really bad grades.

I didn’t do my homework,” Gracia said. “When I came here, I said, ’I can’t be doing this anymore.’ So I came here and the first month I got all A’s and one B.” Gracia also joined the soccer team and spent three years playing wing.

Gracia is now an Honor Captain, his promise to never lie or cheat signified by a badge pinned above his heart. His commitment to honor extends beyond the academic building and onto the soccer field.

ABOVE Gracia takes a shot on goal September 24 during MMA’s 4-1 home defeat of Mexico High School. Photo by Erin Chambers. Article

by Connor Pearson.

THREE JV players pose for a group photo before facing Father Tolton on September 3. Pictured: freshmen Gerardo Calanda and Zeth Colin; sophomore Eric Juarez; juniors Juan Letamendi, Photsavat Pongsuea and Gregory Prinster; and seniors Fahad Aliev and Jonathan James.

AT RIGHT Lucas Moore ’18.

Photo by Erin Chambers.

page 127

SOCCER SPOTLIGHT: MIG GISA ’17 How long have you played soccer? Seven years.

What is your proudest accomplishment? The best time of my life was when our school in Rwanda reached the Kigali Youth Championship.

What do you think about when a game starts? How hard I’m going to work to win this game.

What life lessons have you learned from playing soccer? Practice doesn’t make you perfect, but it does make you better.

How important is teamwork? Teamwork is very important to me because it helps me succeed in life. All that we do in life requires a strong team.

What advice would you give to younger players?

Work as hard as you can and never give up. You can achieve all your dreams and goals with a positive spirit.

ABOVE Nathan Nolan ’22 and Gisa, who stands at six feet six inches, pose on October 14.

TWO Junior varsity players pose for a group photo October 6. Pictured: freshmen Gerardo Calanda and Zeth Colin; sophomore Malachi Grice; juniors Juan Letamendi, Photsavat Pongsuea, Gregory Prinster, Jorge Villarreal and Michael Wetzel; and senior Jonathan James.

SEASON BY THE NUMBERS

TEAM TOTAL: 116 GOALS SEASON RECORD: 19-3-0 11 ASSISTS: Third-highest individual total on team, Arnoldo Aguirre ’17 SEASON TOTAL — 58 GOALS, 12 ASSISTS: Jesus Gracia ’16 37 SHOTS ON GOAL: Team total October 10 versus Chillicothe 15 GOALS: Second-highest individual total on team, Matheus Alexandre ’16 983 MINUTES IN GOAL, 59 SAVES: William Carter ’16 8 SHUTOUT VICTORIES TOTAL GOALS ALLOWED: 28 17 ASSISTS: Highest individual total on team, Rene Padilla ’16 320 MINUTES IN GOAL, 19 SAVES: Justin Touchette ’16 23 SHOTS ON GOAL: Team total August 25 versus Lutheran St. Charles 200 MINUTES IN GOAL, 11 SAVES: Yednekachew Atkins ’17 Pictured at left on September 3.

Photo by Otto Albertsen ’18.

THREE Donald Williams ’18 chases a Mexico HS player September 24 during MMA’s 4-1 home victory.

FOUR MAJ Kevin Farley presents Jose Estrada ’16 with the Senior Leadership Award in the Memorial Chapel on December 9.

FIVE James Myrick ’18 and LT Kevin Bissmeyer work at the concession stand September 1 at the MMA vs.

Southern Boone game.

Photos by Erin Chambers, Jean-Luc Shyaka ’17 and Tom Paule Photography.

ONE Varsity players pose for a photo October 6. Pictured: sophomores Edward Cha, Francisco Fletes, Victor Arturo Leon and Donald Williams; juniors Arnoldo Aguirre, Alejandro Gastelum, Mig Gisa, Oybek Kirkland, Juan Perez, Cesar Perera and Juan Silva; and seniors Matheus Alexandre, William Carter, Jose Estrada, Rene Padilla, Christian Paz and Justin Touchette.

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 126 Following a forfeit win over Barat Academy, MMA won the Mexico Bulldog Soccer Invitational on October 10.

The Colonels first faced Chillicothe High School and triumphed 10-1. Gracia scored five goals in one game for the third time this season. Scorers included Padilla, who scored three goals to earn a hat trick, and Williams and Gisa, who each found the back of the net once.

Up next was a 3-0 shutout victory against cross-town rivals Mexico High School.

Gracia scored once in the first half and twice in the second against the Bulldogs, earning his ninth hat trick of the season.

On October 15, MMA triumphed 5-1 over Soldan International Studies. Gracia led the team with two goals while Gastelum and Lazcano scored one goal apiece against the Tigers.

“The night started out with a lot of chaos,” Farley said. “Fortunately, the boys continued to possess and attack, coming on strong in the second half. We continue to improve.”

Cadets faced Fulton on Colonels Field during Fall Family Weekend on October 17. Enjoying a rare opportunity to play in front of family and friends from across the globe, MMA triumphed 11-0.

Gracia contributed a whopping 5 goals. Estrada scored two goals while Alexandre, Lazcano, Padilla and Fletes contributed one goal each.

In their last regular season match, MMA defeated the Smithton Tigers 9-0 on October 2.

“It was nice to get another win to finish our regular season at 17-2-0,” Farley said. “We were able to bring up some JV players and play a lot of guys that normally don’t get to play much.”

Gracia earned his eleventh hat-trick of the season.

Atkins scored twice; Estrada, Padilla, Perez and Lazcano scored a goal each.

POSTSEASON PLAY With three tournament championships, the Fighting Colonels were unanimously voted the No. 1 seed in the district tournament.

On October 20, the Colonels hit the road to play Kirksville in the opening round of the Class 2 District 8 Championship. MMA shut out the Tigers 0-5, with all but one goal courtesy of Gracia.

Cadets then claimed the District 8 Championship on October 24 with a 2-0 win over Mexico High School.

The score sat deadlocked at 0-0 until the 63rd minute, when Gracia delivered a goal off an assist by Gastelum.

“They played me tough, the toughest I’ve faced this season. They just kept up the pressure,” Gracia said. “As the game went on, I realized that I had to spread them out so I could create space to work. The goals came off that and great passes from my teammates.”

Gracia scored once more in the 74th minute thanks to an assist by Alexandre.

“I am so happy for these boys to experience being champions,” Farley said.

“This is a very special team and it has been simply amazing watching them mature and grow.”

Cadets fell to their sectional rival Francis Borgia 1-3 on the road October 27.

The Colonels were down 1-0 at halftime, struggling with rain and an unfamiliar turf field. With a little over five minutes left in the game, Gracia scored MMA’s single goal off an assist from Fletes.

“We have nothing to hang our heads over,” Estrada said. “We won 19 games, several tournaments, a district championship and helped set Academy and state records. That’s nothing to be ashamed of.”

AT RIGHT Emilio Nanni ’16.

Photo by Erin Chambers.

page 129

TWO Junior quarterback Sean Fitzgerald sprints toward the end zone September 19 during MMA’s 2-28 loss to Principia. Fitzgerald said that when someone scores a touchdown, “I am more than happy, because as long as we’re winning I’m happy for whoever scores.”His favorite moment of the season was the win over Grandview on September 12 “because that game we actually played as a team and put everything we knew and learned into that game.” Photo by Justin Touchette ’16.

COACH’S CORNER: COMMENTS FROM CPT JOHN NOEL He did an outstanding job.

We’d throw him in different spots and he’d do everything he could.

CPT Noel on Jeremy Elkins ’18

He got out on the varsity field and competed with guys that were older, bigger, stronger than him. And he never quit.

CPT Noel on Sky Thunderchild ’19

Without our managers, things would kind of fall apart.

We would have no one to film games, get our stuff ready for practice. Chandler was there every day working hard, busting his tail. CPT Noel on Chandler Bolinger ’19

He came and did an outstanding job for us. And I wish I would have had him for four years. I really do.

CPT Noel on Sean Hannagan ’16

Quotes from Fall Athletic Banquet on November 20.

ONE Football team members pose for a group photo prior to practice October 6. Pictured: freshmen Emilio Camou, Styles Fountain, Alexander Hamm, Ulysses Suarez and Sky Thunderchild; sophomores Jose Elizondo, Jeremy Elkins, Luis Merino, William Moore and Charles Norman; juniors Elias Elizondo, Gabriel Elizondo, Sean Fitzgerald, Griffin Gilman, Bayar-Erdene Oldokhbayar and Kenneth Westcott; seniors Cody Allen, Jacob Conyers, Thomas Dean, Ethan Eisenmann, Sean Hannagan, Jon Snyder and Kyle Van Eekeren; and coaches CPT Steven Manning, Mitchell Jenkins, CPT John Noel and LT Kevin Bissmeyer. Photo by Tom Paule Photography.

The Fighting Colonels kicked off their season August 28 with a 0-40 loss to Van-Far. The Indians were up only 8-0 at the half, but MMA couldn't make a mark on the scoreboard.

Sean Fitzgerald had 4-9 passing and an interception, carrying 10 times for 93 yards.

The junior had 10 tackles and was named Offensive Player of the Game. Cody Allen boasted two receptions for 8 yards and picked up 3 yards on a single carry. Defensively, the senior had six tackles and a pass deflection.

Gabriel Elizondo ’17 ran the ball nine times for 27 yards while Luis Merino ’18 had 8 tackles, including 2 for loss.

Defensive Player of the Game Jose Elizondo ’18 led the defense with 12 tackles including 2 for loss.

The Colonels lost three players to injury before the end of the first half September 4, falling 0-69 to Fulton High School.

“Our boys fought but we were out-manned tonight, and the injuries didn’t help,” head coach CPT John Noel said.

Top rusher Emilio Camou ’19 picked up 15 yards on five carries. Fitzgerald was 1-4 on the night for 15 yards and an interception. Allen added a forced fumble and fumble recovery.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 132

FOOTBALL AWARDS Second Team All-District, Senior Leadership Award, Best Back Award Cody Allen ’16 Senior Leadership Award Ethan Eisenmann ’16 First Team All-District, Outstanding Defensive Player Jose Elizondo Villarreal ’18 First Team All-District, Outstanding Offensive Player Sean Fitzgerald ’17 Best JV Player Styles Fountain ’19 Most Improved Player Sean Hannagan ’16 Sportsmanship Award Charles Norman ’18 First Team All-District, Best New Boy Award Kyle Van Eekeren ’16 Second Team All-District, Best Lineman Award Kenneth Westcott ’17

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE THING ABOUT PLAYING FOOTBALL AT MMA? My favorite thing about football is being able to run at someone as fast as you can and hit them as hard as you possibly can. Jacob Conyers ’16

My favorite thing is pushing [myself] and getting my adrenaline up, because it makes me feel good.

Sky Thunderchild Henio ’19

I had never played football before I came to this school. I told coach that I was interested in playing and I showed up to practice not knowing what to expect. ... I have been playing since then and I wouldn’t trade football for the world. Thomas Dean ’16

AT RIGHT Rodrigo Maceda ’17.

Photo by Erin Chambers.

page 131

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 131 The Fighting Colonels defeated the Grandview Eagles in MMA’s home opener September 11 by a score of 38-24.

Off to a fast start, Gabriel Elizondo scored on MMA’s first possession thanks to a 70yard gain by Offensive Player of the Game Fitzgerald. Cadets next snatched the ball after a Grandview fumble, Bayar-Erdene Oldokhbayar ’17 scoring off a pass from Fitzgerald for another MMA touchdown.

Jose Elizondo contributed a sack and fumble recovery in the end zone to earn the Defensive Player of the Game title.

With MMA up 21-8 at the half, Allen caught a 15-yard touchdown pass from Fitzgerald. On the next Grandview possession, Fitzgerald intercepted a pass, returned it 52 yards for the touchdown — then threw a two-point conversion to Allen.

A 38-yard field goal from Special Teams Player of the Game Kyle Van Eekeren ’16 stretched MMA’s lead to 38-16.

“It was great to get a win in front of the home crowd,” Noel said. “I couldn’t be prouder of my kids and team. We fought through and came out with a win!”

VERSUS PRINCIPIA The Fighting Colonels traveled to St. Louis on September 19 for a matchup against Principia. The score sat tied at the start of the second quarter, but by the half MMA was down 14-2. MMA would drive deep into Panther territory multiple times but come up empty, with the final score a 2-28 loss.

MVPs included: Overall Player of the Game Fitzgerald, who made three interceptions and rushed for 127 yards on 14 carries; Offensive Player of the Game Allen, who led the receivers with 63 yards on two catches; and Defensive Player of the Game junior Kenneth Westcott, who notched three sacks during the game.

VERSUS HARRISBURG The Fighting Colonels fell 34-50 versus Harrisburg HS on September 25.

Fitzgerald went 24 yards on the ground on the Colonels’ first possession, while Allen went 22 yards on the next play for MMA’s first score. The Colonels closed the gap 12-28 at the end of the half with a 26-yard pass by Fitzgerald.

Merino contributed a strip and fumble recovery during the second half to put the Colonels at the Bulldogs’ 45-yard line.

Fitzgerald capped it off with an 18-yard run and threw a two-point conversion.

With MMA down 20-42, Fitzgerald rushed for a touchdown and threw a 40-yard pass to Allen with a two-point conversion by Styles Fountain ’19.

With the Colonels unable to score, the Bulldogs ran out the clock to win the game. With 10 total tackles and a 59-yard interception return on defense, Fitzgerald earned The Mexico Ledger Athlete of the Week title.

“My biggest personal accomplishment was against Harrisburg, where I passed for 227 yards and rushed for 197 yards,” Fitzgerald said. “But those stats aren’t possible without my teammates who helped me achieve that.”

Allen led the receivers with 8 receptions for 158 yards and a touchdown while Jose Elizondo contributed two tackles for loss.

HOMECOMING GAME On October 3, MMA fell 13-93 to Father Tolton. Fitzgerald sent a pass to Oldokhbayar for a 71-yard touchdown late in the second quarter, but the Trailblazers were up 66-7 at the half. Oldokhbayar would later score on a 68-yard kickoff return for a touchdown.

Fitzgerald recorded an interception with a 37yard return on defense.

VERSUS SHELBY Cadets lost a heartbreaker 33-34 to North Shelby on October 9. MMA made their mark on the board in just two plays when Fitzgerald connected with Van Eekeren on a 36-yard scoring strike.

Fitzgerald later passed to Oldokhbayar for a ten-yard touchdown and the subsequent two-point conversion.

With the scales at 14-6, Oldokhbayar scored again off a 25-yard pass from Fitzgerald, who

later made two rushing touchdowns to put the score within one point with 3 minutes left. MMA marched the length of field, stopping short at North Shelby’s 8-yard line.

“We played tough,” Noel said. “Thirtythree points should be enough to win a ball game, but it wasn’t tonight.”

Fitzgerald carried the ball 14 times for 143 yards and two touchdowns.

He also added a defensive interception.

Oldokhbayar made four receptions for 68 yards, two TDs and a two-point conversion.

Following a 0-44 home loss to St. Paul Lutheran on October 16, the team finished with a 1-8 record as MMA elected to forfeit its final matchup — an MSHSAA Class 3, District 5 game against Centralia.

“We have fought hard this year against many tough opponents,” Noel said.

“They have weathered a very difficult season in which injury and other circumstances have whittled down our active roster from 35 to 19. ... We have a good nucleus of young players who need more time to develop their abilities.”

SIX Nelson Aguilera ’16 stops a Grandview player in his tracks September 12 on Colonels Field. Photos ONE, TWO, FOUR, FIVE and SIX by Erin Chambers. Photo THREE by Lucas Moore ’18.

TWO Styles Fountain ’19 charges down Colonels Field during MMA’s 19-93 Homecoming loss October 3. THREE Jon Snyder ’16 and his mother Bobbie Snyder are recognized October 16 during Senior Night. THREE Jorge Servin ’18 cheers for the Colonels during Homecoming on October 3.

ONE Players pose August 11. Pictured: freshmen Emilio Camou and Styles Fountain; sophomores Jose Elizondo, Jeremy Elkins, Victor Armando Leon and Charles Norman; juniors Gabriel Elizondo, Sean Fitzgerald, Griffin Gilman, Justtin Muilenburg, BayarErdene Oldokhbayar and Kenneth Westcott; and seniors Cody Allen, Thomas Dean, Ethan Eisenmann, Sean Hannagan, James Lane, Robert Pryor, Wyatt Smith and Jon Snyder.

FIVE Victor Armando Leon ’18 catches a pass during practice September 8.

SCOREBOARD 8/28 Van-Far 0-40 L 9/4 Fulton 0-69 L 9/11 Grandview 38-24 W 9/19 Principia 2-28 L 9/25 Harrisburg 34-50 L 10/3 Father Tolton 19-93 L 10/9 North Shelby 33-34 L 10/16 St. Paul Lutheran 0-44 L 10/23 Centralia, District 5 Championship Loss by Forfeit

VARSITY & JV ROSTER Cody Allen ’16 Nelson Aguilera ’16 Chandler Bolinger ’19 Emilio Camou ’19 Jacob Conyers ’16 Drake Davis ’16 Thomas Dean ’16 Mitchell Duing ’18 Ethan Eisenmann ’16 Elias Elizondo ’17 Gabriel Elizondo ’17 Jose Elizondo Villarreal ’18 Jeremy Elkins ’18 Sean Fitzgerald ’17 Styles Fountain ’19 Griffin Gilman ’17 Alexander Hamm ’19 Sean Hannagan ’16 Victor Armando Leon ’18 Luis Merino Cantu ’18 William Moore ’18 Justtin Muilenburg ’17 Charles Norman ’18 Bayar-Erdene Oldokhbayar ’17 Robert Pryor ’16 Jon Snyder ’16 Ulysses Suarez ’19 Sky Thunderchild Henio ’19 Kyle Van Eekeren ’16 Kenneth Westcott ’17

AT RIGHT Gabriel Elizondo ’17.

Photo by Brennan Morand ’16.

page 133

WHAT IS THE HARDEST THING ABOUT WRESTLING?

WHY DO YOU LIKE WRESTLING?

The six minutes of giving your The hardest thing about wrestling The hardest thing about wrestling is the is keeping at a certain weight class. hardest effort trying to beat a guy. grind when you have no more energy but Kenneth Westcott ’17 still have the will to win. Edward Cha ’18 Sky Thunderchild ’19

I like wrestling because I get I like wrestling because to use my anger in a good way. it challenges my physical abilities. Edward Cha ’18 Sky Thunderchild ’19

MOST VALUABLE PLAYER Kenneth Westcott ’17 BEST NEW BOY Wyatt Brewer ’19 MOST IMPROVED Styles Fountain ’19

DECEMBER 2015 The Fighting Colonels competed in their first tournament of the season December 5. Cadets faced 24 opposing teams and finished in 8th place, scoring 51 points.

Oscar Garcia ’16 placed third in the 145lb bracket, going 3-1 with two wins via pin fall and one via decision.

Yunil Jeon ’16 took fourth place in the 126lb bracket, going 2-2 with wins via pin fall.

Charles Norman ’18 took fifth place in the 182lb category, going 2-2 with wins via pin.

Evan Willimon ’16 won sixth place in the 195lb bracket, going 1-3 with a pin at the 1:31 mark. Freshman Sky Thunderchild stole sixth place in the 285lb bracket.

Gregory Prinster ’17 placed eighth in the 160lb bracket, going 1-4 with a pin at the 3:11 mark.

Each competing in their first tournament, Edward Cha ’18 went 0-4 in the 152lb bracket while Samuel Guo ’19 went 1-2 in the 170lb bracket with a win via pin fall.

The Colonels helped make history December 8, falling 18-53 against North Callaway in their opponent’s first-ever home match.

Norman won a match via pin to earn all of Missouri Military Academy’s points.

MMA placed 12th out of 20 teams on December 12 at the Versailles Invitational.

The Colonels’ highest placer was junior Kenneth Westcott, who competed in the 220lb bracket, finished second overall and won three times via pin.

Freshman Styles Fountain went 1-2, placing third in the 126lb weight class with a win via pin.

JANUARY 2016 MMA’s wrestlers fell 15-54 against Eldon on January 12 in their first match of the spring semester.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 137

TWO Charles Norman ’18, Gregory Prinster ’17, Sky Thunderchild ’19 and Evan Willimon ’16 pose December 7. ONE Samuel Guo ’19 and [THREE] Oscar Garcia ’16 wrestle Eldon opponents January 12.

FIVE Evan Willimon ’16 and Gregory Prinster ’17 wrestle in the Centennial Gymtorium during a routine team practice.

Photos TWO, FOUR and FIVE by Erin Chambers.

Photos ONE and THREE by Lucas Moore ’18.

WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT BEFORE A MATCH? I’m really not thinking.

I’m thinking about taking this I’mma take his Just muscle memory. guy’s head off! I get extremely lunch money! Sky emotional. Edward Cha ’18 Thunderchild ’19 Kenneth Westcott ’17

FOUR Kenneth Westcott ’17 defeats his Moberly opponent in the Centennial Gymtorium in front of the Corps of Cadets on February 4. “It felt pretty amazing. That’s one reason why I love wrestling. You can be down in points, come back and get the pin and win,” Westcott said. “I really loved the Corps coming to support us. That was amazing.

How loud they got after the pin ... was unbelievable. When that moment happened, in my head I just embraced it and let everyone congratulate me. But later that night, I thought to myself, this is a moment I will remember the rest of my life.”

Wyatt Brewer ’19 Edward Cha ’18 Styles Fountain ’19 Oscar Garcia ’16 Samuel Guo ’19 Yunil Jeon ’16 Lucas Moore ’18 Charles Norman ’18 Gregory Prinster ’17 Francisco Siller ’18 Sky Thunderchild ’19 Kenneth Westcott ’17 Evan Willimon ’16 HEAD COACH Jonathan Bowen ASSISTANT COACH Charles Fry, celebrating his 10th year as an MMA wrestling coach

AT RIGHT Bo Tang ’16.

Photo by Erin Chambers.

page 135

WHAT WAS YOUR BIGGEST WIN? Beating a wrestler from Eldon, which I thought was an extremely hard match.

Edward Cha ’18

Getting onto the varsity team!

Sky Thunderchild ’19 Going to state!

Kenneth Westcott ’17

ONE Wyatt Brewer ’19 wrestles a Moberly opponent in the Centennial Gymtorium on February 4.

TWO Fighting Colonel wrestlers freshmen Wyatt Brewer, Styles Fountain and Sky Thunderchild; sophomores Edward Cha, Lucas Moore and Charles Norman; and juniors Gregory Prinster and Kenneth Westcott pose for a group photograph February 25.

THREE Yunil Jeon ’16 and Edward Cha ’18 pose at a wrestling meet December 15.

FOUR Styles Fountain ’19 and [FIVE] Charles Norman ’18 struggle against Eldon opponents on January 12.

WHAT IS YOUR BEST MOVE? The Crossface. Edward Cha ’18 The Bulldog. Sky Thunderchild ’19 The Half Nelson.

Kenneth Westcott ’17

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 134 Winning their individual matches were: freshman Wyatt Brewer (6-0) in the 182lb bracket, Cha (3-0) in the 145lb weight class, and Westcott (6-0).

EAST UNION TOURNAMENT MMA faced five opposing teams January 16 at the East Union Dual Tournament in Afton, Iowa.

Cadets went 1-4 and placed fifth as a team.

In round one, the Dowling Catholic JV squad defeated MMA 6-73.

Norman (195lb) scored six points and won his match.

In round two, MMA fell 12-60 versus Ogden. Prinster (152lb) defeated his opponent and earned six points for the team.

In round three, MMA fell 18-54 versus East Union. Prinster again defeated his opponent, as did Westcott. In round four, MMA fell 30-54 against the Prairie City Monroe JV squad, with Fountain winning his match.

The Colonels triumphed in round five, defeating their opponent Coon Rapids-Bayard 36-30.

HICKMAN, WARRENSBURG INVITATIONALS On January 23, MMA competed at the Hickman Varsity Invitational against teams from 12 opposing schools. Sophomore Francisco Siller (220lb) placed seventh and Fountain placed ninth, scoring three team points and winning by decision over his Rock Bridge foe.

On January 30, MMA wrestlers competed against 15 opposing schools in the Warrensburg Invitational, placing 12th overall with a total of 34 points.

Fountain took third in the 126lb bracket, scoring 13 team points and going 2-3. Prinster placed seventh in the 152lb bracket, scoring seven team points and going 2-3. Brewer placed seventh in the 182lb weight class, scoring four points and going 1-4.

Siller placed fourth in his bracket, earning four points and going 0-3.

Westcott placed sixth in the 220lb bracket, scoring five points and going 1-3. Thunderchild took eighth in the 285lb class, scoring one point and going 0-4.

WESTCOTT WOWS CORPS OF CADETS IN HOME WIN Six cadets faced Moberly on February 4 in the Centennial Gymtorium, scoring six points to Moberly’s 78. The evening’s highlight was Westcott’s victory over his opponent by fall at 3:50.

“In the short time that I have been at MMA, I have never seen the fan support for your fellow athletes that I witnessed last night.

It was outstanding!" Athletic Director MAJ Kevin Farley said in an e-mail to the Corps.

“Westcott won his match last night because of your support.

It was noisy. It was loud."

ALBANY INVITATIONAL The Colonels competed against 19 teams February 6 in the Albany Invitational, placing eighth overall.

Fountain placed second in the 126lb class, winning by fall over his Albany and Stanberry opponents and scoring 14 team points. Prinster placed seventh in the 152lb weight class, winning by fall over his Smithville and North Andrew opponents and scoring six team points.

Norman placed third in the 195lb weight class, winning by fall over his Tarkio and Stanberry opponents and scoring 11 team points. Westcott placed fifth in the 220lb bracket, winning by fall over his Albany JV and Penney JV opponents to score 11 points.

POSTSEASON On February 12 and 13, the MMA squad competed at the MSHSAA Class 1, District 2 wrestling tournament and tied for 14th place overall. Fountain won by decision over North Callaway and via fall over Centralia. Westcott won against Versailles and Seneca via pin, finishing fourth overall and advancing to state competition.

“He has definitely worked hard to achieve his goals this year," Farley said of the junior’s performance.

On February 19, Westcott competed at the state wrestling tournament in the 220lb bracket.

The junior fell to his Brookfield opponent in round one but bounced back with a win via pin fall over Brentwood. Westcott wrestled his final match of the season when he was defeated by Blair Oaks, finishing the season with an 18-14 record.

From February 22 to 25, cadets also assisted in the Introduction to Olympic Styles of Wrestling Camp hosted by first-year head coach Jonathan Bowen.

Photos ONE and TWO by Erin Chambers.

Photo THREE courtesy of LTC Willis Kleinsorge.

Photos FOUR and FIVE by Lucas Moore ’18.

AT RIGHT Francisco Siller ’18.

Photo by Brennan Morand ’16.

page 137

SENIORS Fahad Aliev Bilguun Byambatsogt Jose Estrada JUNIORS Sean Fitzgerald Alejandro Gastelum Mig Gisa Oybek Kirkland Ngonga Mugabo Bayar-Erdene Oldokhbayar Photsavat Pongsuea Robert Shields Jean-Luc Shyaka SOPHOMORES Jose Elizondo Victor Armando Leon Yinzhou Wang Donald Williams FRESHMAN Nyamkhuu Chinguun HEAD COACH LT Kevin Bissmeyer ASSISTANT COACH Megan Klukowski

ONE Jose Elizondo ’18, Sean Fitzgerald ’17 and Nyamkhuu Chinguun ’19 face St. James in the first round of the Sullivan FCNB Bank-It Championship on November 30.

Photo by Enkhbilegt Luvsandorj ’16.

Coach LT Kevin Bissmeyer and his players pose [TWO] March 22 and [THREE] February 26.

Photos TWO and THREE

by Erin Chambers.

rebounds to earn the Player SULLIVAN FCNB BANK-IT of the Game title. Elizondo CHAMPIONSHIP finished with 9 points and 3 The Fighting Colonels fell to rebounds. Fitzgerald and St. James High School by Shields scored six points 31-64 on November 30 during apiece. The junior varsity team the first round of the Sullivan fell to the Dutchmen by 26-43.

FCNB Bank-It Championship.

Cadets next faced Wright City The score was close in the first on December 10, ultimately quarter, with MMA behind 10 falling 56-60 in a closely to 9, but the Colonels eventually contested match. In the final fell behind.

“I believe this team has potential to do “The atmosphere was some surprising things,” head great when we were coach LT Kevin playing, which led us Bissmeyer said. “We are to winning with five showing tenacity on the court and seconds on the clock.” a willingness to Robert Shields ’17 on the sacrifice and do things the right North Callaway victory way for the team. …

Although we came up short this time we will keep minute of the varsity game, pounding the rock; eventually it MMA lessened Wright City’s will all come together.” lead from 10 points to 4 points.

Bilguun Byambatsogt ’16 “We are starting to build topped the Colonel chart with something,” Bissmeyer said.

9 points. Jose Elizondo ’18 “The team is getting better and Robert Shields ’17 each at doing the little things the contributed 7 points. right way. … If we can make a The Fighting Colonels returned couple small adjustments, with to the Bank-It Championship on the effort these cadets have December 1, ultimately falling been putting in, winning will 28-88 to Park Hills HS. Cadets eventually take care of itself.” wrapped up their tournament Oldokhbayar was once again run December 4 with a 22-56 named Player of the Game. loss to Potosi, after which Sean Fitzgerald ’17 was named “Oldokhbayar played another Player of the Game. fantastic game,” Bissmeyer said. “He had some late-game DECEMBER help from Byambatsogt, but The varsity Colonels fell 41-71 Oldokhbayar was the engine to Owensville in their home for the offense in this game.” opener December 7. Junior CONTINUED ON Bayar-Erdene Oldokhbayar PAGE 141 contributed 17 points and two

AT RIGHT Yelin Zhou ’17.

Photo by Brennan Morand ’16.

page 139

TOP LEFT Junior varsity players Fahad Aliev ’16 and Yinzhou Wang ’18 pose March 25. BOTTOM Ngonga Mugabo ’17 plays defense December 7 at the Colonels’ home opener.

TOP RIGHT Waiters pose March 24 before serving at the Winter Sports Banquet honoring wrestlers and basketball players. Photos by Erin Chambers.

(Pictured: Christian Ashton ’18, Samuel Guo ’19, Jacob McMahon ’18, Ernesto Melgar ’17, Justtin Muilenburg ’17, Derek Nguyen ’20 and Adrian Villarreal ’17.)

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 139 The junior varsity team fell 29-36 to Wright City. Notable performers were: Oldokhbayar with 14 points, 2 assists and 2 rebounds; Byambatsogt with 12 points and 4 rebounds; and Fitzgerald with 9 points, 4 rebounds and a block.

Cadets earned their first win of the season 60-56 over the Silex Owls in the Centennial Gymtorium on December 15. The score sat at 34-25 at the half and the Colonels continued to win, up by 16 points in the third quarter. Silex took the game to within

8 points late in the fourth quarter, but the Fighting Colonels proved victorious.

“It was a hard-fought game with several early lead changes, but MMA was able to pull away,” Bissmeyer said. “The MMA players stayed disciplined.”

Oldokbayar boasted a triple-double with 14 points, 11 assists and 10 rebounds.

Elizondo contributed 13 rebounds, 14 points and two blocks to earn the Player of the Game title. Victor Armando Leon ’18 contributed 13 points, 5 rebounds and two blocks. Shields had 9 points, 4 assists and 4 rebounds.

The junior varsity Colonels defeated Silex by a score of 45-16.

“The JV team took advantage of their height in this game,” Bissmeyer said.

“MMA played fast, CAPTAIN’S AWARD rebounded well and Sean Fitzgerald ’17 stayed out of foul trouble which allowed BEST NEW BOY them to pull away as Victor Armando Leon ’18 the game progressed.”

MOST VALUABLE PLAYER Top JV performers Bayar-Erdene Oldokhbayar ’17 were: junior Ngonga MOST IMPROVED PLAYER Mugabo with 8 Robert Shields ’17 points, 6 blocks, 5 rebounds JV MOST IMPROVED PLAYER and 3 assists; junior Photsavat Pongsuea ’17 Jean-Luc Shyaka with JV MOST VALUABLE PLAYER 9 points, 5 rebounds Oybek Kirkland ’17 and a block; and Leon with 6 points, 8 JV LEADERSHIP AWARD rebounds and 3 blocks.

Donald Williams ’18 The varsity team next JV TEAM PLAYER AWARD faced Higbee, falling Jean-Luc Shyaka ’17 44-52 on their home turf December 17.

Cadets took a 7-0 lead at the start but fell behind in the second quarter. Higbee’s lead grew as high as 20 points ahead, but MMA fought back and

narrowed the gap to 6 points with just over two minutes left in the game. MMA’s record sat at 1-3 going into the holiday break.

Oldokhbayar contributed 10 points, 6 rebounds and 3 assists. Jose Estrada ’16 had 13 points and 8 rebounds and was named the Player of the Game.

“Sometimes your shots just don’t fall and the other team’s do,” Bissmeyer said.

“The boys showed a lot of heart on the court the last few games. … If we are able to come together as a team and fix the little things after our holiday break, these boys have the potential to do some really good things!”

Though varsity lost their game, the junior varsity squad proved triumphant 56-25 and entered the holiday break with a 2-2 record.

JV players notched nine three-pointers total.

Oybek Kirkland ’17 led the team with 19 points, 4 rebounds and an assist; Leon, Mugabo and Yinzhou Wang ’18 together contributed for six blocks. “[Our] shooting tonight was outstanding,” Bissmeyer said. “The boys are doing a great job of getting to their spots and taking confident shots when the opportunity presents itself.”

SOUTH CALLAWAY TOURNAMENT MMA’s young team experienced growing paints during the South Callaway Tournament, finishing 0-3 overall.

Cadets faced New Bloomfield in the first round January 12, falling 49-77.

According to head coach Bissmeyer, cadets “played well in spurts” and narrowed the score to as close as 21-24 but were unable to sustain their efforts. Estrada led the team with 13 points and was named Player of the Game. Byambatsogt contributed 10 points, 4 rebounds and 2 assists. Leon contributed 7 points.

The Colonels fell January 14 to New Haven by 26-41 and, in the final game of the tournament January 15, MMA lost 42-60 against North Callaway. Oldokhbayar was named the Player of the Game against New Haven; Fitzgerald earned the title versus North Callaway.

To close out the month, the varsity team lost 43-64 and the JV team fell 32-34 against Wellsville-Middleton on January 22 in the Centennial Gymtorium.

Fitzgerald was named Player of the Game in the varsity defeat.

FEBRUARY Shields was named Player of the Game in MMA’s 30-78 loss to New Bloomfield on February 2. The following day, MMA played North Callaway for the second time in the 2015-16 season.

Though the Colonels lost to the Thunderbirds in their first matchup, this time cadets proved

victorious 44-42 in what Bissmeyer called a “tremendous” home victory.

The game marked the first time in which MMA’s varsity basketball team has ever defeated North Callaway.

With just 4.9 seconds remaining in the game and MMA trailing by one point, Oldokhbayar cut through the defense to score a layup. After MMA hit a free throw to put the Colonels up by two, North Callaway missed two free throws of their own. Time ran out with the Colonels on top.

Player of the Game Oldokhbayar led with 19 points, 11 steals, one rebound and one assist. Shields contributed 10 points, two rebounds, two steals and an assist.

Fitzgerald added six points, 11 rebounds, two assists and one steal. Elizondo finished with four points and three rebounds while Nyamkhuu Chinguun '19 added three points and five rebounds.

Leon added six rebounds and two points.

The JV team lost 33-48 to the Thunderbirds. Top scorers included Shyaka with 9 points and 4 rebounds and Donald Williams ’18 with 6 points, 4 rebounds and a steal.

MMA’s varsity basketball team led by 15 points at halftime but ultimately fell 51-57 versus Calvary Lutheran on February 5.

Top performers were: Shields with 12 points, 3 rebounds and 2 steals; Oldokhbayar with 10 points, 3 rebounds and 4 steals; Player of the Game Elizondo with 9 points, 10 rebounds and one block; Leon with 10 points, 7 rebounds and 3 blocks; and Fitzgerald with 8 points, 3 rebounds and one steal.

The JV team fell 40-46. Top scorers were: Williams with 14 points and 4 steals; Kirkland with 12 points, 2 rebounds and 3 steals; and Mig Gisa '17 with 2 points, 7 rebounds, 3 blocks and 2 steals.

Up next was a 54-83 loss to South Callaway on February 9 and a 39-65 loss to Van-Far on February 12. The Player of the Game title went to Shields against the South Callaway Bulldogs and Elizondo versus the Van-Far Indians.

POSTSEASON The Colonels faced off against Clark County in district play on February 23, falling 38-71 in their final match of the season. Oldokhbayar led MMA with 17 points and was named Player of the Year.

Fitzgerald contributed 12 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 steals and a block.

Elizondo boasted 4 points, 5 rebounds, 1 assist, 3 blocks and 2 steals. Shields added 4 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals and 1 block, while Leon added 3 rebounds and 1 assist.

“We had one of our best defensive showings of the season,” Bissmeyer said. “They made really difficult shots.”

AT RIGHT Kyle Van Eekeren ’16.

Photo by Erin Chambers.

page 141

GOLF On March 28, the golf Colonels faced Paris and Van-Far high schools. In his first match of the season, senior David Lazcano helped steal the first team victory for MMA by shooting a 48.

Only one stroke behind Lazcano was Mauro Garza ’16, who shot a 49 and was named MMA Athlete of the Week for his performance.

Cadets later faced Montgomery County, Silex and Hallsville in a quad match April 5.

MMA won two of three matches, losing only to Montgomery County. With a score of 190 to Montgomery County’s 161, cadets took second place overall in the competition.

GOLF

Jose Balanza ’17 Cesar Garza ’17 Mauro Garza ’16 Jesus Gracia ’16 Elian Harants ’20 David Lazcano ’16 Jose Mejia ’16 Juan Pablo Moreno ’21 COACH 1SG Randal Jacobson

RUGBY

John Curley ’16 Gabriel Elizondo ’17 Jose Estrada ’16 Sean Fitzgerald ’17 Styles Fountain ’19 Yunil Jeon ’16 HEAD COACH Mike Harding ASSISTANT COACH LT Lewis Bell

WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT WHEN YOU LINE UP A SHOT?

I just focus on the amount of force I need to put to the shot and I just forget about my surroundings and all the sound and focus only on the ball. Cesar Garza ’17

I think calmly and aim a little before and give myself a good state of mind and self-confidence.

Elian Harants ’20

The whole world to me just stops and stays still. All that matters is that one moment, that one shot and second. ... You can hear the trees, the wind, the birds. You can feel the heat of the sun, and all you do is stare at the ball and focus. Jose Mejia ’16

"MMA golfers continue to improve from week to week," golf coach 1SG Randal Jacobson said.

"I’m very proud of the progress."

Mauro Garza and junior Cesar Garza both shot a 47, while seniors Lazcano and Jesus Gracia both scored a 48. Junior Jose Balanza was close behind with a 54.

RUGBY On March 26, the Jefferson City Rugby Club defeated the St. Louis Rugby Club 45-15.

MMA cadets John Curley ’16, Gabriel Elizondo ’17, Jose Estrada ’16, Styles Fountain ’19 and Yunil Jeon ’16 made up a third of the JCRFC roster.

Jeon and Fountain both scored "tries" (touchdowns) while Estrada made 12 points.

According to MMA coach Mike Harding, the match was "a commendable effort, considering this was their first-ever game of competitive rugby."

"I currently serve as the team captain," Curley said. "I enjoy playing the game of rugby. Whether we are winning or losing, I am most content when I am on the field."

TWO Golf team members pose March 4.

THREE Jesus Gracia ’16 taps the ball April 6 against South Shelby.

FOUR Rugby team members pose at practice March 4.

FIVE Rugby fans pose in the Barnard Hall atrium January 12.

Pictured: sophomores Victor Arturo Leon and Luis Merino; juniors Raul Escarcega, Cesar Garza and Ernesto Melgar; seniors Emran Babak, William Carter, Miguel Gonzalez, Robert Pryor, Evan Willimon; and Mike Harding.

SIX John Curley ’16 swipes at a Park Hill opponent April 2.

Cadets next defeated the Winnetonka Rugby Club 31-29 on April 23.

"Curley, Estrada, Fountain and Jeon played and tackled with relentless determination and commitment," Harding said.

ONE Cesar Garza ’17 takes a shot in the match against South Shelby on April 6.

"I have played golf since I was six years old and I enjoy it very much," Garza said.

"You can play throughout all your life."

Photo ONE by Jonathan James ’16.

Photos TWO, FOUR and FIVE by Erin Chambers. Photos THREE and SIX by Christian Foster ’19.

AT RIGHT Yuqi Jin ’17.

Photo by Brennan Morand ’16.

STUDENT SPOTLIGHT: STYLES FOUNTAIN ’19

WHAT DO YOU LIKE ABOUT RUGBY? It’s different from most other sports.

I’ve always played the same sports growing up, so I like the change.

WHAT IS THE HARDEST PART OF PLAYING RUGBY? It takes fifteen people to score a try, so its important to have good teamwork.

page 143

ONE Jared Violette ’16 takes aim and shoots during his first archery lesson September 14.

CADET Q&A: FRESHMAN JOSEPH PALEN

ARCHERY Cadets channeled popular archers like Legolas, Robin Hood and Katniss Everdeen during an Olympic target shooting session behind the field house September 14.

Armed with quivers and recurve bows ranging from 15 to 25 pounds, cadets received individual instruction on finger placement — index above the notched arrow, middle and ring fingers below, oddcolored feather facing away from the bow — and several other archery nuances.

“Cadets learned how to properly use arm guards and finger tabs,” archery instructor CPT Robert Olive said. “Cadets learned to correctly draw the string back and find a consistent anchor for their hand, and use their dominant eye when aiming. In addition, cadets learned how to correctly record and calculate their scores.”

Scoring, according to Olive, is trickier than one might think. Hits, he explained, can often determine the winner of a contest — in the event of a point tie, the number of times the arrow successfully hit the target will break the tie. When an arrow touches the line between two areas, the shooter receives the higher section’s score — this is called a “split” and is recorded with an S. (Split pictured in photo THREE.) Adjusting the ring sight through trial and error also proved challenging.

Senior Jared Violette said the experience was his first archery lesson. On his first round, he scored a 10s, 9, 8, 8, 5s and 4s. With six hits, he calculated his end round one score at 33.

“The experience was definitely a unique one, something that I look forward to doing again,” Violette said.

“CPT Olive’s best advice was use the tip of your fingers to let the bow string smoothly release to get a more consistent shot. The shooting was much harder than I thought when I first stepped up to the line. I thought I could get at least a few tens. Unfortunately, that was not the case!”

HORSEBACK Students enrolled in the MMA equine program not only step into the stirrup but step into the world of veterinary science.

During the fall session, cadets watched as a farrier demonstrated how to trim for a balanced foot.

According to horseback instructor Julia Hunt, students also participated in “a Q&A session on why quality hoof care is a very important aspect of equine health. No hoof, no horse!”

Cadets enrolled in the winter session visited the Mexico Animal Hospital to shadow Dr. Jessi Ross, DVM, and view microorganisms including round worms, tape worms and strongylidae.

“We observed live equine parasites under the microscope,” Hunt said.

“The next step is for the students to de-worm our horses for these parasites.”

Cadets next shadowed Ross as she demonstrated how to sedate and care for equine patients January 7.

(Pictured in photo FIVE.) During the spring session, cadets participated in bareback exercises, completed pattern work exercises, competed against one another during the horseback game day and helped vaccinate MMA horses to prevent diseases spread by biting insects.

“Every horse has something to teach. Every human has something to learn,” Hunt said.

How did you feel during your first lesson?

I was nervous. And I could tell that is was making the horse nervous too, so I tried to calm down. Now I’m not as nervous anymore, and I can tell that the horse is getting used to me, too.

What is the hardest thing about riding?

It takes a while, and even when you think you’re done with training, or your teacher tells you you’re done with training, you’re not really, in a way. There are a lot of things to learn even years after the first time you ride.

What do you think horseback riding teaches you?

For one, it gives you more strength when you’re throwing the saddle onto the horse’s back. And you discover how [to] lead, even [if] you had never experienced leading anything before.

TWO Alexander Sheldon ’22 poses October 6. FOUR Seniors Alfonso Leon and Mauro Garza, standing, pose with Joseph Palen ’19 during a horseback lesson October 5.

Photo TWO courtesy of LTC Willis Kleinsorge. Photos ONE, THREE, FOUR and SEVEN by Erin Chambers. Photos FIVE and SIX by Connor Pearson.

SIX Horseback instructors Max Newberry and Julia Hunt pose with cadets Justtin Muilenburg ’17, Joseph Palen ’19 and Caleb Cloyde ’20 on January 7.

SEVEN Yutong Dongfang ’19, Hernan Huerta ’18 and seniors Chinguun Khatigin, Finley Lomas and Qihui Liu during an archery lesson September 14.

CADET Q&A: FRESHMAN JOSEPH PALEN

What is the best thing about riding at MMA? How patient the teachers are — because it has taken a while for the horse to get used to me and it was hard to make the horse listen to me at first.

Which MMA horse is your favorite?

My favorite horse is Fancy, because she is the one I ride every day. She is brown with a black stripe going down the middle of her back and black on her belly.

RIGHT PAGE Alexander Schaaf ’18 notches an arrow September 14 during an archery lesson behind the field house.

LEFT PAGE Joseph Palen ’19 enjoys a trail ride October 5 in the back campus woods.

Photos by Erin Chambers.

AT RIGHT Caleb Cloyde ’20.

Photo by Connor Pearson.

page 147

ONE Robert Shields’17 returns a hit and [FOUR] Joseph Mulvey ’18 prepares to backhand March 4 during practice.

TWO Tennis players pose for a group photo March 4.

THREE Alejandro Gastelum ’17 prepares to serve April 1 against Helias.

FIVE Zeth Colin ’19 tosses the ball against the gym wall September 16.

SIX Wyatt Smith ’16 and Caleb Cloyde ’20 pose and [SEVEN] Tamir Nyamdavaa ’18 slams into Robert Abbott ’21 at lacrosse practice March 31.

SENIOR SPOTLIGHT: BRENNAN MORAND ’16

HOW LONG HAVE YOU PLAYED TENNIS? I started learning how to actually play tennis around sixth grade. ...

I soon became good and started to love the sport. ... I have been playing tennis for five years now. Four of them have been on the MMA tennis team.

HAVE YOU IMPROVED AT PLAYING TENNIS? My junior year I was ranked fifth on the team. This year I am ranked number one on the team.

WHAT IS YOUR TENNIS PHILOSOPHY? Seeing the game as just a fun and friendly match instead of this serious game where two people are competing to beat the other has helped me keep my cool when I am losing. ...

Other people would have lost it and given up and let the other person win because they felt like they didn’t have a chance to come back and win.

TENNIS

Angel Alcaraz ’19 Gerardo Calanda ’19 Christian Foster ’19 Alejandro Gastelum ’17 Ethan Istas ’17 Jonathan James ’16 Tyler Jansing ’19 Ricardo Maceda ’17 Brennan Morand ’16 Joseph Mulvey ’18 Robert Shields ’17 COACH MAJ Mike Pemberton

LACROSSE

Robert Abbott ’21 Otto Albertsen ’18 Fahad Aliev ’16 Cody Allen ’16 Guido Arredondo ’20 Caleb Cloyde ’20 Zeth Colin ’19 Jacob Conyers ’16 Martin Farias ’20 Sean Fitzgerald ’17 Isaac Gastelum ’20 Griffin Gilman ’17 Emiliano Gonzalez ’18 Noah Hacker ’18 Jordan Hornick ’20 Joseph Kaplan ’20 Ashton Knipfer ’20 Carlos Liriano ’18 Jacob McMahon ’18 Tamar Modise '21 James Myrick ’18 Tamir Nyamdavaa ’18 Francisco Siller ’18 Nehemiah Simmons ’20 Wyatt Smith ’16 Benjamin Snider-Bilbrey ’17 Jon Snyder ’16 Garrett Stafford ’18 Sky Thunderchild ’19 Justin Touchette ’16 Kenneth Westcott ’17 COACH LT Kevin Bissmeyer

Photos ONE, TWO, FOUR and FIVE by Erin Chambers.

Photos THREE and SIX

by Jonathan James ’16.

Photo SEVEN by Christian Foster ’19.

TENNIS The Missouri Military Academy tennis team played their first match of the season March 23 on their home court, falling 2-7 against Mexico High School.

In singles play, juniors Alejandro Gastelum and Ricardo Maceda both won their respective matches 10-8.

“It was great to play our first match of the season. I thought we played well,” head coach MAJ Mike Pemberton said.

“In singles, I was especially pleased with the play of Gastelum and Maceda.

As a team, we will continue to practice and improve. Overall, I was proud of our effort and good sportsmanship.”

Gastelum was named Player of the Match and MMA Athlete of the Week for his performance.

"Playing in his first competitive match, Alejandro battled throughout ... and emerged victorious," Pemberton said.

On April 1, the Colonels faced Helias Catholic High School at Washington Park Courts in Jefferson City. Cadets were defeated 0-7 in a match cut short due to rain.

“The cadets did their best against a very good team from Helias Catholic,” Pemberton said. “Even though it was a tough match, the cadets kept battling and never quit. Overall, I was proud of their effort and hustle.”

On April 5, the tennis team was defeated 1-7 by Fulton High School on the MMA courts. Ethan Istas ’17 defeated his Fulton opponent 10-2 in singles play. In exhibition doubles, Tyler Jansing ’19 and Maceda won 6-6 (9-7).

“Even though we lost the match, I thought we came out and played pretty good tennis,” Pemberton said. “As a team, we are learning from our mistakes and showing signs of improvement.”

Istas was selected Player of the Match for his performance.

"Ethan did a great job," Pemberton said. "He took control of the match and defeated his opponent."

On April 14, the Colonels played Mexico High School and were defeated 3-6.

Winning their singles matches were juniors Robert Shields (10-7) and Istas (10-8). Istas and freshman Angel Alcaraz won their doubles match 10-7.

“We played well today," Pemberton said. “I was impressed with the play of Shields and Istas. Playing at the number four and five spots, both players have shown a lot of improvement.”

The following day, cadets faced Marshall, Fulton and Smith-Cotton high schools at the Marshall Tennis Tournament.

The Colonels fell 1-5 versus Fulton and Smith-Cotton, with Istas winning his matches 10-8 and 10-6, respectively.

“This tournament was a great experience," Pemberton said.

CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE AT RIGHT Emilio Camou ’19.

Photo by Erin Chambers.

page 149

I love to get aggressive with the players. Noah Hacker ’18 My favorite thing about lacrosse is being able to shoot from far away and hit the top corners. Zeth Colin ’19 When you get the perfect hit.

Wyatt Smith ’16

I’m a short stick. I work better getting around people with a short stick. Noah Hacker ’18 Long stick. It’s more easy to get a stick or body check.

Sky Thunderchild ’19

ONE Players raise their sticks into the air during a team huddle April 7.

TWO The lacrosse team poses for a group photo March 2.

THREE The lacrosse team poses for a group photo April 21.

FOUR Francisco Siller stops fellow sophomore Garrett Stafford in his tracks March 31 during practice.

Photos ONE and FOUR by Jonathan James ’16.

Photos TWO and THREE by Erin Chambers.

CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE "Each cadet played three matches. Istas played well and had a very good tournament,” Pemberton said. “Ethan defeated opponents from Fulton HS and Smith-Cotton. … Overall, I was proud of our effort, hustle and good sportsmanship."

On April 25, cadets earned their first victory of the season 5-4 against Father Tolton Catholic HS. Winning their singles matches were Gastelum (8-1), Shields (8-6) and Istas (8-1). In doubles play, Gastelum partnered with Shields and Istas partnered with Alcaraz. Both teams won their matches 8-1.

In singles exhibition play, Jansing won 6-3 while Maceda and Jonathan James '16 both won their matches 6-1.

"It was a great day to play tennis," Pemberton said.

"We were able to win two out of three doubles matches. Our doubles teams were focused and looked more comfortable playing together."

LACROSSE The MMA lacrosse team began practicing for the spring season February 29.

The 2015-16 roster included only six players with previous playing experience.

On April 8, the cadets held their first-ever varsity scrimmage for a crowd of students and staffers.

The white team, coached by senior Fahad Aliev, defeated the navy team, which was coached by junior Kenneth Westcott, by a score of 6-2.

Coach LT Kevin Bissmeyer served as the referee.

Noah Hacker ’18 scored the first white team goal with an assist from James Myrick '18, while the navy team’s first goal was scored

by Nehemiah Simmons ’20.

Cody Allen ’16 was named Player of the Game.

Top performers were Allen and Myrick of the white team, who both scored 4 points. Allen had 3 goals and an assist to go along with a game-leading 13 ground balls. Myrick tallied 2 goals and 2 assists "Defensive standouts were senior Justin Touchette and sophomore Carlos Liriano who both helped freshman Sky Thunderchild limit the opposing team to just 2 goals," Bissmeyer said.

Cadets fell 0-11 to Chaminade High School on April 21 in their first match of the season — and MMA's first-ever varsity lacrosse match. Allen and junior Sean Fitzgerald combined to win 14 of 18 face-offs and 17 ground balls.

AT RIGHT Hector Villanueva ’17.

Photo by Erin Chambers.

page 151

AT LEFT Cody Allen ’16.

Original photo by Erin Chambers.

Digital illustration by Brennan Morand ’16.

Illustration awarded Scholastic Art Awards Midwest Region Honorable Mention in Digital Art category. Honorable Mention awarded to top 10-15% of all entries.

NOT YOUR AVERAGE BOY BAND In a soundproof room the size of a closet, four Missouri Military Academy cadets collaborate and create original music.

The group, which performed two punk songs at the Festival of the Arts on April 16 and released a holiday single featuring guest musician and bandmaster WO2 Freddie Lomas on violin, was a brainchild of lead guitarist Connor Cunningham '16.

Additional members include sophomore guitarists Paul Murphy and Noah Hacker; singers Otto Albertsen ’18 and Yunil Jeon '16; and drummer Ethan Eisenmann '16.

Band members record themselves using microphones and computer programs as they play their instruments one-by-one.

They then mix and layer the tracks together to create a complete song.

“We use the program Ableton Live. It can record smooth sounds and pickups,” Hacker said.

“You can also change distortion and how the voice and notes sound.

When we produce an idea for a song, we talk about it for two days and then we record on the spot to save the idea and improve it.”

Once songs have been mixed, Cunningham burns them to CDs for safe keeping and tweaks them on his own.

Each member has his own ideas about what the group’s sound should be.

Smooth jazz, says Hacker.

Grunge and bluegrass, says Cunningham.

What should the band be called, and what type of music should it record?

The sky’s the limit.

“I am in this band because I get an overwhelming feeling from music. It doesn’t even matter what we are playing, or whether it sounds the best. The feeling that we have the ability to make our own sounds gives me a rush,” Albertsen said. “That is what I live for and that is what drives me through my life. Even if our band doesn’t see success in music as a group, I am sincerely hoping we find a way to use our specialties later in life.”

For photographs of the band, visit page 085.

AMATEUR EDM ARTISTS In the Academy’s soundproof recording studio, senior Cody Allen, senior William Carter and sophomore Jackson Ford record, mix, compare and share their musical creations with fellow artists from across the world.

The process begins with Allen, who records song lyrics and raps.

“A normal day in the studio consists of improvising on our respective instruments and getting a feel for the musical mood of the day,” Carter said.

Carter and Ford next use Ableton Live to help them tweak Allen’s voice and create their electronic dance music (EDM) tracks.

“Carter has a lot to show me about Ableton, the program we use, because the original software I use is FruityLoops 12 and Cubase,” Ford said.

Additional recording software including Logic Pro and ASIO was also

available for students who wish to record.

Thousands of dollars of equipment, including an AKAI MPK249 keyboard, a Sub Phatty Moog synthesizer, an Ableton Push console and a Focusrite Scarlett 4i4 audio interface allowed cadets to dabble in modern methods of music making.

Once Carter and Ford are satisfied with their songs, they export the audio files and use the free site SoundCloud to upload and distribute their work.

“It’s basically a way for other musicians to meet and talk to one another and share and listen to work,” Carter said.

Carter uploads his work with the alias Altik while Ford calls himself EnV. Their remixes, though recorded in the same room, range in genre from EDM to rap to deep house to ambient.

“Recording stuff is a very fun thing to do,” Ford said. “Every day there is something new to do.”

BAND AWARDS

John Philip Sousa Band Award Yunil Jeon '16 Jeff Crain & Jeff Jorishie Award for outstanding contribution to the MMA Jazz Ensemble Ethan Eisenmann '16

AUGUST & SEPTEMBER 2015 Though school didn’t start until August 24, the band season began August 21 as cadets, staffers and community members participated in a jazz workshop led by saxophonist and music educator Rob McGrath in the MMA band room.

The 2015-16 MMA Fighting Colonels Marching Band performed for a crowd for the first time August 22 at the local Soybean Festival parade.

Cadets next joined the Marching Tigers and fellow high school bands for a halftime performance during a football game at

Memorial Stadium on September 5.

(See page 014 for a photo of the event.)

“My favorite parade had to be at Mizzou, because it was fun to play with college kids,” percussionist Sky Thunderchild said. The freshman has played the drums with the MMA band for three years.

Up next was the Family Day parade at the Mexico Veterans Home on September 18.

On September 21, several MMA musicians including percussionists Thunderchild, Robert Moore ’16, Sean Fitzgerald ’17, Cody Allen ’16 and Robert Shields ’17 received a lesson from visiting educator

ONE James Lane ’16 marches in the Fall Family Weekend battalion review on October 17.

Photo by Erin Chambers.

TWO Malachi Grice ’18 practices the marimba in the band room August 21. Photo by Rudi Petry.

THREE Caleb Cloyde ’20, Robert Moore ’16, Ethan Eisenmann ’16, Sean Fitzgerald ’17, Robert Shields ’17, Jackson Ford ’18 and Sky Thunderchild ’19 debut with new hand-painted drums funded

by MMA’s 2015 Maroon & Gold fundraiser at the 2016 event April 2. Photo by Erin Chambers.

FOUR Nelson Aguilera ’16 and freshman Joshua Evans lead as the band marches back to campus after the local holiday parade on December 12.

Photo by Justtin Muilenburg ’17.

BAND MEMBERS Robert Abbott ’21 Enrique Acevedo ’20 Nelson Aguilera ’16 Otto Albertsen ’18 Cody Allen ’16 Yednekachew Atkins ’17 Chandler Bolinger ’19 Dongyang Chen ’20 Richard Choy ’19 Peter Clinton ’21 Caleb Cloyde ’20 Zeth Colin ’19 Sergio Contreras ’19 Jacob Conyers ’16 Connor Cunningham ’16 Mitchell Duing ’18 Jose Elizondo ’18 Joshua Evans ’19 Sean Fitzgerald ’17 Jackson Ford ’18 Fernando Garcia ’21 Griffin Gilman ’17 WrayVauze Givens ’20 Malachi Grice ’18 Justin Haupt ’17 Tyler Jansing ’19 Joshua John ’17 Maverick Jones ’16 Scout Jones ’22 Thomas Kiefer ’19 Ashton Knipfer ’20 James Lane ’16 Tamar Modise ’21 Lucas Moore ’18 Robert Moore ’16 Brennan Morand ’16 Paul Murphy ’18 Derek Nguyen ’20 Nathan Nolan ’22 Charles Norman ’18 Photsavat Pongsuea ’17 Jason Russell ’16 Santiago Sanchez ’21 Alexander Sheldon ’22 Robert Shields ’17 Francisco Siller ’18 Wyatt Smith ’16 Jon Snyder ’16 Garrett Stafford ’18 Sky Thunderchild ’19 Jakob Union ’20 Rongyang Yi ’18 Sizheng Zhang ’18 DRUM MAJOR Ethan Eisenmann ’16 BAND COMMANDER Yunil Jeon ’16

Bandmaster revives tradition, introduces classy, custom, hand-painted drum set CSGT Russell Piner, an instructor at the Royal Marines School of Music.

OCTOBER, NOVEMBER & DECEMBER Cadets next performed at the annual Hannibal Marching Band Parade on October 13.

“My favorite performance would have to have been at Hannibal, Missouri,” senior clarinet player Nelson Aguilera said. “I was the one in front of the formation holding the banner, marching ahead of everyone else with Caleb Cloyde ’20, so it was fun.”

A new month began with a performance at the annual marine Birthday Ball in Jefferson City on November 7.

CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE

AT RIGHT Sky Thunderchild.

Photo by Erin Chambers.

page 155

CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE “My favorite performance would be when we traveled to Jefferson City and played at the Marine Birthday Ball,” third-year trumpet player Charles Norman ’18 said. “I enjoyed this because it was in honor of the Marines that fought for our freedom.”

The holiday season began early for cadet musicians on November 22, when the Jazz Band performed at the GFWC Christmas Concert.

The Christmas celebrations continued with a December 12 performance at the Mexico Holiday Parade; caroling outside Dr. Frank Giuseffi’s office between second and third periods and a holiday performance at the Mexico Veterans Home on December 17.

SPRING SEMESTER On January 28, band members performed Amazing Grace at the funeral of Air Force veteran Jeffrey Joseph Lopardo, who died in December with no family to claim his remains.

In early February, senior saxophonist Yunil Jeon jammed onstage at Presser Hall with professional jazz performers.

“De’Sean Jones and KNOMADIK are amazing and have performed all over the world. It is an honor that they are performing in Mexico — and more so, for our cadets and faculty/staff at MMA,” Director of College Placement Ayanna Shivers said. “De’Sean usually incorporates a message into his school performances. This morning, he talked about teamwork.”

TWO On February 16, sophomores Zhouli Cai, YiJun Li, Rongyang Yi, Eryao Zhang and Sizheng Zhang attend a band field trip.

Photo TWO courtesy of Cheryl Morris.

Additional photos by Erin Chambers.

Band field trips included a Royal Marine Band and Scots Guard concert on February 15 in Kansas City.

Performances included bagpipe songs, traditional military marches, drumming and Celtic dancing.

MILITARY SCHOOL BAND AND CHOIR FESTIVAL On February 24, MMA band members departed for the 40th annual Military School Band and Choir Festival at Valley Forge Military Academy in College. Representatives from ten military schools attended the event, which included speakers and coordinators such as Valley Forge Bandmaster WO2 Phil Evans, U.S. Navy Drum Major Senior Chief Bayes and COL John Burgeois, the director of the U.S. Marine Band.

“My favorite performance was the Military School Band Festival because I got to meet people from other military schools and was awarded first chair,” percussionist Robert Moore said. The senior musician has played percussion for five years and recently began studying the piano.

On February 27, MMA drum major Ethan Eisenmann ’16 placed second of 15 students in the drum major competition, trailing only 5 points behind 1SG Andrew Burrow from St. John’s Northwestern Military Academy.

“My favorite performance this year was competing in the Military School Band Festival,” he said. “I loved competing alongside other drum majors from other military schools that have the same challenges that I do.”

FOUR Eighth grader WrayVauze Givens practices the French Horn on September 21.

FIVE Sophomore musician Paul Murphy practices the electric guitar February 5.

SIX Eighth grader Enrique Acevedo practices the trumpet October 23.

The best moment this year with the band was when we won our first review during the Passing Through Ceremony. Zeth Colin ’19 All the times we have won first place at reviews, because we all became a team and worked together.

Sky Thunderchild ’19 My favorite performance we did was at the Marine Ball because it was the beginning of [my] job playing bugle calls. ... My favorite moment was when I became the battalion bugler.

Mitchell Duing ’18 The Christmas parade, because it was the very first parade I had ever been in and the drumline got to throw a lot of really cool things in at the end. Caleb Cloyde ’20 When we took a trip to KC. Nelson Aguilera ’16 My favorite performance was when we went to Mizzou at the beginning of the year because of the huge crowd we were in front of.

Malachi Grice ’18 THREE The MMA middle school band.

ONE & SEVEN The MMA high school band.

AT RIGHT Chandler Bolinger ’19.

Photo by Erin Chambers.

page 157

LANE’S LONG ROAD A journey that began in first grade ended in twelfth on September 8, when senior James Lane was officially awarded his Eagle Scout rank at a review board meeting.

According to MMA Scoutmaster MAJ Dennis Diederich, “less than three percent that start the program ever make it to the end.”

The senior’s Eagle Scout project, building a set of two benches for the MMA tennis court, was inspired by a meeting with his MMA adviser MAJ Mike Pemberton.

Following some Google searching and a bit of planning, Lane “built the benches” piece by piece “almost every day until they were complete.”

“The entire experience,” he said of Boy Scouts, “has taught me so many life lessons and leadership skills.”

ONE Senior James Lane and [TWO] sophomore Garrett Stafford pose September 9 with their Eagle Scout projects.

THREE Thomas Huckins ’20, Paul Murphy ’18, Stafford, Justtin Muilenburg ’17 and George Pietrofere ’21 pose at the pancake breakfast February 13. Cadets raised approximately $1,100 for Boy Scout events at two fundraisers held during Fall Family Weekend and Valentine Weekend.

FIVE Charles Norman ’18 demonstrates knot tying during a September 9 meeting.

SIX MAJ Dennis Diederich, Christian Foster ’19, Shane Heisler ’19, Thomas Huckins ’20, James Lane ’16, CPT Greg Maximovitch, Justtin Muilenburg ’17, Charles Norman ’18, George Pietrofere ’21 and Garrett Stafford ’18 pose March.

MASTER PLUMBERS On October 26, sophomores Paul Murphy and Charles Norman attended MU’s Merit Badge University. An estimated 750 Scouts and 150 adult leaders attended the event.

We learned how to solder pipes together, how to thread pipes, the basics of how plumbing works, and how to fix items around the home when they break so that we don’t have to call a plumber. We also took a tour of the mechanics and pipe layouts of the building we were working in. PAUL MURPHY ’18

GARRETT STAFFORD ’18 completed every step of the process at the Following in the footsteps Academy, becoming an of senior James Lane and Eagle Scout in 2007. his predecessors — MMA’s Troop 39 has produced 18 “We have new Scouts that Eagle Scouts since 2000 — is we’re teaching the basic sophomore Garrett Stafford, skills,”he said, “but the whose Eagle Scout project is majority of our Troop is currently underway. existing Scouts that can continue their Scouting Stafford has built two of careers here at the three 8-foot-long picnic tables Academy.” made of treated lumber, which, unlike the school’s older tables, are designed with a center brace to avoid bench sagging.

Once complete, the trio will be used at events throughout each school year — the two completed tables were broken Angel Alcaraz ’19 in during summer 2015.

Christian Foster ’19 Isaac Gastelum ’20 Stafford, who joined the Shane Heisler ’19 Scouts as Tiger Cub, traveled Thomas Huckins ’20 the world in August 2015 James Lane ’16 thanks to his involvement in the Justtin Muilenburg ’17 Boy Scouts of America.

Paul Murphy ’18 “My favorite Scout outing so Charles Norman ’18 far has been the 23rd World George Pietrofere ’21 Scout Jamboree in Yamaguchi, Garrett Stafford ’18 Japan, representing the USA SCOUT LEADERS as part of Troop 201 of the CPT Greg Maximovitch Southern Region,” Stafford MAJ Dennis Diederich said. “While in Japan I learned about the spirit of unity between the World Scouting Organization, and made lots of new friends as well.”

FOUR Angel Alcaraz ’19, Isaac Gastelum ’20, MAJ DENNIS DIEDERICH James Lane ’16, Current MMA Scoutmaster Paul Murphy ’18, MAJ Dennis Diederich, who Charles Norman ’18 joined Cub Scouts at age 8, and Garrett Stafford ’18 has been a Boy Scout leader pose September 9 with since 1978. He earned the two benches Lane built for Arrow of Light Award as a Cub his Eagle Scout project.

Scout; the God and Country All photos by and Order of the Arrow awards Erin Chambers. as an Eagle Scout; and the Silver Beaver Award as a Scoutmaster.

“I have two sons who are both Eagle Scouts and a grandson that is currently a Tiger Cub,” Diederich said. “My wife and I both believe in and support the Scouting program.”

According to Diederich, AT a cadet began his RIGHT Scouting career Liam Cole at MMA in VanHoesen ’19. the fourth Photo by grade and Christian Foster ’19.

page 159

TWO Justtin Muilenburg ’17, Donald Williams ’18, Jacob McMahon ’18, Photsavat Pongsuea ’17, Joshua Evans ’19, Ethan Istas ’17, [THREE] Otto Albertsen ’18, Robert Van Huss ’16, Alexander Seibert ’18, Parker Koontz ’17, Juan Letamendi ’17 and Mitchell Duing ’18 pose November 10 after posting flags at the Mexico Veterans Home.

Otto Albertsen ’18 Rodrigo Garza Navarro ’16 Eduardo Gonzalez ’16 Noah Hacker ’18 Thomas Huckins ’20 Jonathan James ’16 Yuqi Jin ’17 Joseph Kaplan ’20 YiJun Li ’18 Justtin Muilenburg ’17 Christian Paz ’16 Robert Van Huss ’16 Donald Williams ’18 Eryao Zhang ’18 CHOIR DIRECTOR MAJ Mike Shoemaker ACCOMPANIST MAJ Peggy Reynard

CHORUS AWARDS

Philip Russell '68 Award for outstanding first-year chorus member Robert Van Huss '16 (Pictured below with Shoemaker on April 16.)

Outstanding Contribution to the MMA Chorus Eduardo Gonzalez '16

ONE Cadet Chorus members pose March 4. FOUR MAJ Mike Shoemaker conducts as the chorus practices in Stribling Hall on November 23.

WHAT WAS YOUR FAVORITE PERFORMANCE? My favorite performance this year was Evensong because I had a large role.

Justtin Muilenburg ’17

Evensong was my favorite. It was amazing — all the people that showed up and just how beautiful it turned out. It was absolutely stunning. Jonathan James ’16

DO YOU GET NERVOUS WHEN YOU SING FOR A CROWD? Sometimes, because a lot of people are looking at me.

Eryao Zhang ’18

No, because I have been performing for years but on the guitar. Justtin Muilenburg ’17

No. I got over my stage fright in middle school.

Jonathan James ’16

FALL 2015 SEMESTER Cadets performed at the Homecoming Convocation on October 3 and the Fall Family Weekend Convocation on October 17.

Cadet Chorus members posted American flags at the Mexico Veterans Home and performed at the dedication of a new service flag display on the lawn November 10. The following day, they performed at the home’s Veterans Day party.

Students again performed for the community November 22 at the Federated Women’s Club annual silent auction and

December 4 at the Audrain Historical Society’s annual fundraising dinner.

The choir performed holiday tunes December 9 at the YMCA’s Max Kennen Activity Center during the annual thank-you luncheon for YMCA members.

Students next returned to the Mexico Veterans Home on December 17 to entertain residents at their holiday party.

The following day, cadets performed with the new all faculty and staff choir at the annual Evensong celebration December 18. (For more on the Evensong celebration, visit page 100.)

FIVE Noah Hacker performs a solo ukulele song February 13. (For more about Hacker and fellow sophomore Otto Albertsen’s performances, visit pages 112 and 153.)

SPRING 2016 SEMESTER On February 24, cadets Eduardo Gonzalez ’16 and Eryao Zhang ’18 departed for the 40th annual Military School Band and Choir Festival at Valley Forge Military Academy and College.

The Cadet Chorus next performed April 26 at the Kiwanis Club meeting.

All photos by Erin Chambers.

AT RIGHT Alexander Hamm ’19.

Photo by Erin Chambers.

page 161

WHAT COUNTRY ARE YOU FROM, AND WHAT DOES ITS FLAG MEAN TO YOU?

Mexico, and I feel pride for my country’s flag because of the sacrifice that was made for it.

Raul Escarcega ’17 I am from Mongolia and its flag means a lot to me. It represents the country, culture and history.

Temuulen Nerguibaatar ’16 South Korea. The flag means everything to me. My father taught me to come to love the flag.

Edward Cha ’18 I am from Mexico. The Mexican flag represents honor, peace and bravery! Jesus Perales ’20

WHY IS VETERANS DAY IMPORTANT?

Although Veterans Day may be designated as an official day to honor veterans, I firmly believe that honoring veterans is something we should do every day. We owe everything we have to those who serve, and for that, I am eternally grateful for their service and sacrifice. Russell Holman ’16 Veterans Day is important because these people practically become their uniform. And when they hang them up — when they retire — they have to be re-thrown into the harsh civilian life again, and so I think it is important to say thanks. Even if it is just for one day.

Michael Naughton ’20 It is important to remember the people who sacrifice their life for the safety of our country.

Photsavat Pongsuea ’17 Anywhere in the world, it is good and important to recognize the heroes who served in battle in each country. They protect their people from danger and bring peace to all of us. Jose Mejia ’16 Veterans are very important because they are a vital piece of history that cannot be replaced by a book. I am thankful for their willingness to tell their story.

Justtin Muilenburg ’17 It is a time for [us] to honor men and women who waged war to defend our country and Constitution. But not only that, they fought for the guy next to them.

I am thankful for those who had the guts to step out on the front line and give it all they got.

Nehemiah Simmons ’20 Without the men and women who sacrificed everything they had and could ever have in their lives, we would not live the same lives we are living right now. It’s truly incredible to believe somebody gave up everything for a cause that their generation or even many generations after would not have an opportunity to witness.

Otto Albertsen ’18

ONE Aaron Thompson ’17, Alejandro Gastelum ’17, Francisco Fletes ’18 and Carlos Liriano ’18 practice their routine for a January 29 competition.

THREE Gregory Prinster ’17, Oybek Kirkland ’17, Otto Albertsen ’18 and William Moore ’18 compete in Branson on November 21.

[TWO & FIVE] Members of the National and International Color Guards pose March 3.

COLOR GUARD Q&A: WILLIAM MOORE ’18

Q: What is your duty?

A: I am a guard and carry a rifle. It is up to me to guide and protect the colors.

Q: What is the hardest thing about Color Guard?

A: Review is one of the harder things for us because we stay in one position for most of the Review.

Q: What do you like about being on Color Guard?

A: My favorite thing is being able to get out and travel so we can present the colors across the state.

Otto Albertsen ’18 Juan Cepeda ’18 Clayton Ebert ’17 Jeremy Elkins ’18 Raul Escarcega ’17 Jose Estrada ’16 Francisco Fletes ’18 Thuqan Hindawi ’18 Hernan Huerta ’18 Alejandro Gastelum ’17 Rodrigo Garza Navarro ’16 Oybek Kirkland ’17 Carlos Liriano ’18 Ernesto Melgar ’17 William Moore ’18 Juan Perez ’18 Gregory Prinster ’17 Evan Reynolds ’18 Juan Diego Silva ’17 Aaron Thompson ’17 Justin Touchette ’16

FOUR Clayton Ebert ’17 and Luis Merino ’18 pose with the Mexican flag at a battalion review December 16.

Photo ONE by Christian Foster ’19.

Photos TWO and FIVE by Erin Chambers.

Photo THREE by Justin Touchette ’16.

Photo FOUR by Lincoln Haynes-Kechik ’22.

AT RIGHT Nehemiah Simmons ’20.

Photo by Erin Chambers.

page 163

WASABI: COOKING CLUB

Photo THREE by Weitao Cong ’16.

Additional photos by Erin Chambers.

It was a spicy taste that hit me like a shotgun. Would I eat it again? Hell yeah! ... What did I learn about eating wasabi?

Don’t eat too much! Styles Fountain ’19

MADE-FROM-SCRATCH PIZZA AND DOUGH The MMA Cooking Club, sponsored in its inaugural year

by CPT John Noel and Rachel Yim, met in the local First Baptist Church community kitchen September 16 to mix up some pizza dough from scratch.

They returned September 23 to assemble, bake and eat their homemade pizzas. During the fall semester, club members walked to the church on Wednesday afternoons to use two ovens and an island counter to prepare their pizzas. Later in the year, the club began to meet in the MMA mess hall kitchen.

[ONE] Maverick Jones ’16, [NINE] Styles Fountain ’19 (January 27) and [THREE] Ryan Pinks ’16 (November 21) react to the taste of wasabi.

CALIFORNIA ROLLS On January 27, students learned the steps of making California rolls from start to finish.

Ethan Eisenmann ’16 and Styles Fountain ’19 demonstrated how to scoop and cut avocado slices, how to cut cucumbers into strips and how to remove the seeds.

Sage Food Service representative Ray Kozicki led the lesson, noting that vegetables with round surfaces should always be cut in halves first, then flipped onto their flat sides for safer cutting.

Students next soaked their vegetables in lemon juice and their sticky rice in vinegar.

[SIX] Sophomore Jeremy Elkins enjoys [TWO] pizza made from scratch September 23.

After wetting their hands and flattening rice balls onto nori paper, cadets sprinkled the flat rice with two types of sesame seeds. Next, each student gingerly flipped over the flat nori-and-rice sheet with the rice side down.

After assembling their sushi, cadets continued to the final step: rolling the ingredients tightly together. Each amateur chef gently lifted the end of their flat nori-and-rice sheet, then tucked the end under their vegetables and crab. As they rolled the bundle, their Sage guide warned cadets to watch for avocado slices sliding out from the sides.

As cadets cut their sushi rolls into pieces, they discussed knife safety tips — carry knives with the blade facing down, and place a knife on your cutting board with the blade facing outward. The club meeting ended with a meal and wasabi-eating contest.

Other dishes made throughout the year included buffalo chicken dip, homemade Hot Pockets, kkanpunggi (a Korean chicken dish) and mozzarella sticks.

“We made chocolate chip cookies that were super warm and soft when they came out of the oven and tasted amazing,” Thomas Dean ’16 said. “The food that we make is well worth [the effort].”

EIGHT Thomas Dean ’16 completes the final step in the sushi-making process January 27.

FOUR Dean and Jones show off their finished California rolls.

TEN Members of the MMA Cooking Club pose March 2.

SEVEN Freshman Angel Alcaraz shows off his [FIVE] California roll before chowing down January 27.

Angel Alcaraz ’19 Thomas Dean ’16 Yutong Dongfang ’19 Ethan Eisenmann ’16 Jeremy Elkins ’18 Jose Elizondo ’18 Sean Fitzgerald ’17 Styles Fountain ’19 Maverick Jones ’16 Scout Jones ’22 Photsavat Pongsuea ’17 Haijunhao Yu ’19 Sizheng Zhang ’18 Rachel Yim CPT John Noel

WASABI: THE FUSILIERS

On November 21, members of the Fusiliers competed to see who could eat the largest amount of wasabi.

We were at a Chinese sushi bar and me and Albertsen decided to eat a big chunk of wasabi. I took a bite and swallowed it. It was fine at first, then it felt like a fire just went through my mouth and nose. It was really, really spicy! It left me and Albertsen in tears. Ryan Pinks ’16

I’ve had it before with my brother but I was a little kid. It was a weird feeling when we ate it. Pinks and I both ate the biggest amounts. Otto Albertsen ’18

AT RIGHT Otto Albertsen ’18.

Photo by Erin Chambers.

page 165

WHAT HAVE YOU LEARNED?

I have learned how to drop in and face my fears.

Dropping in is not so bad. All you have to do is lean forward. Alexander Sheldon ’22

WHY DID YOU DECIDE TO JOIN THE MMA SKATING CLUB? I can fakie on a BMX for a long time. I can also bike-surf. ... I’ve been riding a bike since I was four. Finley Lomas ’16

There are so many variations of tricks from the simplest tricks to the most complex.

Flat ground, rails, stairs, gaps, vert and everything else you can find. Skateboarding uses a lot of imagination and creativity. I would say that it’s an art. Nelson Aguilera ’16

Cartwheeling, flipping backward over stair railings, jumping over brick walls, vaulting over classmates and walking on their hands across the lawn — it’s all in a day’s work for senior Robert Van Huss and sophomore Juan Perez, the members of MMA’s unofficial Parkour Club.

“Parkour is a sport of movement,” Perez said. “[We] don’t care [about] gravity.”

ONE Juan Perez vaults over fellow sophomore Raul Barrera on November 4.

TWO Robert Van Huss ’16 flips over a Barnard Hall railing November 4.

THREE Michael Wetzel ’17 performs a trick March 30.

FOUR Christian Ashton ’18 rides through the parking lot September 9.

The [FIVE] Biking Club and [SIX] Skating Club pose for group photos March 2.

Photos ONE, TWO and THREE by Lucas Moore ’18 Photos FOUR, FIVE and SIX

by Erin Chambers.

WHAT ARE YOU PROUDEST OF? [I] helped to get my hometown a new $230,000 skatepark by creating a petition and getting my name in the newspaper. Finley Lomas ’16

Perez began learning moves by “just doing it.” He honed his gymnastic skills in the gym — now he practices parkour “in the streets.”

“In the moment that you are in the air, you don’t think about anything [other] than falling on your feet,” Perez said. “Never give up in the air. And the moment that your feet are on the floor, you have that smile, satisfaction that you did it.

That’s why I like to do it.”

BIKING CLUB

It was Fall Community Service Day and we were picking chestnuts off the ground and putting them into buckets. The day was over and it was time to go eat lunch. When we were walking on the way to the pavilion, we found a brand new helmet wrapped in plastic. It was in a Walmart bag and the tag was still on it. I picked it up and unwrapped it and decided to put the thing on.

We walked probably two or three miles — it probably felt longer than it really was — all the way to the pavilion. Robert Abbott ’21 and I asked to grill lunch for us all. We wore the helmet the whole time.

Article by Caleb Cloyde ’20.

TOP Cloyde, December 2.

Photo by Erin Chambers.

BOTTOM Cloyde, September 29.

Courtesy of LTC Willis Kleinsorge.

Christian Ashton ’18 Robert Abbott ’21 Joseph Kaplan ’20 Victor Arturo Leon ’18 Victor Armando Leon ’18 Mauro Garza ’16 Jose Estrada ’16 Gregory Prinster ’17 Eric Juarez ’18 Michael Naughton ’20 Enkhbilegt Luvsandorj ’16 Luis Merino ’18 SPONSOR LTC Willis Kleinsorge

SKATING CLUB Nelson Aguilera ’16 Otto Albertsen ’18 Caleb Cloyde ’20 Elias Elizondo ’17 Finley Lomas ’16 Evan Reynolds ’18 Alexander Sheldon ’22 Michael Wetzel ’17 Hank Williams ’18 SPONSOR Michael Kulas

AT RIGHT Elian Harants ’20.

Photo by Lucas Moore’18.

page 167

MARTIAL ARTS CLUB Jose Balanza ’17 Christian Ell ’16 Miguel Gonzalez ’16 Samuel Guo ’19 Yunil Jeon ’16 James Lane ’16 Turbold Tumurkhuu ’16 Robert Van Huss ’16 Jared Violette ’16 SPONSOR Veronica Anderson

ONE Lucas Moore ’18 plants a smooch on a fish during summer camp July 2, 2015.

TWO The Fencing Club poses March 2. THREE Seniors Robert Van Huss and Jared Violette box September 16. FOUR The Martial Arts Club poses April 6.

FISHING CLUB Enrique Acevedo ’20 Guido Arredondo ’20 Emiliano Gonzalez ’18 Elian Harants ’20 Jordan Hornick ’20 Chinguun Khatigin ’16 Aeron Lee ’16 Lucas Moore ’18 Temuulen Nerguibaatar ’16 Gabriel Perez ’18 Bo Tang ’16 Donovan Washburn ’18 Kenneth Westcott ’17 Evan Willimon ’16 SPONSOR MAJ Mike Pemberton

CLASSICAL FRENCH FENCING CLUB SPONSOR Dongyang Chen ’20* Dr. Frank Giuseffi Yanlin Chen ’18 Richard Choy ’19 On February 25, David Garza ’16* six cadets received the WrayVauze Givens ’20 Fencing Arch via Special Alfonso Leon ’16 Order No. 41. Cadets were Jack Mitchell ’19* recognized for: participation in Connor Nelson ’19 the Fencing Club; continual practice, Derek Nguyen ’20 including attacks on the blade and Nathan Nolan ’22 basic parries; knowledge of distance and Joseph Palen ’19* footwork; and displaying gentlemanly behavior.

Yelin Zhou ’17* Zihan Zhu ’18* FIVE Fishing Club members pose March 2. *denotes cadets who Photo ONE by Kyle Van Eekeren ’16. received Fencing Arch Photos TWO, THREE, FOUR and FIVE by Erin Chambers.

AT RIGHT YiJun Li ’18.

Photo by Christian Foster ’19.

page 169

WHAT DO YOU LIKE MOST ABOUT THE RAILSPLITTERS? My favorite thing is using the rifles and weapons that they used in WWII. ... It brings a greater understanding of what soldiers have been through.

Alexander Seibert ’18 Handling the gear from WWII makes me feel part of history.

Malachi Grice ’18

Photos TWO, THREE and FOUR by Erin Chambers.

Photos ONE and SEVEN by Alexander Seibert ’18. Photo FIVE by Garrett Stafford ’18.

ONE Conner Nelson ’19, Juan Cepeda ’18 and Ngonga Mugabo ’17 play British soldiers at the Walk Back in Time festival September 26.

[TWO] Malachi Grice ’18 and [THREE] Parker Koontz ’17 take aim September 16 during a Railsplitter exercise.

FOUR Railsplitters pose for a group photograph March 2 on Colonels Field.

FIVE Seniors Cody Allen and Jacob Conyers pose September 26.

THE MMA RAILSPLITTERS Cody Allen ’16 Chandler Bolinger ’19 Wyatt Brewer ’19 Rory Davis ’17 Mitchell Duing ’18 Clayton Ebert ’17 Malachi Grice ’18 Sean Hannagan ’16 Russell Holman ’16 Ethan Istas ’17 Parker Koontz ’17 Aeron Lee ’16 Jacob McMahon ’18 William Moore ’18 Alexander Seibert ’18 Garrett Stafford ’18 Kyle Van Eekeren ’16 Noah Webster ’18 SPONSOR MAJ Mike Shoemaker

WHAT GOES THROUGH YOUR MIND IN THE MIDST OF A BATTLE?

In the middle of a battle you have to think: How would I get around this situation? And you have to try and use your team to try and accomplish the mission.

Alexander Seibert ’18 It is an adrenaline rush with all of the sounds of guns firing. I am mostly trying to figure out where the sounds are coming from.

Malachi Grice ’18

SIX Garrett Stafford ’18 handles antique weapons at the Walk Back in Time festival.

SEVEN William Moore ’18 helps set up a tent at the Walk Back in Time festival September 26.

Events during the 2015-16 school year included posting flags at the Mexico Veterans Home in November; the Camp Clark re-enactment January 16; and the Jefferson Barracks re-enactment April 23.

AT RIGHT Ramon Rodriguez ’17.

Photo by Erin Chambers.

page 171

ONE Griffin Gilman ’17, Aaron Thompson ’17 and Otto Albertsen ’18 compete November 21 in Branson.

The Fusiliers pose [TWO & FIVE] December 12, [THREE] February 26 and [FOUR] November 21.

Photos ONE and FOUR by Justin Touchette ’16. Photo THREE by Erin Chambers.

Photos TWO and FIVE courtesy of LTC Willis Kleinsorge.

After a very exciting Friday night eating at restaurants and chilling out at the hotel, we woke up incredibly early and drove straight to the competition. We went through the day executing our drill sequences and returned after lunch to go immediately to the Individual Drill Down.

When the drill down began, it took a while for the flood gates to open. But in an instant it seemed that over half of the cadets had been taken out. The judges picked off people one by one. I stood side by side with Qiyu Liu ’18, Lucas Moore ’18 and Ryan Pinks ’16 for almost the entire time. Then it was just Liu and I and about 10 other people.

Before I knew it, there were only two other people and myself remaining. Everyone’s eyes were on us, but for some reason it was so simple for me to cut them out from my mind. I silenced it all — the background noises, the instructors attempting to break my bearing, my stress, the hundreds of eyes on me, all the pressure. All I heard was what mattered.

Suddenly, it was just me. At first I was confused. then I saw Justin Touchette ’16 staring at me surprised and laughing.

I looked around and I saw my brothers cheering. I wasn’t sure what to do, honestly.

I went up to the line to receive my trophy, but the physical award wasn’t what made me enthused. What exhilarated me was seeing all my friends happy and excited. It made me feel like we were working together.

the last man standing: one in

NOVEMBER Junior Alejandro Gastelum and sophomores Otto Albertsen, Francisco Fletes, Carlos Liriano and Lucas Moore performed exhibition routines at Van-Far High School’s Veterans Day assembly on November 11.

On November 21, members of the Fusiliers and Color Guard traveled more than four hours to compete against 12 schools from Kansas and Missouri at Branson High School.

“Special recognition goes to cadets Moore and Liriano for recruiting and building up the team,” Senior Army Instructor CPT Carl Estenik said. “Special congratulations goes to cadet Albertsen for bringing home our only trophy! Otto showed great discipline as he beat out over 400 other cadets as last man standing for the …

Individual Drill Down knockout competition!

Of note, 8 of the last 30 finalists in IDD were from Missouri Military Academy, showing our strength in discipline and attention to detail.”

DECEMBER On December 13, MMA faced 15 competing schools in Waynesville. Liriano earned first place in the New Cadet Squad Unarmed Regulation event, while Fletes performed a solo exhibition routine.

“I’m very proud of all the boys and quite impressed that our new boys performed so well,” Estenik said.

JANUARY On January 30, the Missouri Military Academy Fusiliers earned six trophies at the Knob Noster High School meet.

Armed Individual Drill Down First Place: Hernan Huerta ’18 Fourth Place: Francisco Fletes ’18 Armed Regulation Platoon: First Place Unarmed Regulation Platoon: Third Place Unarmed New Cadet Platoon: Third Place Inspection: Second Place

Otto Albertsen ’18 Jose Balanza ’17 Emilio Camou ’19 Juan Cepeda ’18 Weitao Cong ’16 Gabriel Elizondo ’17 Raul Escarcega ’17 Francisco Fletes ’18 Christian Foster ’19 Alejandro Gastelum ’17 Griffin Gilman ’17 Hernan Huerta ’18 Oybek Kirkland ’17 Juan Letamendi ’17 Carlos Liriano ’18 Qiyu Liu ’18 Ernesto Melgar ’17 Lucas Moore ’18 William Moore ’18 Justtin Muilenburg ’17 Ryan Pinks ’16 Gregory Prinster ’17 Jorge Servin ’18 Juan Diego Silva ’17 Aaron Thompson ’17 Justin Touchette ’16 Gabriel Vallejo ’18 Adrian Villarreal ’17 Jiaxuan Zhou ’18 SPONSOR CPT Carl Estenik

AT RIGHT Cesar Garcia ’20.

Photo by Christian Foster ’19.

page 173

The MMA Honor Guard served at approximately eight funerals during the 2015-16 school year — the most notable of which was that of veteran Jeffrey Joseph Lopardo on January 28.

Lopardo died December 13 at age 67 with no family members to claim his remains and was buried in Columbia with many local news outlets in attendance.

On November 11, cadets also performed at McMillan Elementary School’s Veterans Day assembly.

Band Co. Representative Yunil Jeon ’16 Bravo Co. Representative David Lazcano ’16 Charlie Co. Representative Eduardo Gonzalez ’16 Delta Co. Representative Damdinbazar Sumiyabazar ’16 Echo Co. Representative Alfonso Leon ’16 Baliff: Jose Estrada ’16 Chairman: Emran Babak ’16 Secretary: Russell Holman ’16 Honor Captain: Jesus Gracia ’16 THE HONOR COUNCIL,

BY RUSSELL HOLMAN ’16 The purpose of the Honor Council is to investigate and produce a verdict on matters concerning those who commit an honor code violation.

All the while, we coach the cadet who has committed the infraction on not only what he did wrong, but how to rise above it and make better decisions in the future.

It is truly a system for preparing cadets for the world they are about to enter, where they must consider the ethics and integrity of every decision they make.

As an Honor Council member, you must make tough choices about disciplinary consequences. It’s not always easy, but you know you are ultimately helping your peers.

As a member of the Honor Council, the phrase that we emphasize is, “Do the harder right instead of the easier wrong.” All decisions made right now have some level of consequence down the road.

It has become clear to me that simply putting in the hard work now puts you so far ahead of those who might scrape by and commit the “easier wrongs.”

AT RIGHT Honor Council members pose in the Barnard Hall conference room March 3.

Photo by Christian Foster ’19.

Cody Allen ’16 Emran Babak ’16 William Carter ’16 Juan Cepeda ’18 Jacob Conyers ’16 Ethan Eisenmann ’16 Orlando Farias ’16 Joshua John ’17 Samuel Guo ’19 Lucas Moore ’18 William Moore ’18 Justtin Muilenburg ’17 Aaron Thompson ’17 SPONSOR MAJ Mike Shoemaker

WHAT IS THE MOST REWARDING PART OF BEING AN HONOR GUARD MEMBER? Knowing that I helped someone in need.

Lucas Moore ’18 The satisfaction and pride of a job well done when honoring someone who served so that I can live freely. Justtin Muilenburg ’17 Knowing that you’ve provided a service to someone who has put their life on the line.

Ethan Eisenmann ’16 WHAT IS THE HARDEST PART OF BEING AN HONOR GUARD MEMBER? The hardest part of being in Honor Guard is probably the conditions we perform in. We may be going to a funeral in 97° weather or 12° weather. Rain or shine, we are always there.

Ethan Eisenmann ’16

ONE William Carter ’16 participates in Jeffrey Lopardo’s funeral on January 28. TWO Honor Guard members pose March 4. THREE William Moore ’18 participates in a funeral service December 2.

FOUR Flowers decorate a gravestone at the Miller Family Funeral Home on January 28.

Photo TWO by Erin Chambers.

Photos ONE and FOUR by Christian Foster ’19.

Photo THREE by Lucas Moore ’18.

AT RIGHT Jack Mitchell ’19.

Photo by Erin Chambers.

page 175

DEBATE CLUB On November 11, members of the MMA Debate Club argued about the pros and cons of implementing a universal passport system.

The club meeting began with the reveal of the debate topic. Small groups of students sat in the hallway to plan their points before returning to the classroom. Moderator and club sponsor LT Lewis Bell kept time as students took turns at the podium.

Kian Moriarty ’16 of the pro side argued that the United Nations should regulate and establish a universal passport system, thus improving international relations.

"It takes a lot of time and effort to go from one country to another," Moriarty said.

"But if we all had a United Nations universal [passport] that worked everywhere, it would promote unity."

Moriarty’s teammate Oscar Cortada ’16 argued that the current passport system promotes cultural and racial stereotypes.

Juan Letamendi ’17 Cesar Perera ’18 Rene Padilla ’16 Jorge Villarreal ’17 Yinzhou Wang ’18 CLUB SPONSOR Megan Klukowski THE AT EASE LITERARY MAGAZINE,

By Rene Padilla ’16 We create a literary magazine where we edit work for grammatical errors. We also lay out magazine pages to be appealing to the eye and make people want to read pieces. We talk to teachers to get them to give us student work to publish. We talk about ways to make the magazine more exciting for readers. We take pictures to give imagery to the poems and stories. We are currently designing the cover with the theme of "BE."

Arnoldo Aguirre ’17 Raul Correa ’17 Mig Gisa ’17 Alejandro Tovar ’17 Hector Villanueva ’17 CLUB SPONSOR Edsel Baker

Fahad Aliev ’16 Griffin Gilman ’17 Eduardo Gonzalez ’16 Jesus Gracia ’16 Nishan Khanal ’16 Qihui Liu ’16 Kyle Mertens ’16 Benjamin Snider-Bilbrey ’17 Jared Violette ’16 CLUB SPONSORS LT Sean Peters Dr. James Bonanno

ONE Gentlemanly Games Club members pose March 2.

TWO Chess Club members pose March 30.

"My Mongolian friends, they can’t come over to Spain simply because of their Mongolian passport," Cortada said. "People are not treated the same based on their skin color, as much as we’d like to think so."

Aaron Thompson ’17 of the con side argued that those who say they missed their flights because of security regulations or passport problems merely fail to plan accordingly.

THREE Middle School Drama Club member Alain Mestre ’20 poses with club sponsor Judy Twells on March 2.

"If we had a universal passport a whole bunch of things could go wrong," Thompson said.

"There would be more chances for smuggling and terrorism. It would overwhelm small countries."

Oscar Cortada ’16 Nishan Khanal ’16 Kyle Mertens ’16 Kian Moriarty ’16 Wyatt Smith ’16 Aaron Thompson ’17 CLUB SPONSOR LT Lewis Bell BELOW During a Debate Club meeting November 11, Moriarty discusses the feasibility of a universal passport system. Photo by Erin Chambers.

FOUR At Ease Literary Club members pose with CPT Greg Maximovitch on March 2.

The following week, club members debated whether the sale of organs should be legal.

AT RIGHT Wyatt Brewer ’19.

Photo by Christian Foster ’19.

FIVE Debate Club members pose April 6.

All photos by Erin Chambers.

page 177

The Missouri Military Academy Future Business Leaders of America chapter competed at the District Leadership Conference on February 19 in Moberly, Missouri. *denotes an event which advanced to state competition FIRST PLACE Aaron Thompson Cybersecurity* Francisco Fletes Public Speaking I* John Curley Public Speaking II* Nishan Khanal, Kyle Mertens, Jared Violette Global Business* Oscar Cortada, Jose Estrada, Jared Violette Marketing* SECOND PLACE Sean Fitzgerald, Photsavat Pongsuea, Robert Shields Business Ethics Jared Violette: Economics* John Curley Future Business Leader* Nishan Khanal, Kyle Mertens, Kian Moriarty: Management Decision Making* Fahad Aliev, Bilguun Byambatsogt, Oscar Cortada Hospitality Management Gabriel Elizondo Securities and Investments*

THIRD PLACE Gabriel Elizondo Social Media Campaign and Client Service Alfonso Leon Accounting II* Francisco Fletes Introduction to Business* Jose Mejia Securities and Investments* FOURTH PLACE Weitao Cong Securities and Investments* Chinguun Khatigin Economics* Jose Estrada Impromptu Speaking FIFTH PLACE Carlos Liriano, Aaron Thompson Entrepreneurship Weitao Cong, Yinzhou Wang Public Service Announcement SIXTH PLACE Juan Cepeda Introduction to Business Procedures*

STATE LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE: APRIL 24 AND 25 Sixteen students competed April 25 at the 2016 Future Business Leaders of America State Leadership Conference in Springfield, Missouri. The Missouri Military Academy chapter qualified to compete a nationals in four events.

"We had a great time and had wonderful results," sponsor MAJ Peggy Reynard said. "I am very proud of our FBLA team!"

Francisco Fletes '18: Public Speaking I, second place John Curley '16: Public Speaking II, second place Seniors Nishan Khanal, Kyle Mertens and Jared Violette: Global Business, second place Seniors Jared Violette, Jose Estrada and Oscar Cortada: Marketing, third place ONE FBLA sponsor MAJ Peggy Reynard and chapter members pose February 22.

Photo by Erin Chambers.

TWO On November 1, MAJ Peggy Reynard inducts senior Jose Estrada as FBLA president.

Photo courtesy of CPT Greg Maximovitch.

THREE Future Business Leaders of America sponsor CPT Greg Maximovitch and chapter members pose March 1. Photo by Erin Chambers.

CLUB SPONSORS MAJ Peggy Reynard CPT Greg Maximovitch SOPHOMORES Juan Cepeda* Francisco Fletes+ Carlos Liriano+ Yinzhou Wang+ JUNIORS Jose Balanza* Gabriel Elizondo+ Sean Fitzgerald+ Alejandro Gastelum* Photsavat Pongsuea+ Robert Shields+ Aaron Thompson+ SENIORS Vice President Fahad Aliev• Purevsuren Bayanbaatar* Bilguun Byambatsogt+ Weitao Cong+ Oscar Cortada• John Curley• President Jose Estrada♦ Mauro Garza+ Miguel Gonzalez+ Yunil Jeon Nishan Khanal+ Chinguun Khatigin• Alfonso Leon+ Jose Mejia+ Kyle Mertens+ Kian Moriarty+ Damdinbazar Sumiyabazar Jared Violette+

*denotes First Award recipients First Award (ribbon) presented for: district and state competition in 2014 and 2015; and commitment and diligence in 2016 district competition.

+denotes Second Award recipients Second Award (bronze lamp) presented for: placing in the top five in district and/or state competition; and competing a successive year at the state or district level.

•denotes Third Award (bronze lamp) recipients ♦denotes Fourth Award (bronze lamp) recipients

AT RIGHT Malachi Grice ’18.

Photo by Erin Chambers.

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On September 18, after only three weeks of training, ten members of the Missouri Military Academy Raiders team embarked on their first meet of the season in Fort Riley, KS.

One of few returning Raiders was team captain senior Jason Russell, who represented MMA in the Ultimate Raider competition and earned third place.

The Colonels came in 10th in the land navigation event and took sixth in the Gauntlet and 6.2 mile road march events.

In the Gauntlet, each team raced two miles, the first of which gradually sloped upward, while carrying four 45lb rucksacks.

MMA placed ninth overall out of 14 teams.

"The cadets represented Missouri Military Academy very well and with true sportsmanship," coach SFC John Biddle said. "Out of six events, the Raider team did not place last in any event."

On October 10, the MMA Raiders competed in seven events at the 11th annual Smith-Cotton JROTC Raider Meet.

Cadets placed tenth overall out of 21 competitors and earned a fourth place trophy for the biathlon event, missing third place by only one second. MMA also placed 6th in the 10K road march; 7th in the one-mile ruck run; 11th in the Raider Challenge Course; 13th in the PT test; 15th in the

ONE Members of the MMA Raiders team pose March 2 and [FOUR] And April 11.

TWO Cadets pose at the Smith-Cotton JROTC Raider Meet on October 10.

THREE Victor Arturo Leon '18 helps rig up a one-rope bridge March 31 during Raiders team practice.

Photo ONE by Erin Chambers.

Photo TWO courtesy of SFC John Biddle.

Photo THREE by Jonathan James ’16.

Photo FOUR by Lucas Moore ’18.

WHAT IS THE HARDEST PART OF BEING A RAIDER? How physically and mentally demanding it is.

I remember my first day trying out. I wanted to stop running, but I didn’t because I knew that I had to keep up. Christian Ashton ’18

The hardest thing about being a Raider is probably learning the knots. Some of the knots are really complicated and hard to get the hang of. Richard Choy ’19

The running part, because every day we run about 2 or 3 miles.

Ramon Rodriguez ’17

Your body hurts and you don’t have too much free time.

Angel Alcaraz ’19

The 10K. It’s long, monotonous and can cause many to either break under pressure or shut off completely in order to finish. Ethan Eisenmann ’16

one-rope bridge; and 18th in the Leadership Reaction Course.

The team continually shows that MMA is a school to watch out for.

MMA Raiders do not have the luxury of training all summer like the public schools do. A lot of the events were decided within one second — that’s how tight the competition was this year.

These results do not show how hard the cadets work to complete seven difficult and physically demanding events in the span of 8-9 hours. SFC John Biddle SPRING SEMESTER Nine Raiders competed April 2 at the Waynesville Raider Meet. The Colonels placed fourth overall of 12 teams, taking home first place in the 11.4K road march event with a time of 1 hour

and 13 minutes. Cadets also took fourth place in the PT test and fourth place in the one rope bridge event, missing third place by only 20 seconds.

The Colonels hosted seven schools on April 8 and 9 during the annual Missouri Military Academy Raider Meet.

MMA’s first team took first overall and first place in the 10K road march, land navigation and gauntlet events. The first

team earned second place in the PT test and Raider Challenge events. MMA’s second team placed fifth overall, earning second in land navigation and third in the 10K and Gauntlet.

According to Biddle, "MMA proved once again to be a force to be reckoned with" at the Fredericktown Raider Meet on April 23. Five teams competed at the event, during which MMA earned four trophies.

Cadets placed first in the 5K run, finishing four minutes faster than the second place team. They took second in the Gauntlet, finishing only four seconds later than the first place team.

The Raiders also took third in the one-rope bridge and obstacle course events and took fourth in the PT test and cross country litter carry events.

FRESHMEN Angel Alcaraz* Richard Choy* Jack Mitchell SOPHOMORES Christian Ashton Juan Cepeda+ Noah Hacker+ Victor Arturo Leon YiJun Li Qiyu Liu+ Alexander Schaaf Yinzhou Wang Noah Webster Donald Williams Sizheng Zhang Jiaxuan Zhou JUNIORS Jose Balanza Charles Eckardt Yuqi Jin Yasheng Lou* Ernesto Melgar Ramon Rodriguez Zenghui Zhang+ Yelin Zhou SENIORS Purevsuren Bayanbaatar+ Bilguun Byambatsogt Weitao Cong Ethan Eisenmann Christian Ell Miguel Gonzalez Nishan Khanal+ Kian Moriarty+ Dion Nguyen Team Capt. Jason Russell* Damdinbazar Sumiyabazar* Turbold Tumurkhuu+ Robert Van Huss+ +denotes recipients of the Raider ribbon *denotes Raiders lettermen and recipients of the Raider, Orienteering and Varsity ribbons

WHY DID YOU DECIDE TO JOIN THE RAIDERS? I decided to join Raiders because it is a good sport that helps us get in better shape. Sizheng Zhang ’18

Raiders can improve my abilities and hone my will. And l can learn the meaning of the teamwork. Yuqi Jin ’17

I chose to join Raiders because it’s one of the toughest sports at MMA. It’s both physically and mentally demanding and takes months of conditioning and preparation in order to succeed. Ethan Eisenmann ’16

AT RIGHT Yunil Jeon ’16.

Photo by Lucas Moore ’18.

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Chandler Bolinger ’19 Weitao Cong ’16 Jeremy Elkins ’18 Ethan Istas ’17 Jacob McMahon ’18 William Moore ’18 James Myrick ’18 Alexander Schaaf ’18 Alexander Seibert ’18 Wyatt Smith ’16 Benjamin Snider-Bilbrey ’17 Garrett Stafford ’18 Aaron Thompson ’17 Hank Williams ’18 Zihan Zhu ’18 TEAM SPONSORS 1SG Randal Jacobson MAJ Mike Shoemaker

WHAT’S IN THE BAG? Exploring rifle accessories with junior Aaron Thompson The blue thing is called a sling. We are allowed to wear this for kneeling and prone positions. The sling goes on the bottom part of the rifle and helps steady the rifle.

The glove is used to negate any effects of our heartbeat on our shot.

Because this is a precise sport, we need to make sure that our heartbeats don’t make us miss by one point, because that is all we need to fail.

AT LEFT Thompson’s case. Photo by William Moore ’18.

WHAT IS THE HARDEST PART OF BEING ON THE RIFLE TEAM? Holding your breath. Zihan Zhu ’18 Trying not to shake. Weitao Cong ’16 Staying still and focusing. Garrett Stafford ’18 Cutting sugar from my diet. Jacob McMahon ’18 Keeping your heartbeat low and your breathing steady. Hank Williams ’18

SPRING 2016 On January 16, the rifle team traveled to the Highland Pistol and Rifle Club in Highland, Illinois, to compete at the NRA Sectionals.

Team One (members Istas, Moore, Smith and Williams) scored 1922 points. Team Two (members Seibert, Stafford, Benjamin Snider-Bilbrey ’17 and James Myrick ’18) scored 1787 points. MMA individual high shooters were Moore with 524 points, who earned a gold trophy; and Istas with 518 points, who earned a silver trophy.

The Colonels fell 1342-1434 versus Wentworth on January 22. Istas won the gold medal with a score of 238.

Istas and Moore departed for the JROTC Air Rifle Nationals in Ohio on February 17.

On his first day of competition, Moore shot a 520/600, followed by a 528/600 score on his second day — including a prone shoot of 194/200. An overall “You have to fire and reload, score of 1048 with 26 trying to make every shot as bullseyes earned him 62nd place nationwide clean as it can be. ... Learn and 10th place regionally. to zero your scope to where ONE Wyatt Smith ’16 you are getting bullseyes with takes aim in the MMA every shot.” Alexander Seibert ’18 rifle range during the Ozark Postal on December 1.

Photo by Erin Chambers.

Members of the MMA rifle team competed in TWO Rifle team members a postal match December 10, totaling 983 pose for a group photo (365 prone, 307 standing and 311 kneeling) in the MMA range on with 17 bulls.

March 4. Photo by Erin Chambers.

Top MMA shooters were: Moore with 269-5; Smith with 245-2; Williams with 241-6; Cong with 233-5; and sophomores Garrett Stafford with 228-4 and Alexander Seibert with 224-2.

AT Additional postal competitions during the RIGHT fall semester included the JROTC National Jonathan Qualifier, a match against Pacific High James ’16.

School and a match against Mountain Photo by Grove High School.

Christian Foster ’19.

FALL 2015 Missouri Military Academy rifle team members defeated Leavenworth High School on October 9. Junior Ethan Istas scored a 257 to top the MMA charts.

Leavenworth and MMA again faced off in the Colonels’ rifle range October 23 — this time MMA lost the overall match but Istas took second place individually.

Members of the MMA rifle team next competed in the Ozark Postal on December 1, totaling 966 (348 prone, 302 standing and 316 kneeling) with 11 bulls.

Top MMA shooters were: William Moore ’18 with 269-5; Wyatt Smith ’16 with 247-3; Weitao Cong ’16 with 236-2; Istas with 226-2; Jeremy Elkins ’18 with 224-2; and Hank Williams ’18 with 224-1.

STEALING THE SHOW

Though he was only a sophomore, William Moore proved himself to be the undisputed king of the 2015-16 rifle team. Moore, who won all four major rifle trophies — Best Prone, Best Standing, Best Kneeling and the Coach's Award — says he enjoys shooting because it reminds him of his older brother Matt.

“I decided to join the rifle team because to me it is an outlet and activity where I don’t worry about anything. ... It helps calm me and it helps to clear my mind,” he said. “The biggest accomplishment this year for me was making it to the JROTC Nationals in Camp Perry, Ohio.”

AT LEFT Moore poses with his awards March 25. Photo by Erin Chambers.

page page 183 183

ONE Delta Phi and [SIX] National Honor Society members pose March 2 at noon mess. Photos by Erin Chambers.

TWO Oscar Cortada ’16 reads in the library October 20.

Photo by Miguel Gonzalez ’16. Photo awarded Honorable Mention in the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards in January 2016.

THREE Senior soccer players David Lazcano and Christian Paz relax September 12. Photo by Justin Touchette ’16.

FOUR Seniors Damdinbazar Sumiyabazar, Enkhbilegt Luvsandorj and Purevsuren Bayanbaatar pose March 9. Photo by Alfonso Leon ’16.

FIVE MAJ Mike Pemberton inducts juniors Gregory Prinster and Yuchen Zhang into NHS on September 30. Photo by Erin Chambers.

SEVEN Senior leaders Bilguun Byambatsogt, Russell Holman, Orlando Farias, Enkhbilegt Luvsandorj and Mauro Garza pose at the Opening Picnic on August 29. Photo by William Moore ’18.

This roster reflects associate and full members of Delta Phi Honor Society as of March 2016.

MIDDLE SCHOOLERS Dongyang Chen ’20 Jordan Hornick ’20 Scout Jones ’22 Michael Naughton ’20 Santiago Sanchez ’21 Nehemiah Simmons ’20 FRESHMEN Angel Alcaraz Nyamkhuu Chinguun Samuel Guo SOPHOMORES Mitchell Duing Jose Elizondo Francisco Fletes Qiyu Liu Gabriel Perez Alexander Seibert Gabriel Vallejo Yinzhou Wang Rongyang Yi JUNIORS Charles Eckardt Oybek Kirkland Ngonga Mugabo Bayar-Erdene Oldokhbayar Photsavat Pongsuea Gregory Prinster Benjamin Snider-Bilbrey Hector Villanueva Michael Wetzel SENIORS Matheus Alexandre John Curley Nishan Khanal Chinguun Khatigin Kyle Mertens Damdinbazar Sumiyabazar President: Yunil Jeon VP: Emran Babak Secretary: Fahad Aliev

JUNIORS Bayar-Erdene Oldokhbayar Photsavat Pongsuea Gregory Prinster Yuchen Zhang SENIORS Orlando Farias Russell Holman Maverick Jones Qihui Liu Enkhbilegt Luvsandorj Damdinbazar Sumiyabazar PRESIDENT Nishan Khanal ’16 VICE PRESIDENT Yunil Jeon ’16 SECRETARY Kyle Mertens ’16 TREASURER John Curley ’16

Having displayed outstanding academic achievement, the following cadets were awarded Academic Fourragere.

MARKING PERIOD 1 Bilguun Byambatsogt ’16 Juan Cepeda ’18 Oscar Cortada ’16 Thomas Dean ’16 Orlando Farias ’16 Malachi Grice ’18 Russell Holman ’16 David Lazcano ’16 Zhicheng Mao ’19 Gavin Martin ’16 Christian Paz ’16 Ulysses Suarez ’19 MARKING PERIOD 2 Hector Chapa ’16 Connor Cunningham ’16 Davaasuren Dashdavaa ’18 Miguel Gonzalez ’16 Sean Hannagan ’16 Hernan Huerta ’18 Paul Murphy ’18 Jorge Servin ’18 Damdinbazar Sumiyabazar ’16 MARKING PERIOD 3 Wyatt Brewer ’19 Richard Choy ’19 Thomas Huckins ’20 Eric Juarez ’18 Thomas Kiefer ’19 Alexander Schaaf ’18 MARKING PERIODS 1 AND 2 Purevsuren Bayanbaatar ’16 Edward Cha ’18 Francisco Fletes ’18 Enkhbilegt Luvsandorj ’16 Kyle Mertens ’16 Santiago Sanchez ’21

MARKING PERIODS 2 AND 3 Matheus Alexandre ’16 Nyamkhuu Chinguun ’19 Mitchell Duing ’18 David Garza ’16 Brennan Morand ’16 Alexander Seibert ’18 Benjamin Snider-Bilbrey ’17 Michael Wetzel ’17 Rongyang Yi ’18 MARKING PERIODS 1 AND 3: Jared Violette ’16 MARKING PERIODS 1, 2 AND 3 Angel Alcaraz ’19 Fahad Aliev ’16 Emran Babak ’16 Dongyang Chen ’20 Jose Elizondo ’18 Samuel Guo ’19 Jordan Hornick ’20 Yunil Jeon ’16 Scout Jones ’22 Nishan Khanal ’16 Chinguun Khatigin ’16 Oybek Kirkland ’17 Qiyu Liu ’18 Ngonga Mugabo ’17 Michael Naughton ’20 Bayar-Erdene Oldokhbayar ’17 Gabriel Perez ’18 Photsavat Pongsuea ’17 Gregory Prinster ’17 Nehemiah Simmons ’20 Gabriel Vallejo ’18 Hector Villanueva ’17 Yinzhou Wang ’18

On November 7, sophomore Qiyu Liu scored in the top ten for seniors at the Excellence in Mathematics contest. Due to a clerical error, Liu was labeled as a 12th grader, but still managed to place at the top of the charts. Pictured at left November 20 with math instructor LT Sean Peters.

Photo by Erin Chambers.

PRESIDENT Scout Jones ’22 VICE PRESIDENT Nehemiah Simmons ’20 Pictured at right at noon mess on March 2 with Dr. Frank Giuseffi.

Photo by Erin Chambers.

AT RIGHT Donovan Washburn ’18.

Photo by Erin Chambers.

page 185

AT LEFT Sophomore Charles Norman.

Original photo by William Moore ’18.

Digital illustration by Erin Chambers.

AD: HOLMAN PAGE 188 AD: LAZCANO PAGE 189 AD: ALLEN PAGE 190 AD: CARTER PAGE 191 AD: GONZALEZ PAGE 192 AD: SNYDER PAGE 193 AD: CUNNINGHAM PAGE 193 AD: MOORE PAGE 194 AD: WILLIMON PAGE 195

AD: ESTRADA PAGE 196 AD: HANNAGAN PAGE 197 AD: MEJIA PAGE 198 AD: JONES PAGE 198 AD: JAMES PAGE 199 INDEX PAGE 200 AD: LANE PAGE 205 COLOPHON PAGE 208

You are an amazing young man. From the time you were a little boy, your inherent gifts of leadership and learning were clear to us. And now, looking back, you can see the gifts you have in turn bestowed upon so many others.

Your altruism has led to countless hours of serving others in their time of need and making the world a better place.

Your compassion welcomes others into your heart, providing warmth and a trusting sanctuary.

Your dedication to excellence always gives deep meaning to everything you do and is infectious to those around you.

You are a passionate learner, a student of life — and for this, you know yourself.

We are blessed every day for you.

We are so proud of you. And we love you, Rusty!

MOM and DAD BOTTOM RIGHT Russell Holman ’16 attends a Railsplitter WWII re-enactment January 17, 2015.

Additional photos courtesy of Laura Holman.

ONE David Lazcano ’16 and his father Felix ’79 embrace October 17.

TWO David leads as Bravo crosses Colonels Field on October 3.

THREE David and his parents attend the Senior Ring Dance on October 17.

Photos ONE and THREE by Erin Chambers. Photo TWO by Justin Touchette ’16.

Additional photos courtesy of Felix ’79 and Christina Lazcano.

Hermano, Congratulations for all of your achievements.

Like you always say, what we do in life echoes in eternity. I am certain that what you just accomplished will resonate throughout your life — as well as the lives of those with whom you have shared your time.

Hold it true.

Tu hermano Felix

Son, The things that have value in life and the grandness of a human being are constructed upon a lot of effort and a lot of heart. You have been an example of that — even though sometimes it was not easy.

The mark we leave behind, on the places we visit and on the people with which we live, is what makes us transcend. This is what you have done in your five years at MMA. We are very proud of you and we admire you!

A new phase in your life is beginning, one in which we will continue to be by your side, supporting you while you fulfill your dreams.

We wish you success, just as you have managed to achieve until now!

Congratulations for all your accomplishments!

Your parents, Felix and Cristina Lazcano

David, Congratulations on your graduation. It’s been five years.

We know it hasn’t been easy — it’s been tough — but as we always tell you, you are tougher.

We are very proud of you and all of your accomplishments.

We couldn’t be any prouder of your achievements. There have been many obstacles over these five years but, as always, you surpassed them.

Love, the Ochoa Lazcano family

Allen [ONE] poses with senior William Carter on December 17, [TWO] faces Grandview on Colonels Field on September 11 and [THREE] marches in a parade with the band September 18.

Photos ONE, TWO and THREE by Quinten Boyd ’22, Erin Chambers and Trae Van Tasell ’16. Additional images courtesy of Tracy Feldkamp.

Live your life that the fear of death can never enter your heart.

Trouble no one about their religion.

Respect others and their views and demand that they respect yours.

Love your life. Perfect your life. Beautify all things in your life.

Seek to make your life long and its purpose in the service of your people.

Prepare a noble death song for the day when you go over the great divide.

Always give a word or salute when meeting or passing a friend or stranger in a lonely place.

Show respect to all people and grovel to none.

When you arise in the morning, give thanks for your food and for the joy of living.

If you see no reason for giving thanks, the fault lies only in yourself.

Abuse no one and no thing.

Abuse turns the wise ones to fools and robs the spirit of its vision.

When it comes your time to die, be not like those whose hearts are filled with fear of death.

When their time comes, they weep and pray for a little more time to live their lives over again in a different way. Sing your death song and die like a hero going home.

WE LOVE YOU AND WE ARE SO VERY PROUD! MOM, JEFF, DAD, SHANNON, JOURNEY & JAMES

All photos courtesy of Stephanie and Michael Carter.

“What lies behind us and what lies before us are small matters compared to what lies within us.”

— Ralph Waldo Emerson

We are so proud of your determination to succeed and your achievements at MMA. You are an exceptional young man and a natural leader. Pursue your dreams and follow the music, even if that means making your own. Congratulations on your graduation. Make the most of every day. We love you, Alex!

MUMMY, DADDY, NICK AND CELESTE

“Knowing others is intelligence; knowing yourself is true wisdom.

Mastering others is strength; mastering yourself is true power.”— Lao Tzu

DEAR SON: From the first day you came into our lives, our journey as parents has been full of joy, challenges, ups and downs. It has never been boring.

You are a strong, determined person that has always had an attitude and a personality with a loving side for those who are in danger or disadvantaged.

We have always known you have great potential. We remember how we arrived to the fundamental decision to send you to MMA, a course that you vehemently asked for.

And now, it is with great pride that we witness one big milestone in your life: your graduation from Missouri Military Academy.

We still remember how eager you were to start your stay at MMA. Your intuition told you that it was the place where you were going to thrive. We knew it was the place where you were going to transform from a boy into a new man. It has been an awesome change that we knew was going to happen — but it happened so fast!

Many times we wished you were at home so that we could live precious moments with you.

Neither we nor you doubted that MMA was the place where you needed to be. You have reached the high standards that you now have, and they will guide your future you.

You are well aware that you are a citizen of the world and, as such, you have responsibilities not only towards yourself but to your peers and your community.

You will be a great asset in this world that desperately needs honorable people with integrity.

You are bold, courageous, intrepid and adventurous. We know that all you have learned here will give you the tools that you will need to carry on and continue your development.

When you face new challenges — and you will — you will with find your way with God’s help.

You will be the great person that you were called to be. We hope we can share many more experiences together and see you build a great family.

GOD BLESS YOU, DEAR SON All images courtesy of Dr. Cesar Gonzalez.

Words cannot express how incredibly proud we are of you. You have overcome many challenges, dared to learn numerous new skills and have become a mature young man.

Your wit, compassion, strength, courage and ambition will take you far in life.

Love, Mom and Hailey Special thanks to Bob, Jan, Rosemary and Greg Snyder for providing our son’s education.

JP, we are so proud of you. It’s difficult to believe how much you’ve accomplished in the last four years. Of course, some of that accomplishment is your winning smile.

Love, Memaw and Papa Additional photos courtesy of Bobbie Snyder.

“By perseverance, study and eternal desire, any man can become great.”Gen. George S. Patton, Jr. ONE Connor Cunningham ’16 and Robert Moore ’16 pose with a piece of the Berlin Wall at Fort Leonard Wood on October 19. TWO Cunningham’s eighth grade school photo. THREE Cunningham attends a jazz workshop August 21.

FOUR Cunningham, Moore and Brennan Morand ’16 on December 9.

Photos ONE and FOUR by Erin Chambers. Photo THREE by Rudi Petry.

jON pAuL SNyDEr

ONE Jon Snyder’s ninth grade photo, 2012-13.

TWO Snyder ’16 marches with the band October 3.

Photo by Justin Touchette ’16.

THREE Snyder and his mother Bobbie on October 16 at football senior night.

Photo by Lucas Moore ’18.

TOP LEFT Robert Moore ’16 in ninth grade, 2012-13.

Additional photos courtesy of Linda Angel.

Images courtesy of Brandi Willimon.

Sitting in my lap on the lawnmower, vacations, playing baseball, learning how to ride a bike — it has been so much fun!

Grandma and I were so honored to be a part of your growing up.

Forever Buddies, Poppaw

From the first minute I laid eyes on you, you had my whole heart. I am so lucky that God chose me to be your mom.

Everywhere you go, you take a piece of me with you. Please know that Grandma would be so proud to see you graduate.

Strive to be the fine young man that she led you to be — she is watching over you! Follow you heart, baby, but take your brain with you. I love you as big as the sky! MOM

You did it! It seems like only yesterday that a little boy stood in front of me, and now suddenly you are a man. I am proud of you and your accomplishments, but the thing I am most proud of is that I can call you son. If you believe in yourself, anything is possible.

May God bless you. Be strong. Love, DAD

ABOVE Cadets pose in the newly-renovated Memorial Chapel on April 26. Photo by Erin Chambers. Sixth Grade: Scout Jones.

Seventh Grade: Robert Abbott, Santiago Sanchez. Eighth Grade: Dongyang Chen, WrayVauze Givens, Ashton Knipfer.

Freshmen: Chandler Bolinger, Gerardo Calanda, Richard Choy, Zeth Colin, Yuan Cui, Styles Fountain, Samuel Guo, Tyler Jansing, Thomas Kiefer, Sky Thunderchild, Haijunhao Yu. Sophomores: Mitchell Duing, Jose Elizondo, Jackson Ford, Malachi Grice, Hernan Huerta, Lucas Moore, Paul Murphy, Alexander Seibert, Jorge Servin, Francisco Siller, Sizheng Zhang. Juniors: Yedneckachew Atkins, Sean Fitzgerald, Griffin Gilman, Justin Haupt, Joshua John, Robert Shields, Rongyang Yi. Seniors: Nelson Aguilera, Cody Allen, Connor Cunningham, Ethan Eisenmann, Maverick Jones, James Lane, Robert Moore, Brennan Morand, Dion Nguyen, Jason Russell, Wyatt Smith.

Way to go, Mac! Congratulations!

We love you! Ethan, Owen Jack, Gran and Poppa ABOVE The Willimon family on October 17 at the Senior Ring Dance. Photo by Erin Chambers.

AT RIGHT Jacob Conyers ’16.

Photo by Brennan Morand ’16.

page 195

JOSE EMILIO: Felicidades, Midget! Muy orgullosos de que concluyas con exito esta etapa de tu vida, producto de tu esfuerzo y dedicación.

CON MUCHO CARIÑO, TU FAMILIA

ONE Jose ’16 and Fernando Estrada ’14 visit Russia in February 2013.

TWO Francisco Fletes ’18 and Jose visit Germany in 2015.

THREE The Estradas attend the Senior Ring Dance on October 17, 2015.

FOUR Jose’s eighth grade school photo, 2011-12.

Photo TWO by Cheryl Morris. Photo THREE by Erin Chambers.

Additional images courtesy of Jose and Alfonso Estrada.

As you read this, Patrick, know that my words are inadequate to express the admiration and love that we have for you. Your courage and strength is an inspiration to all of us.

Parents always think that they’ll change their children’s lives in the best way they can. But little do we realize that the love of a child will eventually change and shape their parents’ lives in a way that they can never imagine.

That’s exactly what happened to us.

Congratulations on your graduation from Missouri Military Academy. Well done Patrick.

You are emerging a fine and honorable young man with an incredible future ahead of you.

Remember: you can do all things through Christ who gives you strength. “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.” (Ephesians 6:10) We love you, Patrick!

Photos ONE and TWO by William Moore ’18.

Photo THREE by Erin Chambers.

Photo FOUR by Trae Van Tasell ’16.

Photo FIVE by Dion Nguyen ’16.

Photo SIX by Tom Paule Photography.

Photo SEVEN by Lucas Moore ’18.

ONE & TWO Cadet Sean Hannagan ’16 at the Van-Far football game on August 15, 2015.

THREE The Hannagan family at the Senior Ring Ball on October 17, 2015.

FOUR Hannagan attends the Walk Back In Time on September 26, 2015.

FIVE Hannagan in the field house on January 17, 2016.

SIX Hannagan’s 2015-16 school portrait.

SEVEN Hannagan and his mother at Senior Night on October 16, 2015.

Additional images courtesy of Sean and Jill Hannagan.

ONE Jose Mejia ’16 and his family attend the Senior Ring Dance on October 17, 2015. TWO Mejia and fellow seniors Miguel Gonzalez and Emilio Nanni on September 28, 2014. THREE Mejia carries the Mexican flag in the Color Guard on October 12, 2013.

Photo THREE courtesy of LTC Willis Kleinsorge.

Additional images courtesy of the Mejia family.

We are so proud of you!

You have made it through MMA as a smart, handsome, strong leader. We know you will cherish the friendships you have made through the tough and exciting times you had together. We hope they will last a lifetime because you will share the bond of the Academy — and have matching rings.

You are ready to face the world and accomplish your dreams and goals. We know you will be successful, and we are all here for you — Nana, Pops, aunties, uncles, cousins, friends, Mom, Dad and, yes, even Scout.

I am the luckiest mom in the world to have a son like you!

I will miss you making me laugh so hard that tears stream down my face. You have always made me smile and laugh when I really didn’t feel like it. Thanks for being my son.

You’ve grown into such a wonderful young man. We love you to the moon and back!

MOM, DAD AND SCOUT BOTTOM RIGHT Maverick Jones ’16 in eighth grade, 2011-12. Additional images courtesy of Lori Jones.

Son: We are proud of the young man you have become. You bring so much joy to each and every life you touch. Continue to grow, and remember the solid foundation in which you chose to build your life. TNM, you must know and live by truth.

Time is ticking, but understand time is yours; be safe, be humble, be kind and enjoy every second of your life. There will be moments throughout your life when you may not know what to do. Don’t fret.

We will be there. We will always be there when you need us. FAMILY STRONG! LOVE YOU, DAD & MOM

Dear Jonathan: As you graduate from high school, pack up all your memories and everything you’ve learned. Stack them high as they can go. Then climb on top and look how far you have come.

Take time to enjoy the view. God has blessed you with the strength and ability to shine brightly, so enjoy your success today and look forward to a future where you accomplish greater things. You did it! Everyone is proud of you. We hope that happy feeling in your heart stays there forever.

Congratulations!

LOVE, MAMA SARAH/GRANDMA

ONE The James family, October 17, 2015. TWO Jonathan Carter ’16 takes photos for the yearbook on February 6, 2016.

THREE Jonathan on February 11, 2016. FOUR Jonathan and his family pose after his first MMA haircut August 3, 2015.

Photo TWO by Christian Foster ’19.

Photos ONE, THREE and FOUR by Erin Chambers.

Additional images courtesy of Marilyn James.

LT ROBERT ABBOTT: 40, 44 ROBERT ABBOTT: 15, 77, 81, 88, 97, 101, 149, 155, 157, 167 ENRIQUE ACEVEDO: 16, 63, 76, 101, 107, 155, 157, 168

CPT MURRELL ADAMS: 40 DAVID ADAMS: 40 NELSON AGUILERA: 13, 30, 33, 35, 89, 94, 103, 106, 133, 155, 157, 167, 195, 208 ARNOLDO AGUIRRE: 16, 76, 125, 126, 128, 177 OTTO ALBERTSEN: 14, 22, 27, 42, 77, 85, 93, 102, 112, 128, 149, 152, 160, 162, 165, 167, 173, 202 ANGEL ALCARAZ: 18, 22, 27, 55, 80, 98, 106, 110, 149, 151, 159, 165, 181, 184 MATHEUS ALEXANDRE: 30, 49, 89, 98, 100, 107, 117, 125, 126, 129, 184 FAHAD ALIEV: 17, 30, 32, 40, 65, 71, 90, 121, 127, 138, 140, 149, 177, 179, 184, 207

CODY ALLEN: 30, 34, 64, 80, 131, 132, 149, 151, 152, 155, 157, 171, 175, 190, 195 LT ZOE ALSBURY: 40,44 TUGULDUR ALTANGEREL: 49, 64, 67, 139 CHARLES ANDERSON: 40, 44 VERONICA ANDERSON: 18, 40, 60, 63, 168, 202 GUIDO ARREDONDO: 1, 15, 84, 97, 119, 149, 168 CHRISTIAN ASHTON: 12, 61, 77, 98, 100, 110, 140, 167, 181 YEDNEKACHEW ATKINS: 8, 26, 94, 125,126, 129, 155, 157, 195, 208 NARANMANDAKH AYULGUI: 30, 46, 56, 59, 84, 105, 106, 114

MOHAMMAD EMRAN BABAK: 11, 33, 46, 49, 65, 72, 79, 90, 101, 142, 175, 184 CHAZ BAKER: 40 DAWN BAKER: 40 MAJ EDSEL BAKER: 40, 44, 119, 176 JOSE BALANZA: 12, 26, 66, 90, 95, 112, 142, 142, 168, 173, 179, 181 RAUL BARRERA: 102, 167 PUREVSUREN BAYANBAATAR: 30, 59, 83, 95, 98, 114, 179, 181, 184 PENNY BEALMEAR: 40, 62 LT LEWIS BELL: 40, 44, 88, 142, 177 CHRISTINE BESHEARS: 40, 48 SFC JOHN BIDDLE: 40, 88, 121, 181 LT KEVIN BISSMEYER: 14, 40, 49, 71, 72, 119, 129, 130, 138, 141, 149, 151 DAVID JESSE BLAIR: 40 DEANNA BLAIR: 40 JAMIE BLAIR: 40 RHONDA BLAUE: 40, 103, 119 NANNIE BLUE: 40 CHANDLER BOLINGER: 18, 131, 133, 155, 157, 171, 182, 195 DR. JAMES BONANNO: 40, 49, 119, 177, 207 JONATHAN BOWEN: 135, 137 QUINTEN BOYD: 17, 29, 66, 97, 190 WYATT BREWER: 18, 21, 54, 76, 135, 137, 171, 177, 184 CASSANDRA BROOKS: 40, 202 KEVYN BRUCE: 16, 25, 46, 51, 63, 80, 96, 101, 103, 111, 115 MARTHA BRUCE: 40 MICHAEL BUCKALLEW: 40 DAN BURTON: 40 LCDR WILLIAM BUSHNELL: 33, 40, 51, 53, 88 BILGUUN BYAMBATSOGT: 30, 82, 86, 90, 98, 105, 106, 121, 138, 141, 179, 181, 185

A: Arnoldo Aguirre ’17. B: Wyatt Brewer ’19. C: Mark Clark, Weitao Cong ’16. D: Mitchell Duing ’18. E: Raul Escarcega ’17 and Ernesto Melgar ’17.

F: Styles Fountain ’19. INDEX: Sergio Contreras ’19 and Khaliguun Enkhbayar ’19. Photos by Erin Chambers, Christian Foster ’19 and Lucas Moore ’18.

ZHUOLI CAI: 12, 24, 27, 100, 106, 156, 160 ROBERT CALALUCE: 40 GERARDO CALANDA: 19, 27, 76, 86, 119, 127, 129, 149, 195 EMILIO CAMOU: 19, 24, 86, 93, 114, 131, 132, 149, 173 ANGIE CAMPBELL: 40 WILLIAM CARTER: 30, 34, 77, 125, 126, 129, 142, 153, 175, 191 JUAN CEPEDA: 12, 52, 55, 56, 113, 114, 117, 171, 173, 175, 179, 181, 184 EDWARD CHA: 12, 49, 56, 59, 63, 65, 97, 101, 107, 125, 126, 128, 135, 137, 162, 184, 202 ERIN CHAMBERS: 40 ROSE CHAMBERS: 37 HECTOR CHAPA: 17, 32, 70, 72, 86, 95, 101, 105, 184, 202 DONGYANG CHEN: 16, 25, 65, 73, 86, 106, 155, 157, 168, 184, 195 YANLIN CHEN: 12, 84, 110, 168 YUQI CHEN: 16, 56, 66, 84, 91, 181 NYAMKHUU CHINGUUN: 19, 22, 37, 55, 59, 95, 101, 108, 114, 138, 141, 184 RICHARD CHOY: 19, 63, 65, 76, 155, 157, 168, 181, 184, 195 BILL CHRISMER: 40 MARK CLARK: 41, 79 PETER CLINTON: 15, 89, 92, 155, 157 CALEB CLOYDE: 16, 63, 93, 100, 144, 147, 149, 155, 157, 167 ZETH COLIN: 14, 19, 66, 100, 127, 129, 150, 155, 157, 195, 202 WEITAO CONG: 12, 24, 32, 65, 76, 82, 86, 100, 106, 108, 121, 165, 173, 179, 181, 182, 208 SERGIO CONTRERAS: 17, 19, 87, 106, 155, 157 JACOB CONYERS: 32, 64, 93, 97, 103, 117, 131, 133, 149, 155, 157, 175, 195 RAUL CORREA: 16, 39, 94, 176 OSCAR CORTADA: 32, 60, 65, 76, 109, 114, 119, 121, 177, 179, 184, 208 YUAN CUI: 16,, 76, 89, 106 CONNOR CUNNINGHAM: 1, 31, 32, 65, 79, 82, 85, 97, 101, 152, 155, 157, 184, 193, 195 JOHN CURLEY: 32, 82, 108, 117, 121, 142, 179, 184, 203

DAVAASUREN DASHDAVAA: 12, 59, 63, 101, 106, 108, 112, 184 SUGAR DASHDAVAA: 16, 28, 46, 57, 59, 79, 90, 108, 121, 207 DRAKE DAVIS: 101, 130 RORY DAVIS: 14, 26, 63, 84, 110, 171 THOMAS DEAN: 34, 65, 69, 83, 84, 89, 98, 100, 105, 131, 132, 165, 184 MARYANN DICKHERBER: 41 MAJ DENNIS DIEDERICH: 41, 159 YUTONG DONGFANG: 19, 24, 76, 100, 106, 145, 165, 195 MITCHELL DUING: 12, 101, 108, 112, 133, 155, 157, 161, 171, 184, 195, 203

STUDENT EXCHANGE Senior John Curley and junior Charles Eckardt spent the fall 2015 semester studying at the Duke of York’s Royal Military School in Dover, England.

While there, Curley was front and center when the school received a visit from Prince Harry. His grin as he spoke to the prince was seen around the world in print and online news.

“Though every day is a new experience, meeting Prince Harry was certainly one that I will remember for the rest of my life," Curley said.

"I truthfully had no clue who the man was that I was talking to [was]! The school surprised us with his arrival, but it wasn’t until after that I realized I had just had a conversation with a member of the royal family.”

ABOVE John Curley ’16.

Photo by Christian Foster ’19.

CLAYTON EBERT: 16, 29, 47, 56, 65, 84, 95, 97, 107, 163, 171 CHARLES ECKARDT: 17, 83, 106, 181, 184 ETHAN EISENMANN: 6, 34, 36, 64, 82, 85, 97, 98, 113, 131, 132, 152, 155, 157, 165, 175, 181, 195 ELIAS ELIZONDO: 17, 53, 63, 130, 133, 167 GABRIEL ELIZONDO: 17, 29, 49, 71, 94, 108, 112, 117, 131, 133, 142, 173, 179 JOSE ELIZONDO: 12, 63, 112, 131, 132, 138, 141, 155, 157, 165, 184, 195

JEREMY ELKINS: 19, 22, 77, 84, 94, 97, 105, 106, 112, 119, 131, 132, 162, 165, 182, 202, 208 CHRISTIAN ELL: 34, 77, 82, 88, 168, 181, 208 KHALIGUUN ENKHBAYAR: 19, 21, 59, 84, 106 RAUL ESCARCEGA : 14, 27, 107, 110, 142, 162, 173 CPT CARL ESTENIK: 41, 117, 121, 173 JOSE ESTRADA: 34, 55, 66, 70, 72, 90, 106, 108, 119, 125, 126, 129, 138, 141, 142, 167, 175, 179, 196 JOSHUA EVANS: 19, 23, 117, 119, 155, 160

MARTIN FARIAS: 16, 84, 114, 149 ORLANDO FARIAS: 34, 65, 90, 100, 103, 112, 117, 175, 185 MAJ KEVIN FARLEY: 42, 77, 125, 126, 129, 137, 162, 165 SEAN FITZGERALD: 17, 65, 76, 97, 131, 132, 138, 141, 142, 149, 151, 155, 157, 165, 179, 195 FRANCISCO FLETES: 12, 65, 112, 126, 129, 162, 173, 179, 184, 196, 202

ETHAN FORD: 16, 25, 63, 68, 79, 119, 207 JACKSON FORD: 12, 27, 77, 79, 98, 119, 153, 155, 157, 195 CHRISTIAN FOSTER: 19, 21, 31, 43, 45, 54, 58, 67, 71, 79, 84, 86, 93, 94, 96, 99, 113, 117, 120, 143, 149, 151, 159, 163, 169, 173, 174, 177, 183, 199, 200, 206, 208 STYLES FOUNTAIN: 19, 81, 97, 117, 131, 132, 135, 136, 142, 165, 195 CHARLES FRY: 135

CESAR GARCIA: 16, 21, 46, 52, 59, 62, 84, 88, 114, 173 OSCAR GARCIA: 34, 65, 85, 97, 114, 135, 173 FERNANDO GARCIA: 15, 17, 59, 63, 84, 103, 155, 157 CESAR GARZA: 17, 67, 110, 143 DAVID GARZA: 30, 34, 46, 56, 89, 98, 101, 103, 168, 184 RODRIGO GARZA: 6, 25, 34, 39, 41, 49, 68, 71, 84, 95, 100, 102, 105, 113, 160, 162 MAURO GARZA: 34, 56, 90, 100, 103, 142, 144, 167, 179, 185

NOAH HACKER: 11, 22, 27, 28, 46, 51, 67, 76, 79, 85, 88, 93, 101, 112, 114, 149, 150, 152, 160, 181 ALEXANDER HAMM: 19, 86, 130, 133, 161 RYAN HANNAGAN: 102, 197 SEAN HANNAGAN: 35, 63, 65, 70, 72, 98, 101, 105, 131, 132, 171, 184, 197 ELIAN HARANTS: 1, 16, 76, 142, 167, 168 IRENE HARD: 42 MICHAEL HARDING: 14, 42, 45, 50, 52, 100, 119, 142

ISAAC GASTELUM: 16, 23, 27, 76, 89, 101, 111, 117, 119, 149, 159 ALEJANDRO GASTELUM: 17, 56, 65, 108, 119, 125, 126, 129, 138, 149, 151, 162, 173, 179 GRIFFIN GILMAN: 17, 68, 108, 130, 132, 149, 155, 157, 173, 177, 195, 207 MIG GISA: 17, 63, 106, 117, 125, 126, 129, 138, 176 DR. FRANK GIUSEFFI: 17, 41, 42, 70, 84, 168, 185 WRAYVAUZE GIVENS: 16, 93, 103, 114, 155, 157, 168, 195 EDUARDO GONZALEZ: 35, 37, 46, 56, 72, 82, 100, 102, 113, 160, 175, 177, 207 JUSTIN HAUPT: 15, 21, 27, 71, 110, 155, 157, 195 LINCOLN HAYNES-KECHIK: 17, 29, 73, 88, 100, 163 SHANE HEISLER: 19, 21, 33, 41, 67, 84, 117, 159 TRISTAN HENDRIX: 125 DIANE HENRY: 42 CHAD HERRON: 42, 78 DAVID HIGGINS: 42 JAMES HILDERMAN: 43 THUQAN HINDAWI: 12, 51, 59, 63, 78, 84, 100, 105, 107, 114, 162 RUSSELL HOLMAN: 19, 35, 36, 38, 60, 64, 70, 72, 90, 109, 119, 162, 171, 175, 185, 188 JORDAN HORNICK: 1, 16, 40, 46, 50, 56, 59, 65, 66, 89, 107, 112, 119, 149, 168, 184 THOMAS HUCKINS: 16, 31, 50, 62, 89, 90, 92, 102, 114, 159, 160, 184 HERNAN HUERTA: 14, 22, 46, 84, 145, 162, 173, 184, 195 JULIA HUNT: 45, 145

EMILIANO GONZALEZ: 12, 111, 149, 168 MIGUEL GONZALEZ: 11, 29, 37, 38, 76, 80, 82, 94, 96, 103, 113, 142, 168, 179, 181, 184, 192, 198, 208 NICOLAS GONZALEZ: 15, 17, 25, 50, 57, 59, 114 JESUS GRACIA: 30, 35, 38, 60, 64, 69, 71, 82, 90, 113, 125, 126, 129, 142, 175, 177 MALACHI GRICE: 12, 52, 65, 101, 125, 126, 129, 155, 157, 171, 179, 184, 195 AMY GROVES: 42 SAMUEL GUO: 19, 68, 98, 100, 113, 119, 135, 140, 168, 175, 184, 195

ELEPHANT TOOTHPASTE On April 15, cadets in Veronica Anderson’s first through fifth period science classes mixed up batches of a rapidly-growing substance using hydrogen peroxide, dish soap, water, yeast and potassium iodide.

Prior to the beginning of the lesson, Anderson cautioned cadets to keep their distance — hydrogen peroxide, even diluted to 35%, causes chemical burns 12 percent stronger than that of drug store formulas.

Pictured: Edward Cha ’18 and Miguel Gonzalez ’16.

Photos by Jeremy Elkins ’18.

CADETS RAISE $36,955.50 FOR MAROON & GOLD 2016 Administrators, faculty, staff, cadets, parents, alums and family members from all across the nation gathered April 2 for the annual Maroon & Gold fundraising gala.

For cadets, however, the event was merely the culmination of an intense fundraising campaign which began in February.The program, which was led by Annual Fund Director Cassandra Brooks, offered a fun competition and incentives. Eleven teams of cadets vied to raise the most funds. On the final day of the competition, grand prize winners were announced at noon mess. Bravo won the deluxe shower heads, which were installed March 16.

February 18 As of noon mess, cadets had raised over $7,000 in only two days. Eighth grader Alain Mestre received a gift card for writing the most thank you letters to donors. That evening, Team Silva-Linings (led by junior Juan Diego Silva) used their computers and phones to solicit donations, sending messages to people all over the world and raising $1,000 within minutes.

That evening, at Team First Forte’s meeting, captain Francisco Fletes ’18 said he felt the fundraiser was his first “real marketing job." (See bottom right.)

“We are all working together to make this campus better,” he said.

February 19 Total donations: $10,000 February 22 Total donations: $18,395 February 23 At noon mess, senior Jon Snyder received a "genius idea" gift card prize. Snyder designed a team marketing and fundraising poster which he and his teammates sent to possible donors. Total donations: $23,345.50 March 2 On the final day of the competition, grand prize winners were announced. $1000 Amazon Gift Card: Gabriel Perez ’18 Alienware Gaming Laptop: Russell Holman ’16 GoPro HER04: Robert Moore ’16 Apple Watch: Hector Chapa ’16

AT RIGHT February 18, Francisco Fletes ’18. Photo by Connor Pearson.

ETHAN ISTAS: 17, 28, 61, 64, 70, 149, 151, 160, 171, 182 1SG RANDAL JACOBSON: 43, 86, 121, 142, 182 JONATHAN JAMES: 15, 21, 35, 39, 68, 78, 81, 84, 88, 98, 100, 103, 112, 114, 127, 129, 143, 149, 151, 160, 181, 183, 199, 207, 208 TYLER JANSING: 19, 54, 84, 113, 120, 149, 151, 155, 157, 195 YUNIL JEON: 30, 35, 38, 65, 66, 81, 84, 98, 100, 106, 108, 114, 135, 137, 142, 152, 155, 157, 168, 175, 179, 181, 184, 196 YUQI JIN: 17, 84, 106, 110, 143, 160 JOSHUA JOHN: 17, 64, 77, 79, 86, 97, 155, 157, 175, 195 JASON JONES: 43 MAVERICK JONES: 35, 36, 82, 91, 101, 155, 157, 165, 184, 195, 198 SCOUT JONES: 14, 17, 54, 73, 83, 89, 96, 101, 155, 157, 165, 184, 195, 198, 208 ERIC JUAREZ: 12, 52, 56, 83, 97, 126, 167, 184

JOSEPH KAPLAN: 16, 63, 86, 98, 102, 119, 149, 160, 167 MAJ ANANTA KHANAL: 43, 52 NISHAN KHANAL: 30, 35, 36, 43, 49, 69, 99, 101, 177, 179, 181, 184 CHINGUUN KHATIGIN: 17, 29, 36, 98, 106, 145, 168, 179, 184 THOMAS KIEFER: 10, 48, 67, 97, 155, 157, 184, 195 OYBEK KIRKLAND: 17, 28, 49, 77, 109, 125, 126, 128, 138, 141, 162, 173, 184, 207 LTC WILLIS KLEINSORGE: 17, 25, 31, 43, 54, 62, 77, 86, 89, 96, 117, 137, 144, 167, 173, 198, 208 MEGAN KLUKOWSKI: 33, 43, 48, 66, 138, 177, 207 ASHTON KNIPFER: 15, 16, 23, 76, 105, 120, 149, 155, 157, 195 CPT MICHAEL KOONTZ: 43, 97 PARKER KOONTZ: 17, 46, 81, 98, 101, 161, 171 DEVIN KOTAS: 53 RAY KOZICKI: 165 MICHAEL KULAS: 43, 83, 167

JAMES LANE: 36, 97, 132, 155, 157, 159, 168, 195, 205 DAVID LAZCANO: 36, 65, 80, 84, 100, 113, 125, 126, 129, 142, 175, 184, 189 AERON LEE: 36, 39, 77, 78, 84, 106, 119, 121, 168, 171 ALFONSO LEON: 17, 31, 36, 41, 46, 49, 57, 59, 76, 83, 84, 100, 108, 144, 168, 175, 179, 184 VICTOR ARMANDO LEON: 13, 56, 95, 110 , 117, 119, 132, 138, 141, 167 VICTOR ARTURO LEON: 13, 64, 119, 125, 126, 128, 142, 167, 181 JUAN LETAMENDI: 18, 46, 55, 78, 127, 129, 161, 173, 177 HAOZHANG LI: 36, 56, 65, 84, 114, 207 YIJUN LI: 13, 99, 106, 156, 160, 169, 181

CARLOS LIRIANO: 13, 24, 46, 49, 51, 52, 54, 56, 58, 65, 81, 101, 110, 112, 149, 151, 162, 173, 179 QIHUI LIU: 36, 106, 145, 177, 184 QIYU LIU: 13, 52, 59, 100, 106, 173, 181, 184 FINLEY LOMAS: 32, 34, 36, 70, 79, 87, 98, 100, 107, 145, 167 WO2 ANDREW "FREDDIE" LOMAS: 43, 107, 152, 155, 157, 205 OSCAR LOPEZ: 15, 25, 55, 59, 119 YASHENG LOU: 18, 41, 48, 67, 76, 78, 181 ENKHBILEGT LUVSANDORJ: 30, 36, 40, 49, 56, 59, 60, 77, 92, 101, 102, 106, 113, 138, 167, 184

SUPERIOR CADET AWARD On April 17, one cadet from each LET class received the Superior Cadet Award. Students received the honor for displaying leadership potential, discipline, courtesy and character.

LET I: Mitchell Duing '18 LET II: John Curley '16 LET III, second award: Gregory Prinster '17 LET IV: Enkhbilegt Luvsandorj '16

G: Zeth Colin ’19, Carlos Liriano ’18, Griffin Gilman ’17, Otto Albertsen ’18.

H: Sean Hannagan ’16.

I, J: Yijun Li ’18.

K: Joseph Kaplan ’20.

L: WO2 Andrew "Freddie" Lomas.

Photos by Lucas Moore ’18, Christian Ell ’16 and Erin Chambers.

RODRIGO MACEDA: 18, 49, 131, 149, 151 CPT STEVEN MANNING: 15, 43, 44, 79, 88, 115, 130 ZHICHENG MAO: 10, 79, 99, 100, 106, 184 GAVIN MARTIN: 37, 49, 66, 92, 184 CPT MAXIMOVITCH: 43, 49, 84, 107, 159, 179, 208 LT STEPHEN MAZIARZ: 43, 88 MAJ LARRY MCCLAREY: 39, 43, 86 CHARLES MCGEORGE: 1, 43, 77, 91, 151 JACOB MCMAHON: 13, 41, 103, 121, 140, 149, 160, 171, 182 JOHN MEDINA: 43 JOSE MEJIA: 19, 32, 37, 63, 64, 79, 89, 103, 107, 112, 142, 162, 179, 198, 208 ERNESTO MELGAR: 18, 46, 105, 140, 142, 162, 173, 181, 201 LUIS MERINO: 13, 59, 84, 103, 112, 117, 119, 131, 133, 142, 162, 167 KENNETH MERTENS: 37, 49, 99, 177, 179, 184, 207 ALAIN MESTRE: 16, 50, 63, 176, 202, 207 JACK MITCHELL: 10, 58, 84, 95, 110, 168, 175, 181 TAMAR MODISE: 15, 17, 35, 76, 84, 88, 96, 149, 151, 155, 157

LUCAS MOORE: 18, 23, 31, 49, 59, 74, 77, 96, 107, 115, 127, 133, 135, 136, 151, 155, 157, 167, 168, 173, 175, 193, 195, 197, 200, 207, 208 ROBERT MOORE: 37, 82, 97, 96, 99, 105, 119, 155, 157, 193, 195, 202, 208 WILLIAM MOORE: 14, 25, 45, 46, 53, 56, 58, 81, 84, 96, 98, 107, 117, 119, 130, 133, 170, 173, 175, 182, 185, 187, 195, 197, 208 BRENNAN ROSS MORAND: 4, 6, 15, 33, 37, 38, 51, 53, 55, 57, 65, 67, 77, 82, 92, 97, 103, 117, 133, 137, 139, 143, 149, 152, 155, 157, 184, 193, 195, 208 JUAN PABLO MORENO: 15, 59, 77, 84, 96, 101, 119, 142 KIAN MORIARTY: 12, 37, 49, 95, 177, 179, 181 CHERYL MORRIS: 17, 34, 41, 46, 56, 58, 84, 86, 98, 107, 156, 196, 208 NGONGA MUGABO: 18, 60, 65, 84, 106, 110, 114, 138, 140, 171, 184 JUSTTIN MUILENBURG: 18, 53, 71, 93, 100, 103, 121, 132, 140, 144, 159, 160, 162, 173, 175 JOSEPH MULVEY: 15, 68, 84, 121, 149 PAUL MURPHY: 15, 76, 85, 101, 119, 152, 155, 157, 159, 184, 195 JAMES MYRICK: 15, 48, 66, 119, 129, 149, 151, 182

M: MAJ Keith Morgan. N: Tamir Nyamdavaa ’18.

P: Jesus Perales ’20. R: Gregory Prinster ’17.

Photos by Lucas Moore ’18 and Erin Chambers.

EMILIO NANNI: 30, 38, 46, 57, 84, 113, 121, 126, 129, 198 MICHAEL NAUGHTON: 16, 21, 22, 50, 66, 79, 86, 88, 98, 103, 108, 110, 119, 162, 167, 184 CONNER NELSON: 10, 48, 68, 109, 112, 168, 171, 207 TEMUULEN NERGUIBAATAR: 38, 69, 100, 105, 107, 112, 162, 168 MAX NEWBERRY: 45, 145 PEARL NEWBROUGH: 43 CAMERON NEWMAN: 83 DEREK NGUYEN: 16, 21, 25, 50, 63, 68, 79, 81, 93, 95, 98, 140, 168, 155, 157 DION NGUYEN: 11, 24, 28, 31, 35, 38, 70, 72, 80, 84, 91, 93, 101, 106, 181, 195, 197 CPT JOHN NOEL: 43, 44, 99, 105, 131, 132, 165 NATHAN NOLAN: 14, 22, 31, 48, 54, 60, 72, 128, 155, 157, 168, 208 CHARLES NORMAN: 15, 64, 65, 80, 82, 93, 131, 132, 135, 136, 155, 157, 159, 162, 186 TAMIR NYAMDAVAA: 1, 25, 37, 59, 107, 149

BAYAR-ERDENE OLDOKHBAYAR: 18, 60, 77, 114, 130, 132, 138, 141, 184 CPT ROBERT OLIVE: 39, 43, 52, 68, 71, 144 SARAH OLIVER: 43 LT ROBERT OWEN: 44 RENE PADILLA: 30, 38, 56, 63, 64, 80, 82, 92, 107, 123, 125, 126, 129, 177, 208 JOSEPH PALEN: 19, 20, 86, 97, 100, 145, 146, 168 MARGRETTE PAPPIN: 44, 116 CHRISTIAN PAZ: 38, 57, 82, 100, 102, 114, 126, 128, 160, 184 CONNOR PEARSON: 44, 120, 127, 145, 147, 203, 208 STAMATIS PELEKANOS: 10, 45, 59, 66, 90 MAJ MICHAEL PEMBERTON: 1, 44, 49, 52, 55, 149, 151, 158 JESUS PERALES: 16, 21, 46, 52, 56, 59, 63, 64, 79, 84, 88, 97, 100, 119, 162

CESAR PERERA: 13, 25, 27, 56, 65, 81, 97, 125, 126, 128, 177 GABRIEL PEREZ : 15, 46, 76, 95, 101, 115, 168, 184, 202 JUAN PEREZ: 15, 125, 126, 129, 162, 167 LT SEAN PETERS: 44, 89, 112, 125, 177, 184 RUDI PETRY: 1, 41, 52, 78, 83, 156, 193, 208 GEORGE PIETROFERE: 15, 84, 95, 159 RYAN PINKS: 18, 38, 56, 102, 152, 165, 173 PHOTSAVAT PONGSUEA: 11, 27, 28, 49, 77, 82, 97, 103, 106, 127, 129, 138, 141, 155, 157, 160, 162, 165, 179, 184 GREGORY PRINSTER: 17, 28, 65, 76, 88, 98, 105, 111, 125, 127, 129, 135, 136, 162, 167, 173, 184, 203 ROBERT PRYOR: 38, 64, 105, 132, 142, 208 ERICK PUENTE: 11, 25, 84, 110 KEVIN QUINN: 44

MAJ DANA REYNARD: 44 MAJ PEGGY REYNARD: 44, 49, 160, 179 EVAN REYNOLDS: 17, 25, 51, 56, 74, 84, 162, 167 CPT THOMAS ROBERTS: 44, 85, 103 CPT SCOTT ROBLEY: 44 FRAN ROBLEY: 42, 44, 68, 91, 92, 100, 110 CARLOS RODRIGUEZ: 14, 17, 31, 50, 59, 103, 114 RAMON RODRIGUEZ: 11, 28, 83, 97, 103, 105, 107, 108, 171, 181 JASON RUSSELL: 15, 34, 38, 60, 64, 79, 113, 155, 157, 181, 195

Congratulations, James!

As you prepare for your next journey in life, look back with pride on your accomplishments.

Move on to the next chapter in life with strength, confidence and determination.

College is your next challenge.

Remember: As a Missouri Military Academy graduate and an Eagle Scout, your foremost

responsibility is to live with honor. Ponder these thoughts from a legend who left his mark in the town where you were born.

"The real glory is being knocked to your knees and then coming back. That's the real glory.

That's the essence of it." — Vincent T. Lombardi, Green Bay Packers Head Coach Photos ONE, TWO and THREE by Erin Chambers.

Additional photos courtesy of Scott E. Lane.

SANTIAGO SANCHEZ: 15, 17, 65, 84, 90, 93, 119, 155, 157, 184, 195 ALEXANDER SCHAAF: 15, 52, 71, 73, 100, 110, 147, 181, 182, 184 ALEXANDER SEIBERT: 15, 26, 48, 51, 72, 77, 88, 108, 160, 171, 182, 184, 195, 208 JORGE SERVIN: 12, 25, 27, 66, 80, 95, 102, 133, 173, 184, 195 DANIEL SEVERNS: 44 ALEXANDER SHELDON: 14, 17, 27, 48, 54, 67, 72, 76, 80, 84, 127, 155, 157, 167, 208 ROBERT SHIELDS: 18, 65, 66, 71, 105, 109, 115, 138, 141, 149, 151, 155, 157, 179, 195 AYANNA SHIVERS: 44, 68 MAJ MIKE SHOEMAKER: 44, 85, 86, 102, 160, 171, 175, 182 JEAN-LUC SHYAKA: 18, 52, 54, 65, 82, 101, 108, 114, 128, 138, 141 FRANCISCO SILLER: 15, 135, 137, 149, 151, 155, 157, 195

The following Academy staff members were not pictured in the 2016 Taps due to space constraints.

Dewey Fennewald Nathan Garber Raymond Garrett Mark Patrick Hanley Michael Jacobs Larry Merhoff Jonathan Nutt Doug Scott Richard VanDuyne

JUAN DIEGO SILVA: 18, 46, 90, 121, 125, 126, 128, 162, 173, 202 NEHEMIAH SIMMONS: 16, 65, 67, 76, 112, 117, 149, 151, 163, 185 CHRISTINE SMITH: 17, 44, 51, 100, 115, 208 WYATT SMITH: 38, 72, 82, 132, 149, 150, 155, 157, 177, 182, 195 BENJAMIN SNIDER-BILBREY: 18, 71, 72, 108, 149, 177, 182, 184 JON SNYDER: 19, 39, 84, 91, 105, 130, 132, 149, 155, 157, 193, 202 GARRETT STAFFORD: 13, 25, 53, 97, 106, 149, 151, 155, 157, 159, 171, 182 GARY STEWART: 44 CHARLES STOCKDALL: 44 BERNARD STRUNK: 44 RENAE STUMPE: 44 ULYSSES SUAREZ: 10, 66, 119, 114, 130, 133, 184 DAMDINBAZAR SUMIYABAZAR: 39, 49, 59, 65, 86, 92, 103, 106, 110, 112, 114, 175, 179, 181, 184

S: Ulysses Suarez ’19, Adrian Villarreal ’17.

T, U, V: Wyatt Smith ’16, Aaron Thompson ’17.

W: Donovan Washburn ’18.

X, Y, Z: Haozhang Li ’16, Lihan Zhang ’17.

Photos by Lucas Moore ’18, Christian Foster ’19 and Erin Chambers.

FAR RIGHT Conner Nelson ’19 reads The Book Thief beside Teardrop Lake during Megan Klukowski’s English class April 12. Photo by Lucas Moore ’18.

BO TANG: 14, 39, 65, 135, 168 MICHAEL TEMPLETON: 44 AARON THOMPSON: 11, 27, 28, 49, 64, 68, 71, 81, 90, 93, 98, 108, 110, 117, 121, 162, 173, 175, 177, 179, 182 WO2 RICHARD THORNTON: 44, 112 SKY THUNDERCHILD: 10, 67, 81, 97, 131, 133, 135, 136, 149, 151, 155, 157, 195 GSYGT MARK TOMPKINS: 44 JUSTIN TOUCHETTE: 8, 21, 25, 34, 39, 50, 52, 64, 85, 98, 101, 111, 123, 125, 126, 128, 131, 149, 151, 155, 163, 173, 184, 189, 193, 208

ALEJANDRO TOVAR: 18, 51, 56, 64, 97, 100, 111, 176 TURBOLD TUMURKHUU: 37, 39, 64, 101, 106, 113, 168, 181, 196 JUDITH TWELLS: 44, 176 RICHARD TWELLS: 44 JAKOB UNION: 16, 21, 63, 65, 68, 77, 93, 97, 103, 119, 155, 157 GABRIEL VALLEJO: 14, 46, 51, 56, 59, 64, 84, 93, 107, 110, 112, 117, 173, 184 KYLE VAN EEKEREN: 4, 39, 53, 77, 91, 131, 133, 141, 168, 171

ROBERT VAN HUSS: 10, 25, 39, 51, 77, 85, 93, 98, 102, 114, 160, 167, 168, 181 TRAE VAN TASELL: 10, 190, 197 LIAM VANHOESEN: 10, 55, 68, 94, 159 HECTOR VILLANUEVA: 18, 58, 65, 98, 108, 151, 176, 184 ADRIAN VILLARREAL: 11, 23, 28, 49, 84, 140, 173 JORGE VILLARREAL: 18, 56, 58, 84, 106, 126, 129, 177 JARED VIOLETTE: 35, 39, 49, 55, 66, 70, 84, 98, 101, 112, 145, 168, 177, 179, 184

YINZHOU WANG: 25, 28, 46, 49, 77, 90, 101, 107, 110, 121, 138, 141, 177, 179, 181, 184 DONOVAN WASHBURN: 1, 25, 110, 168, 185 NOAH WEBSTER: 11, 22, 25, 93, 95, 98, 171, 181 JANET WELCH: 44 JULIA WELCH: 44 KENNETH WESTCOTT: 18, 105, 131, 132, 135, 136, 149, 168 MICHAEL WETZEL: 18, 70, 90, 126, 129, 167, 184 GINA WHITESELL: 44 DAVID WILKINS: 44 DONALD WILLIAMS: 15, 41, 82, 91, 102, 125, 126, 129, 138, 141, 160, 181 HANK WILLIAMS: 15, 27, 46, 53, 121, 167, 182 EVAN WILLIMON: 35, 39, 51, 76, 101, 103, 107, 121, 135, 142, 168, 195

AT RIGHT Ethan Ford '20 and Yedneckachew Atkins '17 enjoy a relaxing afternoon March 23 near Colonels Field.

Photo by Jonathan James '16.

ABOVE Cadets visit the World Chess Hall of Fame and museum in St. Louis on April 10.

Pictured: seniors Fahad Aliev, Eduardo Gonzalez, Kyle Mertens and Jared Violette; juniors Benjamin Snider-Bilbrey, Sugar Dashdavaa, Griffin Gilman and Oybek Kirkland; sophomore Alexander Schaaf; and eighth grader Alain Mestre. Photo courtesy of Dr. James Bonanno.

WEI XU: 106 RONGYANG YI: 11, 25, 59, 101, 106, 119, 155, 157, 184, 195 RACHEL YIM: 44, 48, 54, 67, 165 HAIJUNHAO YU: 12, 18, 20, 24, 76, 78, 100, 103, 110, 165, 195 ERYAO ZHANG: 15, 59, 100, 102, 156, 160 LIHAN ZHANG: 19, 56, 65, 99

SIZHENG ZHANG: 15, 65, 106, 110, 114, 155, 157, 165, 181, 195 YUCHEN ZHANG: 19, 59, 121, 184 ZENGHUI ZHANG: 14, 29, 46, 51, 52, 57, 59, 100, 103, 107, 110, 181 JIAXUAN ZHOU: 17, 24, 25, 57, 65, 100, 106, 112, 173, 181 YELIN ZHOU: 12, 27, 29, 66, 106, 114, 120, 139, 168, 181 ZIHAN ZHU: 15, 76, 90, 98, 168, 182

The 61st volume of the Taps yearbook was produced by cadets from sixth to twelfth grades in two elective classes at Missouri Military Academy.

The 208-page book and its four-color matte lithocote cover with handtool grain were printed in Dallas, Texas. The 2016 Taps was printed in full color on 100# matte paper.

MMA’s yearbook representative is Liz Bardin. MMA’s account executive is Catherine Simoneaux. Written content was compiled by yearbook adviser Erin Chambers from sources including local news media, staff articles, cadet interviews and e-mail surveys. Photographic content is courtesy of MMA staffers, marketing department

TAPS YEARBOOK AND EAGLE NEWSPAPER STAFF MEMBERS * denotes Journalism Bar recipient � denotes Lyle C. Wilson Award recipient + denotes Pearl Green Whitney Award recipient • denotes Marketing Department Intern denotes Taps editor-in-chief

SIXTH GRADERS Scout Jones* Nathan Nolan* Alexander Sheldon FRESHMEN Christian Foster*

professionals and studentjournalists. Photos were shot using Canon, Sony and Nikon cameras. Staff and student portraits were shot by Tom Paule Photography at no charge.

The cover design and all spread templates, folio images and layouts were designed and copy edited by Publications Coordinator Erin Chambers.

Graphic elements featured on the divider pages were created by Erin Chambers, Brennan Morand and Rudi Petry. Content was created from August 2015 to April 2016 to reflect a fractal theme. The 2016 Taps yearbook was produced on PC computers

SOPHOMORES Jeremy Elkins Lucas Moore* William Moore* Alexander Seibert*

with publication software including Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator and InDesign CS6.

Content, classification and sports scores are accurate as of April 2016. Typefaces used throughout this book are Bahiana and Oswald Extralight and Medium. Body text is set at 8pt and 9pt.All angled cuts are 45 degrees. Stroke weights and internal margins are 1pt.

Color swatches were pulled from photographs on each page.

Yearbook advertisements were sold at: $300 for a full page, $150 for a half page and $75 for a quarter page. Pages were digitally submitted as PDFs.

SENIORS Nelson Aguilera Weitao Cong Oscar Cortada •* Christian Ell Miguel Gonzalez Jonathan James*

SENIORS Jose Mejia Robert Moore Brennan Morand •*+ Rene Padilla Robert Pryor Justin Touchette �*

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. Special thanks to: Connor Pearson, Christine Smith, CPT Greg Maximovitch, Cheryl Morris and LTC Willis Kleinsorge.

The 2015 Taps was one of 3% of Balfour publications featured in the 2016 Balfour Yearbook Yearbook. Both the 2015 and 2016 Taps were designated as the top 3% of Balfour publications and were chosen for distribution to high schools across the nation.

BOTTOM RIGHT Presser Performing Arts Center Photography Contest winners.

BOTTOM LEFT 2016 Scholastic Art Award winners.

STUDENT AWARDS

2015 PRESSER PERFORMING ARTS CENTER PHOTO CONTEST Weitao Cong ’16: Second Place, Black & White Miguel Gonzalez ’16: First Place, Black & White Nathan Nolan ’22: Second Place, Weather Justin Touchette ’16: First Place, Sports/Action 2015 BALFOUR GREAT SHOT CONTEST, ACTION PHOTO Senior Justin Touchette’s photo of the MMA obstacle course, which was printed on page 2 of the 2015 Taps, placed third out of nearly 1,200 images submitted. Both Touchette’s award-winning photo and a second of his photos (printed on page 84 of the 2015 Taps) were featured in the 2016 Balfour Yearbook Yearbook.

2016 SCHOLASTIC ART AWARDS, MIDWEST REGION Gold Key: top 5-7% of all entries.

Silver Key: top 7-10% of all entries.

Honorable Mention: top 10-15% of all entries.

Brennan Morand ’16: Digital Art, Honorable Mention, “Fractal.”

Printed on page 152.

Thomas Dean ’16: Photography, Gold Key, “Braided Beard.”

Alexander Seibert ’18: Photography, Silver Key, “Railsplitters.”

Printed on page 026.

Weitao Cong ’16: Photography, Honorable Mention, “Black & White.”

Miguel Gonzalez ’16: Photography, Honorable Mention, “Relaxing Cadet” and “Saxophone Shadow.”

ABOVE Yearbook and newspaper staff members.

All photos by Erin Chambers.