Written by D’Marcus Gaston & Armani Lovelace-Bran
The KMA at ITA is known for crafting well-rounded and disciplined individuals, who utilize their learned leadership skills to navigate throughout their life. Lieutenant Colonel (LTC) Henderson, head of the KMA, states, “KMA is a JROTC program, so it’s a high school reserve officer training corp. We pretty much focus on leadership and civic duty.”. Students in JROTC programs such as the KMA also receive priority when being considered for ROTC scholarships. The KMA stresses three core elements: Scholastics, Academics, and Leadership.
Students in the KMA take 4 years of Leadership Education and Training (LET) classes, a curriculum designed and provided by the United States Army. LTC Henderson, “Each year builds on the next so by the time you’re a senior it’s not really classwork, but instead a task.” LET classes build on skills such as character-building, citizenship, personal discipline, physical fitness, teamwork, and above all, leadership skills. The academy stresses that “leadership of oneself means achieving the very best overall cumulative Grade Point Average”.
Athleticism is promoted more through their weekly physical training outside of normal gym classes, as well as additional extracurricular opportunities to excel at athleticism. Cadets are required to seek self-improvement every day and in every way by learning self-leadership and improving as leaders by rising in their ranks. This Western Ideal is summarized as “a healthy mind in a healthy body.”
Leadership is an essential skill that will be utilized throughout life and in career paths such as the military. In addition to LET classes and Physical Training, KMA students are allowed to participate 2-3 times per week in their choice of the following extracurricular activities/teams: Color Guard, Raiders Team, Armed Drill Team, Unarmed Drill Team, Sabre Team, Academic Team. The KMA also has a community service project with Feed My Starving Children, and the Military Ball at the end of the year. Lieutenant Colonel Henderson, the head of the KMA states, “They set up everything from the fundraising when we do the pizza sales, so we can get the venue and a meal that’s served with it”. Emphasizing the importance of working for something you want. The KMA is great at teaching real-life lessons like this.
In this da y and age of our ever-evolving world adulthood can seem like a very scary concept. Such a monumental moment in life should have a lot of guidance and support. One of the KMA’s biggest missions is preparing students with real-world knowledge, and the opportunity to grow by encouraging students to take initiative by putting them in real-life situations. LTC Henderson says he’s trying to foster initiative and push outside your comfort zone so that you learn more. He then references a quote saying “Experience is the hardest lesson learned because you get the lesson after the experience.” This a beautiful quote I must note. The KMA’s morals are very wise, motivational, and consoling. One of these morals that the KMA emphasizes is that failure isn’t a statement of character but instead a vital part of learning and growing as a person. LTC Henderson says “If I had the cure to apathy I’d be a rich man.” No one can give an individual purpose and people create their paths, still, the KMA’s purpose is to guide young adults with wisdom, knowledge, and support that they can learn from and use throughout their lives.