Missouri Military Academy Cadets Participate in Spring 2026 Community Service Day

The MMA Corps of Cadets participated in the Academy’s spring 2025 Community Service Day on March 27, volunteering at Presser Arts Center, the Mexico Veteran’s Home, American Legion/VFW Ashland, Ashland Optimist Club, the Mexico Animal Shelter, the Mexico-Audrain County Library, Arthur Hills Golf Course, Elmwood Cemetery, Plunkett Park and more. From landscaping to escorting veterans to lunch to playing with shelter dogs, cadets spent a full day serving their communities.

MMA cadets contribute roughly 8,000 hours of community service annually. Selfless service is one of MMA’s core values and an important component of the cadets’ 360° Education. Community service provides an early understanding of philanthropy and a sense of direction while promoting empowerment, self-worth, and empathy. It also helps develop social, emotional and physical skills.

That impact was evident in Ashland, where cadets assisted the Ashland Optimist Club with improvements to its building and grounds. The facility serves as a hub for the Southern Boone community, hosting youth sports, school functions, fundraisers and citywide events. It has also been used as an emergency shelter, including during recent wildfire evacuations in Hartsburg, when FEMA and Red Cross personnel provided assistance to residents.

“Your cadets and staff members spent a day cleaning and repairing our facilities and fields, which means so much to us,” said Ashland Optimist Club President Ernest Wren III. “I was there, as were other Optimist members, and we were thoroughly impressed with the diligence and work ethic of your cadets. They were also some of the most respectful and polite young men I have had the pleasure to work with. They are a testament to the values and life skills your Academy has instilled in them. As a former schoolteacher and college dean, I have had extensive experience with youth, and these young men represented your institution with the highest levels of excellence.”

Each year, every MMA high school cadet contributes 16 hours of community service, while each middle school cadet contributes eight hours to the local community. This service not only provides an opportunity to give back to those who invest in the cadets, but also reinforces the values of honor, integrity and selfless service.

Click here to view more photos from the 2026 Community Service Day.