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<\/figure>\n\n\n\nSims, who has been on four previous mission trips to Guatemala, knew what to expect. A seasoned traveler, the business management major found a Citadel mission trip to be uniquely rewarding. \u201cOne thing I thought was really cool about our group is that we really wanted to get things done,\u201d said Sims. \u201cWe were not goofing off\u2014we were working hard and trying to make an impact.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Although much of the cadets\u2019 days were spent working to improve the on-site facilities, their most important work was spent making connections with the children. \u201cCadets had so many ways of showing the kids that they were important,\u201d said Sturdy. \u201cThey learned their names and played games with them.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
After several days of strenuous labor in an unfamiliar country, Sims faced his greatest challenge yet\u2014roller skating. Of the many activities cadets did with the children, including volleyball, soccer and face painting, skating proved to be the most difficult. \u201cI wasn\u2019t very good at it,\u201d said Sims, who was happy to find that his background in gymnastics was the perfect way to break the ice. \u201cAs a joke, I decided to walk on my hands because it was easier for me than skating. I told them that I could teach them how to do it, too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The next day, the children took him up on his offer. On a rare stretch of flat land among the rolling hills that surrounded the home, Sims began teaching the elementary and middle schoolers how to do handstand walks, front and back handsprings, and back tucks. Other members of the team joined in, including Sturdy, who took his own turn showing off his handstand. \u201cShowing those kids\u2014who are going to carry a lifelong wound from whatever their reason is for being there\u2014that they matter is really what counted the most,\u201d said Sturdy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
After a gratifying week of hard work and meaningful time with the children, the St. Alban\u2019s cadets are eager to return next year. Sims is already planning to bring gymnastics equipment to help teach the kids new tricks. \u201cIt gave me perspective and showed me how much I have to be grateful for,\u201d said Sims. \u201cIn the future, I want our group to do some community outreach here in Charleston.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Sturdy believes mission work helps to develop cadets as global citizens. \u201cThe biggest impact is giving Citadel students a vision that they can make a difference with the vulnerable people in their own communities.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The Citadel\u2019s emphasis on character development plays an important role in the education of its students and is why graduates are in high demand. On Leadership Day, one of the most important days of the cadet year, students engage in educational development outside the classroom through community service and dedicated leadership training. For the cadets […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":694,"featured_media":682,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_coblocks_attr":"","_coblocks_dimensions":"","_coblocks_responsive_height":"","_coblocks_accordion_ie_support":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[6,5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-681","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-character","category-pillars"],"yoast_head":"\n