Academy's El Pomar scholars take leadership to community

  • Published
  • By Julie Imada
  • U.S. Air Force Center for Character and Leadership Development
U.S. AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. --  Air Force Academy cadets have teamed with local students to partner with the El Pomar Foundation, a local nonprofit organization, to shine a light on leadership.

The foundation funds the El Pomar scholars program tied to the Colorado Leadership Alliance and the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce emerging leaders program.

Members of this year's class of El Pomar scholars, Cadets 3rd Class Krista Kelly and Eric Albers, Cadets 2nd Class Bryan Park and Ashley Olson, created and led a new program for kindergarten-12th grade Medicaid students and represented the Academy at two El Pomar Foundation leadership retreats. 

The Academy participates every year. Two second and third class cadets are selected to join the program, which includes $10,000 in funding to support their participation in retreats and the development of local cadet leadership initiatives.

"Because of their focus on nonprofits and community interaction, El Pomar and CLA offer cadets the opportunity to demonstrate service before self," said Capt. Bernadette Ramsey, the officer in charge of the Academy's EP scholars. "It's not about personal development - that happens as a byproduct of serving others and this is a tremendous opportunity to serve others."

Kelly, Albers, Park and Olson attended a retreat in the fall of 2014 focused on courageous leadership and featured several military speakers.

The event was an opportunity for cadets to share their perspectives and experience with civilian students curious about the Academy. Kelly said.

"Our counterparts were very interested in our environment," she said. "Many people don't understand what goes on here and they soaked up what we were saying."

Park said the Academy is a leadership laboratory for cadets.

"It is more of a practical place here than theoretical for us," he said.

A requirement for cadets in the program is they must develop a community project during their year as El Pomar scholars. The cadet team focused on education and teamed with Aspen Pointe, a nonprofit organization in the Pikes Peak area that provides services to the Medicaid community.

Park said the team wanted to spread the word about organizations offering resources to families and students in need. 

"Our youth makes us relatable to kids in Colorado Springs," he said, adding that the team felt the best way to reach at-risk students is through sports.

The team identified schools in the region with high populations of Medicaid recipients and worked with the Jack Swigert Aerospace Academy. According to the National Center for Education Statistics from the U.S. Education Department, more than 85 percent of the students enrolled at Jack Swigert are in the free or discounted Lunch program.

Academy cadets were granted internships at Aspen Pointe. The goals of their program at Jack Swigert were to keep the students off the streets and in a safe and productive environment through sports. They also wanted to expose students and their families to the services available at Aspen Pointe and help them utilize those resources.

"Our team is proud that we took this sponsorship of $10,000 and turned it into a self-initiated program," he said. "We are able to interact with and impact the youth in our local area. It's about what we have been able to do with the kids at Jack Swigert. They look at us and tell us they want to come to the Academy."

Kelly said the team plans to incorporate their efforts in the Cadet Service Leadership program here to bring the students to the Academy on field trips.

Call 333-4904 for more information.