Teaching young people to lead with humility, empathy, and purpose starts with intentional character development, and at R-MA, gratitude is one of the strongest foundations for it. During the Thanksgiving season and throughout the year, our students learn that giving thanks means taking action. Through service projects, community partnerships, and student-led initiatives, they discover how much impact they can have when they choose to uplift others.
At R-MA, character development is experienced firsthand as they organize service projects, support local organizations, and see the impact of their actions. These moments help shape confident, empathetic leaders who understand the power of giving back.
Gratitude in Action: How Service Shapes the R-MA Experience
Students at R-MA participate in many service hours each year. Hands-on service transforms the idea of gratitude into something students can feel, express, and share. Whether they’re encouraging younger children at a community event, supporting a local charity, or participating in campus-wide service days, cadets learn that giving back strengthens the bonds within and beyond our school community.
For many students, these experiences become defining memories and moments that spark purpose, kindness, and responsibility.
The Interact Club: Where Leadership and Service Meet
One of the most powerful examples of community service at our prep school is R-MA’s Interact Club. This student-led club empowers cadets to plan and carry out service initiatives that support both local needs and global causes.
Members of the Interact Club live by the Rotary Four-Way Test, asking themselves:
- Is it the truth?
- Is it fair to all concerned?
- Will it build goodwill and better friendships?
- Will it be beneficial to all concerned?
These guiding questions help students build a strong moral foundation, one that they’ll take with them wherever they go. Through fundraisers, hands-on volunteer work, and charity partnerships, students learn how service grounded in gratitude creates meaningful change.
Service Integrated Into Learning
At R-MA, service is blended into academic and extracurricular activities. Cadets regularly apply classroom knowledge to real-world impact, gaining a deeper understanding of why their studies matter.
For example:
- Students in the Unmanned Systems Lab have used drone technology to support environmental organizations and help monitor local ecosystems.
- Creative arts students have contributed to community events, performances, and projects that bring people together across generations.
- STEM and humanities classes often embed service learning, encouraging students to connect coursework with community needs.
This approach helps cadets see the broader purpose of their education and strengthens their confidence as emerging leaders.
Campus Events Rooted in Gratitude
Throughout the year, R-MA students help plan and lead events that make the campus and local community stronger, from dances and field days to donation drives and seasonal service activities. These events teach practical leadership skills:
- Clear communication
- Team coordination
- Creative problem-solving
- Responsibility and follow-through
More importantly, students experience the joy of building something meaningful for others, an essential part of their growth.
Why Character Development and Service Matter at R-MA
R-MA has a long tradition of building leaders who serve with integrity. Service teaches humility, character development, and gratitude, but it also strengthens student relationships, campus culture, and character.
When cadets see the difference they can make, something shifts. They begin to view themselves not only as students, but as contributors, young people capable of compassion, leadership, and positive influence.
By the time students graduate, they’ve gained more than service hours. They’ve developed empathy, responsibility, and the courage to step up when others need support. These are the kinds of lessons that stay with them through college, careers, and community life.
Thanksgiving reminds all of us of the importance of gratitude. At R-MA, we help students turn that gratitude into service and service into lifelong character.
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