On The Yard

As is every season on the Yard, late winter and spring are a flurry of service projects for the Midshipman Action Group (MAG), a USNA ECA and community service institution that’s been giving back to the Annapolis Community and beyond since 1992.

Related: The U.S. Naval Academy Giving Tree: Angels in Our Midst.

Celebrating Community

In February, the midshipmen in MAG spent some time with the local Annapolis Boys & Girls Club, where they helped the students build vision boards to start the new year with positive thinking and also help kick off Black History Month. Then, to further commemorate Black History Month, several members of the Black Studies Club had the opportunity to meet with Banneker Douglass Museum Executive Director, Chanel Johnson, and Program Director, Sabriya Hassan-Ismail in Annapolis.

They returned in March for Women’s History Month, when the newly named Banneker Douglass Tubman Museum held a ceremony to honor the life and legacy of Harriet Tubman. MAG standout and Midshipmen Black Studies Club President, MIDN 1/C Kalylah Gilliums, along with Major Ebony Brimhall, USMC, Class of 2011 and National Naval Officers Association president, Annapolis Chapter, attended the event.

A Spring Break of Service

During that same month, a group of seventeen midshipmen traveled to Snohomish County in Washington, in the beautiful Pacific Northwest, to work with several Boys & Girls Clubs, including Everett, Oak Harbor, and Lummi Nation Boys & Girls Clubs. Now in the eighth year of this program, these mentors spent the week working with a group of 5-18 year olds, teaching STEM lessons, playing games, putting together puzzles, tossing footballs, and engaging in a myriad of activities that delighted and inspired the students. 

USNA Community Relations Director, Miriam Stanicic, explains how MAG thoughtfully plans alternative spring break trips each year with local partners in communities around the country. “The Midshipman Action Group is dedicated to meaningful alternative spring break trips which impact our communities in a very positive way,” she says. “This year's trips confirm MAG's unwavering focus on service.”

The Oak Harbor Boys & Girls Club also had the special opportunity to see Captain Eric Hanks, USN, Commanding Officer at Naval Air Station (NAS) Whidbey Island, host a day of learning accompanied by his staff. There, they enjoyed a tour of Naval Air Station Whidbey Island’s EA-18 Growler, Search and Rescue unit and Air Traffic Control Tower, put together by Captain Hanks, Lieutenant Newberry, Lieutenant Tribble, and their incredible team at NAS Whidbey.

Related: Taking USNA to Pacific Northwest Children: The Midshipman Action Group in Action.

Making a Difference at Home Too

After they returned from break, MAG was as active as ever. Just in the past couple of weeks alone, MAG helped with a watershed cleanup project. They also worked with the Latin American Studies Club (LASC) to further STEM outreach with students from local and regional schools who competed in STEM competitions. LASC President Midshipman 2/C Ivette Ayala is an outstanding member of MAG. 

The spring season also found a small group of talented MAG musicians playing for a local senior facility. Then MAG members volunteered with the local food bank distribution unit alongside Ms. Sarah Reilly, a dedicated community member and food bank coordinator. MAG representatives also finished a large-scale supplies drive at the on-campus Midshipmen Store for the local shelter with Ms. Sarah Ryan, a dedicated community partner.

Thank you, MAG!

For the midshipmen who devote their limited time outside of academics and military training to serving their communities, we say thank you! The members of MAG go above and beyond to bring the spirit of service at USNA both near and far, sending a positive ripple of good work out into the world and inspiring more young people to join their ranks someday and give back themselves. 

You can help the midshipmen and their mission. When you take a USNA tour, enjoy a dining experience on the Yard, or shop at the Gift Shop or on Navyonline.com, all proceeds directly benefit the Brigade and fund important extracurricular activities like cultural arts, music, theater, club sports, and more. Give back to the midshipmen who give their all!