On Monday of each week, several cadets from the New Mexico Youth ChalleNGe Academy (NMYCA) perform community service work at Roswell Head Start as part of their curriculum at the academy.

Sgt. 1st Class K. Powell said she led nine recruits from the academy to the school on Monday. Powell, a Marine Corp veteran from Dexter, said it was her second time accompanying the cadets to visit the Head Start program. She is a cadre leader for the academy, a sort of mentor for the cadets.

Doing community service is one of the eight core components of the cadet's education at the academy, Powell said. Other core components include academic excellence, leadership, physical fitness, life coping skills, job skills, health and hygiene.

Powell said cadets must complete at least 40 hours of community serv

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