Why CMA Was Good For Me--by Cadet Weaver

By: Casey Robinson on Oct 20, 2020 | Categories: General

My name is Matthew Weaver and I have been a cadet at CMA for 6 years. I arrived my seventh grade year due to grades and some other issues. I was close to failing my sixth grade year when my parents decided that a change would be good for me. They told me they were sending me to a boarding school in South Carolina. I had never even heard of South Carolina and I was angry and upset as any kid would be.

When I arrived I felt at home and was not scared to be in this new place and knew that a change would be best for me. The discipline and rules in place at CMA helped motivate me and encouraged me to put my best foot forward and try. I still struggled my first year because some of those habits were instilled in me and hard to change. Being surrounded by friends and other kids like me helped me greatly and I became competitive both inside and outside of the classroom. I joined multiple clubs and even though I didn’t stick with some of them, it helped me make friends, find myself and find what was the right for me. My ninth grade year I picked up weight lifting (of all things). This helped me mentality: I had a stronger drive, less stress, and more self confidence. Some of my best friends that I have made at CMA, I met in the weight room.

Also, my academics and behavior improved greatly and I even began to feel proud of my accomplishments and myself. CMA has turned me into a young man and not a military robot as some people might think it will do. I have self-respect, confidence, discipline, motivation, time management skills, and the most important to me- manners for others. CMA has made me a better young man all around and I don’t think I would be where I am right now without the TAC officers, teachers, coaches, and the administration. Today, my parents are proud of me and so am I!