My Summer Camp Experience: Cadet Canyon Sanford

My Marine Military Academy Summer Camp Experience

by Cadet Sanford

Cadet SanfordMy name is Canyon C. Sanford. I’m 18 years old and I am the Company First Sergeant for Delta Company. I’m in the 12th grade and I live in Houston, Texas. I first came to the MMA Summer Camp in 2008. I came across an advertisement for the MMA summer camp in the back of a copy of Boy’s Life when I was in the 6th grade, and for two years I asked my parents if I could go. My father, a former Marine, had no reservations about it, but I had to wait a few years so I could be old enough to attend.

I finally got to go the summer camp before my 8th grade year in school. I was placed into Delta Company, where I met my current Drill Instructor, Sergeant Major Carson, and my Assistant Drill Instructor, Master Gunnery Sergeant Hamilton. They helped motivate me to perform better in the following month of summer camp through their leadership and Marine background.

Marine Military Academy Summer Camp Activities I Enjoyed

I immediately enjoyed drill and marching, and I loved playing paintball, intramural activities, and the obstacle and confidence courses. However, I finally overcame my fear of heights when I jumped off the “Power Pole,” a telephone pole stuck into the ground where, when attached to a harness, you must jump off in order to touch a buoy only a few feet away. However, being almost 20 feet off the ground, the distance seems to become much, much larger. Sergeant Major picked me personally to demonstrate how a camper must jump off the pole. After he picked me, I had to say yes. I swallowed my reservations and jumped.

What Summer Camp Taught Me

After I conquered the courses and finished Summer Camp, I was elated to go back home and tell my family how much I enjoyed it. I recommended the school to many different people I knew, and I planned to go to school in a few years. Years later, I came to MMA in my junior year, and I’ll never regret the decision I made. MMA has been an incredible experience, and I’ve learned more about leadership and hard work in my two years here than I could have anywhere else. I’ll continue to recommend this school to others, as I know this is a rewarding experience.

Learn More About MMA Summer Camp and How You Can Experience It

Check out all the details by visiting our Website or watch our Summer Camp 2012 Video.

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