Cadet King applies break time to Habitat

Alex King, 12, at center left, helps his older brother Allen King make balloon animals at the 2014 United Way Block Party in Huntsville. CONTRIBUTED

MADISON – While thousands of teenagers headed for sunny beaches, U.S. Air Force Academy Cadet Allen King used Spring Break to give back to others.

King joined fellow cadets in volunteering to work on building homes for Habitat for Humanity.

For the past 15 years, cadets have put their sweat and muscles behind the Air Force core value of “Service Before Self” and participated in the academy’s Alternative Spring Break program. The academy’s Center for Character and Leadership Development sponsors Alternative Spring Break, a part of Cadet Service Learning.

This service learning strives to apply the core value of “Service Before Self” from theoretical concepts of the classroom and training environment. Cadets can put the ideas to the test in real situations, meeting real community needs.

This year, 75 Air Force Academy Cadets volunteered with Habitat for Humanity in Sacramento, Calif.; Houston and Corpus Christi, Texas; Des Moines, Iowa; and Tupelo, Miss. King participated in Iowa’s program. These cadets chose to spend their vacation time to help provide a home to a family in need instead of enjoying down time with family and friends.

In the past five years, Air Force Cadets have performed approximately 38,000 hours of community service annually, as part of Cadet Service Learning.

King graduated from James Clemens High School in May 2015. While enrolled in Madison schools, King often volunteered in community projects and was known for his work as a balloon artist.

During his first semester at the academy, he mastered a ‘perfect’ GPA of 4.0. King was named to the Selective Dean’s Academy A-Team and the Commandant’s List for outstanding military performance.