Community Service “We are so proud of our extraordinary cadets at MAST,” said Senior Chief Mike Vaccarella USN (ret), this week, speaking of the more than 80 cadets, approximately 25 per cent of the student body, who participated in a variety of special events over the past week at various parts of Monmouth County.
Cadets, for the third consecutive year, volunteered in the early morning hours Saturday to assist Fins for Freedom, the non-profit agency designed to offer “Aqua-Therapy” for veterans.
The Cadets arrived at the Atlantic Highlands municipal Harbor before 6 a.m. to help register the nearly 100 veterans who were given a day’s outing on various private craft with fishermen who donated their craft and services to enable veterans to enjoy a day of fishing that started with breakfast and ended with a dinner at On the Deck Restaurant after a day of fishing . Cadets helped serve breakfast, give out gifts and escort the veterans to their respective crafts for the day’s outing.
Participating in this event were Juniors/LCDR Nicholas Billows, c/ENS James Baeta, c/SCPO Jack Cohen, c/SCPO Samuel Schultheis, c/CPO Anthony Conheeney; and sophomore c/PO2 Peter Brown. Additionally, Monmouth County Vocational School District junior student, Ryan Deverin, from the Academy of Law and Public Safety (ALPS) also volunteered with the MAST students when he learned that C/Lt Tyler Terhune, who has organized the cadets for the day for each year, was unable to attend because of a prior commitment. Deverin said he was aware of the importance of the job each cadet was doing, and “I wanted to contribute to it as well and fill in as a substitute for Terhune.”
MAST cadets at flag with Senior Chief Michel Vaccarrella and Post Commander Peter Doyle at far right.
Photo by c/SN Margaret Parker, a freshman at MAST
Vaccarella said at the same time another 15 cadets were at Bayview Cemetery replacing more than 700 American flags on the graves of veterans from the Revolutionary War to the 21st century, another annual service the cadets provide in advance of every Memorial Day. The cadets work with other volunteers from Rumson Fair Haven High School in removing flags they placed last year with new flags, then folding the discarded flags and turning them over for Boy Scout Troop 22 to hold their own disposal service.
These MAST volunteers included freshman c/SA Liam O’Reilly, c/SA Jack Grumbach, c/SA Gavin Conk, c/SA Anisha Gupta, c/SN Lucas Abrams, c/SN Margaret Parker, c/SN Scottie Moran, c/SN Abigail Reilly, c/PO3 Mateo Gonzalez, c/PO3 Luca Portelli; sophomores, c/PO3 Ryan Gilmartin, c/PO2 Kyra Pepe, c/PO2 Madelyn Kilar, and juniors c/LTJG Donovan Post, and c/LTJG Samantha Vo.
“Honoring our Veterans, Community Service is an integral part of NJROTC, “ Vaccarella said.
“Their volunteerism is not limited to these two events” said the acting senior naval instructor
Since April 1 of 2024 to April 1, 2025, Vaccarrella continued, “MAST cadets completed 13,775 Community Service hours. MAST NJROTC supports our local Veterans of Foreign War, the American Legion, many local municipalities in parades and Color Guards memorials and remembrance events. MAST also supports many environmental projects, Clean Ocean Action, NOAA, Littoral Society, and the Student Summit to mention a few.”
In addition to Finns for Freedom and Bayview Cemetery, another 18 MAST cadets were also volunteering last weekend for the 21st annual Ocean Fun Day, a free marine science educational event open to the public where science agencies and nonprofit organizations donate their time to provide fun hands-on activities to people of all ages. “The MASTies participated by helping the scientists teach the public about research projects including effects of ocean temp on lobsters, providing children with face painting, and stocking and manning a touch tank. “
c/ENS Laila Caramanica is Battalion Media Specialist at MAST and secures and reports all the information on a variety of MAST activities.
