How one's coffee club is helping heal divides

Alice Garcia never planned on a military career, but a schedule change in high school set her up for an unlikely stint in the Army Junior ROTC programme. “The only elective that was available after my schedule change was Army JROTC," she recalled. At the time, she saw it as merely another class, but her mom helped her look at it in a different way.

- Jake Harriman

Her mom told her that when she was in high school, women weren't allowed to be cadets — so she had to be a ‘sponsor’ for the male cadets. “You should be thankful that you get to be a cadet in JROTC,” Garcia’s mother explained to her. Seeing the opportunity that the programme offered came at the right time, as Garcia’s instructors recognised her growing leadership skills. “One of the instructors mentioned, ‘You seem to be catching onto this Army thing. Have you thought about the military?’ And I immediately said, ‘No, I have to go to college, that’s non-negotiable for my family,” Garcia said.

But learning that military service meant a scholarship opportunity changed things, and with the encouragement of her father, who served in both the Air Force and Army, she took the leap and applied to West Point.