As part of an appreciation tour to twelve military installations for National Military Appreciation Month and Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, on May 1 Aumua Amata visited Wentworth Military Academy and College in Lexington MO, where almost thirty American Samoan students are in attendance.

Although she has been invited to Wentworth in the past, the schedule could never be worked out to coincide with other off-island commitments, until this year.

According to faculty members with whom Aumua met, the Samoan students are doing well and have a high success rate.

Aumua overnighted on campus, spending twelve hours in fellowship with the students from American Samoa, saying she enjoyed "having meals with them, reviewing the troops line up and march in formation, delivering a keynote address for Asian Pacific American Heritage Month and just kicking back and talking about how things are back at home."  She added that the students miss their families and Samoan food most. 

The Samoans included Marcus Leuluai-Mamoe of Nuuuli; Puakalani Tiara Sione of Masefau; Taulagaola Sala Sutagi Uta'i of Gataivai; Tu'iemanu Eugenie Ripley of Leone; Joseph Afalava of Avaio; Manumalo Porotesano of Amouli; Tamati Faoasau of Fagaima; Ricardo Gonzales of Aua; Rhema Tilo of Aua; Lauivaa Tavai of Aua; Anthony Steffany of Fagasa; Fred Meaole of Amanave; Melody Vaeoso of Tula; Caroline Schuster of Vaitogi; Tiatia Fetaui of Laulii; Christine G-Barbie Lu'uga of Pago Pago; Agaaletaua Autele (Sai) of Ofu, Manu'a; Ethan Salatielu of Ofu and Faga'itua; Michael Schuster of Leone and Vaitogi; Snow White of Vaitogi; Millenial Manu of Faleniu; Katerina Lynn Taula'i of Faga'alu; Iva Kokoh of Leone; Monalisa Fa'asavalu of Nuuuli; Joseph Fruean of Ottoville and Milton Ni'o Ah Sam of Pago Pago village.

Established in 1880, Wentworth is a private four-year college preparatory high school and military junior college in the Greater Kansas City Metropolitan Area and is the oldest military academy west of the Mississippi River. It is one of only five military junior colleges in the United States

Among its programs is the Army's two-year Early Commissioning Program, an Army Reserve Officers Training Corps (ROTC) program through which qualified students can earn a commission as a Second Lieutenant after two years of college. Wentworth also has had 100% acceptance into the U.S. Air Force Academy over the past 20 years through its Falcon Foundation Scholarship program. Because the high school shares the campus with the junior college, many high school students accelerate their education and gain college credit during their junior and senior years.

Aumua Amata media release