Each year, The Angels Against Abuse, a local charity that sponsors the Mad Hatters’ Tea Party, reaches out to Admiral Farragut Academy in hopes that our cadets who would like to volunteer for their special event.  The Mad Hatter’s Tea Party is held in September at the beautifully decorated Coliseum in St. Petersburg. The event hosts about 300 children who live in the child welfare system. It is a wonderful fairy-tale event for these children who don’t have birthday parties and have never been to Disney.  Our cadets help run the games, distribute prizes, wait tables for lunch, and of course, serve the birthday cake!

Our volunteers were treated to a pizza party from the members of The Angels Against Abuse as a thank you for their outstanding job of making the children feel so special on this festive day.

There are many reasons a teen may choose a military school instead of a traditional private school. A common misconception is that all military school’s are “like boot camp” and that is far from the truth. Ask yourself: Does your teen thrive in a structured environment? Is it important that they are involved and belong to something bigger than themselves? Are they interested in serving their country? 

Five reasons to choose a private military school for your teen.

1. Strong Core Values.

Students at military schools are held accountable to live out the school’s core values. At Admiral Farragut Academy those core values are: integrity (being of strong moral character), self-discipline (making good choices), perseverance (accomplishing one’s goals), and wellness and fitness (to achieve their full potential).

2. Structure and Purpose.

A private military school provides the structure necessary for students to learn discipline, respect, and time management skills. Students are also challenged and expected to create goals, reach those goals, and ultimately discover their purpose.

3. Pride and Respect.

Teens are expected to wear their military uniform with pride and respect. On a daily basis, they must be clean cut with their uniform pressed and shoes shined. It teaches them to take pride in how they appear and as the saying goes, “when you look sharp, you feel sharp.”

4. Leaders and Role Models.

Military school students, known as cadets, are required to actively lead their peers and be role models to the younger students. Some PreK-12 private schools are military only in 8th-12th grade, and, starting in PreK, the younger students look up to the older students and are excited to reach the time when they too can wear the uniform and lead.

5. Nominations, Appointments, and Scholarships.

Admiral Farragut Academy is an honor naval school, which means the Naval Science Department is allowed to give out 6 nominations to the U.S. Naval Academy, 5 to the U.S. Air Force Academy, and 3 to the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. This is an outstanding advantage for those students interested in pursuing a military career or wanting to receive full-tuition ROTC scholarships in college.

A military school is a place where teens find success because the approach to leadership transforms, inspires, and empowers young people to create a positive change in their school and communities.

Is your teen up for the challenge? Do you want your child growing up in an environment that asks them to live on purpose, with purpose? If the answer is yes, a private school with a high school military structure would be the perfect fit.

Timothy Kucherenko ‘19 shows off his universal blood type

Nothing shows the beating heart of the Farragut Family so well as when we give back to our community and to those in need. On Friday, October 13th, our students got a chance to do just that when the OneBlood Blood Bus rolled onto campus.

More than 20 students and employees donated blood during the blood drive, and they all had their reasons for doing it.

“I have type O- blood,” said Timothy Kucherenko ‘19. “I’m a universal donor. Ever since I found that out, I’ve donated blood every chance I get.”

Carlos Riva-Palacio ‘18 gives blood

“My dad was shot in the leg once,” said Carlos Riva-Palacio ‘18, an international student from Mexico. “It was really hard finding blood for him. I donate so that it’ll be easier for other people to get blood.”

“I hope it goes out to cancer patients,” said James Sands ‘18. “I know people who have been diagnosed with cancer, so that’s important to me.”

(L-R) Josh Fixler ’19, James Sands ’18, and Joshua Six ’19 wait to give blood

Each pint of blood donated has the ability to help up to three people. After the blood is donated, it is then taken immediately back to the lab to process and separate. After three days of testing, it is ready to be taken to the hospital. Red blood cells help trauma victims and surgery patients, plasma helps burn victims, and platelets help chemotherapy patients.

“A lot of it goes to help in the Tampa Bay area,” Kayla Kolb, the representative from OneBlood, said. “But since we’re one of the largest suppliers of blood in the area, we’ve sent blood out to Houston, Las Vegas, and Puerto Rico recently as well when they needed it.”

Timothy Kucherenko ‘19 signs up to give blood with OneBlood representative Kayla Kolb.

The Blood Bus will be back at Farragut on Friday, December 15th, and two more times in 2018 on Friday, February 2nd and Friday, April 13th. All are welcome to donate on those days.

“I feel it’s a good thing to do to give people hope,” said Joshua Six ‘19. “To give them a sense that there are people out there who care about them.”

To find out more information about donating or about OneBlood, visit http://oneblood.org.

Learn about other community service projects our students have been involved in.

Dear Parents, Alumni, Family, and Friends:

You are invited to the Admiral Farragut Academy Parents’ Group annual Golf Tournament. This year’s tournament will be held at the beautiful Pasadena Yacht and Country Club (PYCC), which has been newly renovated with the installation of paspalum grass on the fairways and tees. PYCC is located just four miles from our school.

Parents’ Group Annual Golf Tournament

Friday, November 10, 2017
8:30 a.m. Shotgun Start

Pasadena Yacht and Country Club

6300 Pasadena Point Blvd S.
Gulfport, FL 33707

Learn More About the Golf Tournament (email invitation)

Register Online for Golf Tournament

Ryan and father, Tom Green

Ryan Green ‘17 has attended Admiral Farragut Academy since fifth grade and has been in Cub Scouts since he was in first grade. Although he received his rank of Eagle Scout from Troop 321 in Seminole, Florida on September 25, 2017, Ryan had completed his Eagle Scout project two years prior.

“I still had to earn more badges before I could earn this rank, but the opportunity arose to complete the project early so I did it,” Ryan explained.

R’Club Child Care, Inc. had reached out to Boy Scouts of America about fixing up an area at their child care center. According to R’Club’s website, “R’Club provides care for more than 400 children daily who have special needs and operates extended learning programs in both exceptional student education centers in Pinellas County.”

Ryan’s Eagle Scout project consisted of him coordinating the replacement of the flagpole, a pathway leading up to it, cleaning and power washing the area, and landscaping.

Ryan and Scoutmaster, Thom Hart

“The hardest part of the project was not being able to help,” Ryan said. “During your Eagle Scout project you can’t actually do the work, you have to lead others who do it. It was strange and I realized that it’s important to me that I do the manual labor with everyone else.”

Ryan said the project took only a couple of days to complete, however the paperwork took much longer. “Paperwork is always the longest and hardest part. You have to submit your proposal, get it checked, make those changes, get it checked again, and the paperwork has to be consistent and perfect before you can begin.”

In order for Ryan to reach Eagle Scout rank, he had to earn badges in knot tying, first aid, camping skills, cooking skills, and more. Ryan’s favorite activity has been canoeing and caving while camping.

“Being in scouts is all about taking action and putting the time in,” Ryan said.

In addition to Boy Scouts, Ryan has participated in baseball, golf, tennis, and soccer, is active in the band and plays the tenor saxophone and trumpet, is a member of the National Honor Society, and is the 3rd company commander on the regiment at Admiral Farragut Academy.

Ryan, who built his own computer once, believes he will either stay local or go to the University of Florida to study computer science, engineering, or cybersecurity with a minor in music.

Ryan believes that “no matter what it is, I can do it. I can practice enough, study enough. I know I am capable of it, it just depends if I am dedicated.”

Ashley is the Director of Government Relations & Public Policy for Ameresco, Inc.

One important habit that Ashley Patterson Beaty learned by attending military school at Admiral Farragut Academy: Don’t overlook the details.

“There were rules to abide by with demerit consequences,” says Ashley, class of ‘02, who now handles government relations for a clean energy company in Washington, D.C.  “For example, black socks were required while in uniform. I initially thought this was totally arcane and with open defiance I wore leopard print socks resulting in two demerits. I was infuriated. But I never got another demerit after that. It was a lesson learned: Details matter, sometimes even for …  socks.”

Farragut, a private, co-ed military-style school in St. Petersburg, Fla., is named after the first United States Navy admiral and has about 450 students in grades pre-K through 12. Besides being a college-prep boarding high school, the Upper School is known for its programs in aviation, marine science, scuba, and sailing. The school also offers a Naval JROTC program.

Ashley started at Farragut at age 12 as a boarding student, although she lived just across the bay. Her parents traveled quite a bit so boarding school was a way to live away from home but stay nearby. She graduated in 2002 and went on to get her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Boston University.

She learned several college-prep skills at Farragut, which helped her be prepared for college. And her number one was learning to manage her time. She said the structure at Farragut gave her a framework to handle the unstructured time at college.

“College has these intense periods of back-to-back classes and then days of wide-open spaces – and the ‘free’ time has to be managed or you could be all over the place,” she says.

Her leadership roles at Farragut also taught her about managing stress. Her senior year, she served as Battalion Commander, which was the highest ranking student. “At times it was hard to be in that type of leadership role among young peers,” she says. “But I learned to never quit on myself or others, and to manage stress through action and positivity.”

And Farragut also gave her a less-obvious advantage: “I think Farragut gave me many opportunities to apply myself and in different ways. …I graduated Farragut with a sense of ‘I can.’ Maybe that’s less of a skill and more of a mindset, but either way, it’s a great underpinning for college.”

Ashley speaking at the Admiral Farragut Academy Class of 2013 commencement.

By 2013, Ashley was back at Admiral Farragut Academy as the commencement speaker for the Class of 2013 graduation. During her speech, she said, “It’s the people, I find, that make Farragut most special. The timeless professors and administrative staff who were there when I started in the mid-nineties and who are still there today… the alums I see at homecomings or in Downtown St. Pete when I visit Florida in the fall…the friends I met during seventh grade that I still stay in touch with, and now the new Farragut friends I’ve made. This is the good stuff in life.”

Farragut’s class of 2017 had 74 students, all of whom were accepted to college, including schools like Duke and Princeton universities, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and the U.S. Naval Academy. Seniors received over $5.4 million in scholarships.

Ashley knows they had the opportunity at Farragut to gain the skills they need for college. And she knows they graduated with something more, as well.

“Farragut was like living seventh to 12th grade in Technicolor,” she says. “There was so much going on and it was awesome. … There was the typical stressful teenager stuff of course, but Farragut gave me a very layered and meaningful experience that was full of fun times and wonderful people.”

Learn about how Farragut can help prepare you or your child for college, complete the online inquiry to start the conversation.

Junior Valentina Fornaro Galliano submitted this story about the Orienteering team.

On Saturday the 14th of October, Farragut’s newly established Orienteering Team competed in Moss Park, a Florida State Park on the southeastern side of Orlando.

Orienteering is a sport that requires navigational skills using a map and compass to navigate from point to point in diverse and usually unfamiliar terrain whilst moving at speed. Participants are given a topographical map, usually a specially prepared orienteering map, which they use to find control points. Originally a training exercise in land navigation for military officers, orienteering has developed many variations. Among these, the oldest and the most popular is foot orienteering, which is what our team competed in on Saturday.

Working as individuals as well as teams, our runners found their way through varying terrain such as marsh, thick bush, saw palmetto, standing water, pine forests, thickets as well as crisscrossing dirt trails. The 14 competitors competed in two different courses: the Yellow (novice) course and the Orange (intermediate) course. Freshman Kenneth Fisher had the fastest time of the day on the Yellow course at 43 minutes and 40 seconds. Several Farragut students went on to compete on the Orange course and senior Jason Chen had the fastest time of the day on that course at 62 minutes. These are especially impressive scores since the orienteering team is in its inaugural year.

When the team was finished they got the chance to relax, eat and socialize with other schools that competed that day. The team would like to thank CDR Schock and 1st Sergeant Sanchez for giving them a chance to compete and have a great time in Moss Park. The team is excited and encouraged by their success the first time out and are ready to compete again.

To view scores of the day you may visit the Florida Orienteering website.

The Admiral Farragut Academy community invites you to the groundbreaking for the Academy’s most ambitious building project and fundraising campaign in its history. The event will be held on Friday, November 3, 2017, at 1:30 pm on the Admiral Farragut Academy campus (501 Park Street North, St. Petersburg, Florida 33710) specifically between the Michel and Duke Buildings, just East of the Roy Speer Student Center.

The ceremony will be part of AFA’s 2017 Homecoming celebration which brings approximately 200 alumni ranging from 1946 to 2017 who live across the world back to the campus. Following the ceremony, our Commandant of Cadets invites you to join us on the Al Ross ‘49 Football Field for the Annual Homecoming Formal Dress Parade.

For information about the capital campaign please contact Sandy Warden, Assistant to the Headmaster, at swarden@farragut.org or visit the website https://farragut.org/about/new-building-capital-campaign/.

About the Building – At 20,000 square feet, the new multipurpose building, designed by architect John Poe of John Poe Architects, will feature an innovative design that highlights the proud heritage of Farragut, striking a balance between traditional and contemporary architecture in a manner that respects Farragut’s history and charm. It will feature a 302-seat auditorium with a retractable seating system. In addition, it will establish an administrative wing and include classrooms, audio-visual rooms, and art-specific studios, serving as the home for the music and the arts programs. Large and small conference rooms, equipped with the latest audio-visual technology, will also be designed for smaller meetings. The building will provide the entire Farragut community with a center for enhancing the academic and communal experience for its faculty, administration, and student body. Its design will promote collaboration and creativity amongst the entire Farragut community. In addition, this space will free up other space on campus for additional classrooms and future boarding rooms.

Fundraising Goal: Development is 2/3 of the way toward the fundraising goal of $4 million with more than $2.5 million in gifts and pledges.

Every weekday morning at 4:30 am, Admiral Farragut Academy sophomore Harrison McGriff wakes up to get a workout in. “I either swim, weight train, or box, because boxing is really good for swimmers,” said Harrison.

Harrison started swimming at age five, joined a swim team at age seven, and started Sea Cadets at age ten. “I started watching Navy Seal movies, and that’s when I knew I wanted to be a Navy Seal and swimming would support that dream.”

Harrison said he understands that practice makes perfect and he is working hard now so that he can reach his big goals.

“I want to swim for a division one university and participate in ROTC, possibly major in veterinary studies, make it past the trial cuts and compete in the 2020 Olympics for the 100 meter breaststroke, and after college, my plan is to be commissioned into the Navy and become a Navy Seal.”

To further prepare him for his goals, Harrison attended the two-week Aviation Rescue Swimmer Class at Camp Pendleton in California this past summer.

“I believe the training was led by some of the most dedicated and disciplined trainers,” Harrison said. “My team learned to push ourselves beyond our own expectations, both physically and mentally.”

Out of 18 cadets from across the United States, only six cadets completed the training. During the first day, nine cadets were unable to pass the physical test and were asked to fly back home.

“On Hell Day we woke up at 3am to do beach PT which included push ups in the sand with the waves crashing over us and we had to swim in the ocean with big waves and strong currents,” said Harrison. “We were all really nervous, but since I’m a swimmer and comfortable in the water, that really helped prepare me.”

Harrison persevered and although he was the youngest cadet, he earned Honor Cadet which was awarded to the most-well rounded and best cadet out of the group.

“It was a great experience,” said Harrison.

Over the summer, Harrison was also one of the ten SCUBAnauts to be selected to Capitol Hill Ocean Week (CHOW). The mission of SCUBAnauts International is to educate teens in the marine sciences, enabling them to make a positive impact on the environment and empowering them to become tomorrow’s leaders. Harrison spent the week-long trip meeting with senators and other members of Congress, attending educational panel sessions on marine science, and representing SCUBAnauts at the National Marine Sanctuary Gala.

Harrison in Washington DC

Harrison is in his second year at Farragut. He swims on the Varsity Swimming Team, participates in Scuba, participates in Aviation, and hopes to earn his Private Pilot license his senior year.

We look forward to seeing what Harrison accomplishes next. If you have a story about an outstanding Farragut student, please email communications@farragut.org.

On October 28, 2017, Farragut sophomore Ashton Raymer, along with his father, Lt. Derek Raymer, participated in the second annual Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation 5k in Clearwater, Florida.

The Foundation honors the sacrifice of firefighter Stephen Siller who laid down his life to save others on September 11, 2001, and raises money for homeless veterans, firefighters, and law enforcement officers.

Not only did Ashton and his father run in the 5k, but they did so in full fire gear.

“This is something we wanted to do together,” Ashton said. “My dad had an extra fire uniform so I used his old gear. It was a difficult run because the suit is fire retardant, so it gets super hot. Thankfully it was a cool day but the suit was also really heavy and baggy. It definitely slowed me down.”

Ashton placed  2^nd  as the only one wearing Firefighting Bunker Gear and Helmet in his male age group (15-19) and 22^nd overall with a time of 26:52.

“I do about 5k a week, running in cross country and in my own free time,” Ashton said, “and I’ve been in 5ks before, like the Color Run and the Warrior Dash.”

Father and son are making this an annual tradition and will bring the entire family next year.

In addition to Cross Country, Ashton also participates in the Orienteering Club, Drill Team, the Color Guard, Wrestling, Lacrosse, and Boy Scouts, where he is currently in charge of the troop.

“I try to organize outings where we give back often,” Ashton said. “I’m also working on becoming an Eagle Scout. I’ll be working on my project next month at Boyd Hill Nature Preserve, a 245-acre protected area in St. Petersburg, where they need proper trash receptacles. I’ll be putting in wooden boxes that will protect the cans from animals and from blowing away in the wind.”

Congratulations to Ashton, and we look forward to seeing what else he accomplishes. If you have a story about an outstanding Farragut student, please email communications@farragut.org.

L-R: Mike Kolchin ’61, Don Schreiber ’49, Ed DeSeta ’67, Jake Jacobus, Headmaster Robert J. Fine, Jr., and Christian M. Wagner ’82

On Friday, November 3, 2017, Admiral Farragut Academy held a special groundbreaking ceremony for The New Building Campaign, the Academy’s most ambitious building project and fundraising campaign in its history.

Around 1:30 p.m., Academy leaders, Robert J. Fine, Jr., Headmaster, Christian M. Wagner ’82, Chairman of Board of Directors, Jake Jacobus, Board Member and Capital Campaign Chair, Mike Kolchin ’61, President, AFA Foundation, Ed DeSeta ’67, Building Committee Chair and Don Schreiber ’49, Honorary Trustee gathered with shovels and hard hats where the new 20,000 square foot multi-use building will be constructed. They struck the ground in front of an audience of students (who will benefit most from the new building), parents, board members, and alumni.

The ceremony was part of AFA’s 2017 Homecoming celebration which brought approximately 200 alumni back to campus from across the world, ranging from members of the Class of 1946 to the Class of 2017. Following the ceremony, everyone convened on the Al Ross ‘49 Football Field for the Annual Homecoming Formal Dress Parade by the Upper School cadets.

Once final permitting is complete, the building construction is expected to start in December with anticipated completion a little over a year later. So far, fundraising has reached almost two thirds towards the $4 million goal.

For information about the capital campaign please contact Sandy Warden, Assistant to the Headmaster, at swarden@farragut.org, Dan Baker at dbaker@farragut.org, or visit the website https://farragut.org/about/new-building-capital-campaign/.

More About The New Building – At 20,000 square feet, the new multipurpose building, designed by architect John Poe of John Poe Architects, will feature an innovative design that highlights the proud heritage of Farragut, striking a balance between traditional and contemporary architecture in a manner that respects Farragut’s history and charm. It will feature a 302-seat auditorium with a retractable seating system. In addition, it will establish an administrative wing and include classrooms, audio-visual rooms, and art-specific studios, serving as the home for the music and the arts programs. Large and small conference rooms, equipped with the latest audio-visual technology, will also be designed for smaller meetings. The building will provide the entire Farragut community with a center for enhancing the academic and communal experience for its faculty, administration, and student body. Its design will promote collaboration and creativity amongst the entire Farragut community. In addition, this space will free up other space on campus for additional classrooms and future boarding rooms.

Fundraising Goal:  $4 million

The holidays are coming up and we’ll all be searching for that perfect gift for our loved ones. With Amazon Smile, no matter what gift you find on Amazon.com this holiday season, you can give back to Farragut at the same time.

AmazonSmile is a simple and automatic way for you to support your favorite charitable organization every time you shop, at no cost to you. Just visit smile.amazon.com and choose Admiral Farragut Academy as your charitable organization!

On November 6th, the Farragut Athletics Department unveiled the new floor for the Huntley Gymnasium.

“We are excited to provide a state of the art gym floor for our student-athletes,” said Athletic Director Linda Derk. “Moving forward it will give us an ability to showcase our facilities as one of the top in the state.”

The floor was a labor of love. The week of work started with three phases of sanding followed with sealing, applying the dark stain and blue border paint, and painting the logo and lines. Then two days of sealing the floor before it was finally ready.

The floor was made possible by a $15,000 donation by the Admiral’s Athletics Club.

“The newly renovated gym floor is like no other high school gym floor in the area,” said Jon Covington, president of the Admiral’s Athletics Club.

“It’s a great tribute to the numerous volunteers who have made a commitment to our athletes and school and staffed the gates and concession stand at all of our on-campus sporting events that made this a reality,” Mr. Covington continued. “It’s a testament to the generous donors who have contributed to our Admiral’s Athletic Club. I would like to extend a personal thank you to each and every one of our volunteers and donors, without whom this would not be possible.”

Our student-athletes are already loving the floor.

“The floor is amazing,” Basketball player Tyreek Montgomery ‘18 said. “It makes it seem like we’re playing at a much bigger venue than at the high school level.”

“The new floor is definitely an upgrade,” said Head Basketball Coach Julian Allen. “I’d say it’s one of the best looking floors I’ve ever been on. The players, other cadets around campus, they all love it and that’s what it’s about.”

Please be sure if you have a group or team in the gym you take extra care and follow these simple rules:

• Only wear gym shoes on the floor
• Chairs or podiums should be kept off the floor unless there is a cover down.

If everyone takes extra care and adheres to these rules, the gym floor will last for years to come.

On Friday, November 10th, the Parents’ Group Golf Tournament had their largest and most successful tournament to date. With the maximum number of golfers at 72 and awesome raffle prizes, the Parents’ Group grossed over $22,000!

“None of this would have been possible without the dedication of our amazing Parents’ Group volunteers, the many AFA family golfers and sponsors, and faculty that supported this event,” said Parents’ Group President Denise Colangelo.

View more event photos.

Congratulations to all our Golf Tournament winners!

• 1st place team – David Cosper; Weyman Willingham, Rob Haddad, Mike Hayes
• 2nd place team – Mike Vaughn, Jeff Mason, Jason Fulford, and Steele
• 3rd place team – George Grimaldi, JJ Buggle, Mike Morris, Shawn Haines
• Longest Drive – Deborah Gray
• Closest to the Pin – Mike Morris
• 50/50 winner – Samantha Lewis

Special Thank Yous

Thank you to the Admiral Farragut Academy Cadet Color Guard who presented the colors in honor of Veterans Day.

Thank you to the Salebra family for donating McDonald’s breakfast sandwiches, coffee and juices.

Thank You to our Parents’ Group Volunteers:

• Denise Colangelo (Parents’ Group President, Event Chair)
• July Bonilla
• Saskia Etter
• Samantha Lewis
• Cathy Larrinaga
• Lanie Salebra
• Tifnie Klingel
• Victoria Raymer
• Taryn Seeley
• Natalia Vaughn
• Jennifer Love

Thank you to those who donated the following raffle items:

• Zero gravity chair
• Autographed Ronde Barber NFL jersey & 8”x10” photo.
• Gift cards to Allen Sports Center
• Speaker tower
• Gift basket from 3 Daughters Brewery
• Cigar basket
• Buccaneers NFL tickets
• Golf for Two gift certificates
• SeaWorld/Busch Gardens
• Wine and chocolate basket

Thank You to Our 2017-2018 Golf Tournament Sponsors…

Gold Sponsors

 The Sokolowski Family

Silver Sponsors

George J. Michel, Jr.

Bronze Sponsors

Michael Coad

Hole Sponsors

Jennifer and Kent Preston

The Vinson Family “Robbie ’18”

During the 2016-17 school year, Upper School Math teacher Amy Smith was busy finding creative ways to teach her students math. This innovative approach to teaching earned her a $10,000 award by the Barrett Family Foundation.

The award was created as a vehicle to award outstanding math and science high school teachers from private and public schools in Pinellas, Hillsborough, Pasco and Sarasota counties. Through this award, The Barrett Family Foundation proudly honors outstanding high school teachers who share their energy and enthusiasm for science or mathematics through creative and innovative methods. The award further seeks to recognize teachers who are utilizing methods to cultivate student interest and ability in these two fields.

In order to win the $10,000 prize, teachers were required to write a letter about themselves, as well as an essay describing their teaching philosophy and how they use technology in the classroom to further develop children’s interest in the subject and keep it new, timely, and exciting.

Ms. Smith chose to create a video to show how she incorporated technology and hands-on activities into her math lessons throughout the year. “The video took me a few months to create and includes a QR code scavenger hunt and equations on the tennis court. The goal of all of my classroom activities is to connect the math with what it is conceptually. It’s important to make it relatable.”

Check out the video below!

https://vimeo.com/223675202

You may also be surprised to know that math does not come naturally to Ms. Smith.

“Math was not an easy subject to me growing up,” said Ms. Smith who earned her first bachelor’s degree in hospitality from the University of Central Florida. “But once I was working as a Food and Beverage Supervisor at The Hilton, I realized that hospitality was not the career I had imagined and I decided to go back to earn my bachelor’s in math from St. Petersburg College.”

Ms. Smith wanted to give back in a bigger way. She found that through her desire to understand math, she could inspire others who struggle in the subject. “When I was a student at Dixie Hollins high school in St. Petersburg, FL, I had one teacher, Mr. Sullivan, who took the extra time and helped me understand math,” said Ms. Smith. “This is my way to pay it forward.”

“I tell my students that with self-discipline and hard work anything possible,” explained Ms. Smith. “Trust me, math does not come easy to me and I spend a lot of time in the library watching YouTube how-to videos, but I wanted to prove to myself that I could do it. And I did!”

Ms. Smith is also currently in progress to earn her master’s degree in Mathematical Sciences from the University of West Florida. She said she will be using the $10,000 award to help pay for graduate school. “After I get my masters I may become an adjunct professor at a local college or university. I may even continue and get my doctorate.”

Other Barrett Family Foundation recipients from Admiral Farragut Acadmey include:

• Amy Smith (2017)
• Stephen Mikel (2017)
• Rob Ewing, Aviation (2016)
• Sari Deitche, Science (2015)
• Thomas Ma, Mathematics (2014)

In September, Physics teacher Stephen Mikell was awarded the Barrett Family Foundation Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teacher Award.

This award was created as a vehicle to award outstanding math and science high school teachers from private and public schools in Pinellas, Hillsborough, Pasco and Sarasota counties. Through this award, The Barrett Family Foundation proudly honors outstanding high school teachers who share their energy and enthusiasm for science or mathematics through creative and innovative methods. The award further seeks to recognize teachers who are utilizing methods to cultivate student interest and ability in these two fields.

In order to win the $10,000 prize, teachers are required to write a letter about themselves, as well as an essay describing their teaching philosophy and how they use technology in the classroom to further develop children’s interest in the subject and keep it new, timely, and exciting.

“I use computer-based labs for physics,” Mr. Mikell said. “Students are able to do their labs in the classroom like traditional orthodox labs, but they can also do it at home, together but separate. It’s a great program to help our day students work together with the boarding students at night, when normally they wouldn’t be able to. I also use other online simulators to bring previously impossible projects to the students.”

“I try whenever I can to derive the equations for them,” Mr. Mikell continued. “I want to show them where the equations originally come from. Instead of just throwing them on the board and saying ‘memorize this’, I show them the calculus so they have a better understanding of how it works and can put it in more real terms for themselves.”

Though Mr. Mikell’s degree is in Nuclear Technology and he was a reactor operator in the U.S. Navy, he has now has been teaching for 17 years. “It’s not a career I intentionally pursued,” he said. “My mother was a 4th grade teacher. Education always surrounded me. In college I was a paid tutor, then I started tutoring for the college. When I got out of the Navy I started adjuncting and it turned into full-time teaching.”

In early November, the Lower School held a food drive for CASA (Community Action Stops Abuse). The response was overwhelming, to say the least!

Founded in 1977, CASA is the official 501c3 domestic violence center based in southern Pinellas County, FL. CASA operates the area’s 24-hour crisis hotline and 133-bed emergency shelter, offers community support groups, provides courtroom advocacy, assists the Child Protective Investigative team and conducts community and corporate training. In addition, their Peacemakers Program teaches anti-bullying and healthy relationship curriculum throughout the Pinellas County school system to end the generational cycle of violence.

“The students were so excited,” said 4th-7th Grade Social Studies Teacher and Student Council Advisor Carolyn Rowe. “It was only a two-week drive, from November 3rd-16th, but the Lower School ended up donating almost ten boxes full of food!”

The Student Council worked hard to inspire their classmates to donate food. “A lot of the food was donated in the last few days of the drive,” Mrs. Rowe continued. “It was really fun to see.”

Student Council went after school on November 16th to bring everything to the CASA office. “They were well-behaved and represented us well,” Mrs. Rowe said. Casa spoke to the students about their organization and how all of the food would be used. They planned to stock their pantry and have those in need take what they needed to help with a Thanksgiving meal.

In December, the Lower School will be helping Upper School with their U.S. Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots drive. Students can bring in unwrapped, new toys to Miss Beverly in the Commandant’s Office.

On November 14th, NJROTC Area 07 Manager CDR Dirk P. Hebert, USN (Ret.) conducted his biennial inspection of our program.

This Navy requirement is exceptionally thorough, and the results are forwarded through the NJROTC Program Director in Pensacola directly to the Commander of the Naval Service Training Command, Admiral Michael Bernacchi, USN. The findings of the inspection are critical to our program’s status as the Navy’s Honor School and mandated Distinguished Unit as well as our program funding.

The areas reviewed in this inspection include School System Support, Program Administration, Academic Program, Reports and Records, Cadet Performance and Student Mentoring. Grades are assigned in each area along with a complete narrative of the findings.

Our cadets rose to the occasion and their total effort was well documented and praised throughout the entire report. “With cadets already possessing the academic tools required to succeed at the college level,” CDT Hebert’s report read, “the total person approach to young adult development provided by an outstanding cast of Naval Science Instructors – CDR Rick Schock, 1stSgt David Worthy and newly reported 1stSgt Mark Sanchez motivate students to excel beyond their natural gifts – evident during the best personnel inspection I’ve ever conducted at AFA.”

CDR Hebert went on to state, “this year’s pass-in-review was the best ever for this program in my 15 year history as Area Manager.”

The Office of the Commandant and the entire Naval Science Department would like to thank everyone at Farragut for their assistance in making this happen. Special thanks to Dr. McGlinn and all of the faculty for their flexibility and support, particularly, on the heels of a demanding and very successful Homecoming Weekend. CDR Grabowski, thank you for the help in so many areas and for being such a gracious and wonderful narrator. Teachers and staff, thank you for showing up for the pass-in-review and tolerating all of the schedule changes and student absences that arise from such an occasion. Mrs. Deitche, thank you for all of the incredible pictures! Thanks also to Mr. Collins for the sound system magic and to all of Matt Thibodeau’s staff for grooming the campus and making sure everything was in place. Thank you to Ms. Beverly for keeping us laughing, and working, when things got sticky. Finally, to all of our Administrators, especially Mrs. Koebel and Mrs. Stabile, thank you for accommodations too numerous to list.

Admiral Farragut Academy had the distinction of being the very last inspection conducted by CDR Hebert before he retires on December 1st. Through teamwork and hard work, it is safe to say he left feeling proud of Farragut and our cadets. If anyone would like to read the complete report CDR Schock will be happy to share it with you.

Well Done to all!

“It’s always been a dream of mine to be an author,” said Sara Graves, a classmate of the Admiral Farragut Academy class of 2016. On November 11, 2017, she did just that when her book of poetry, entitled “Light”, became available on Amazon.

Sara has always enjoyed writing. “I used to have journals when I was really young,” she reminisced. “Then I stopped writing when I got into school. Instead, I became a big reader. I remember feeling kind of weird because my friends would have posters on their bedroom walls and I would cut out quotes and post them up on my walls! It wasn’t until (Upper School English teacher Heather) Ewing’s Creative Writing class in middle school when I became interested in poetry.”

Sara attended Farragut until 2014 and was a founding member of the Poetry Club. She was also the daughter of Shannon Graves, the former Head of Upper School. She currently attends the University of Hawaii.

“The entire English Department at Farragut is my inspiration,” Sara continued. “I’m currently majoring in English and minoring in Education, with a goal of teaching English. My dream is to be a ‘Mrs. Ewing’, and touch a student’s life the way she did for me.”

Sara with Upper School English Teacher Mrs. Heather Ewing

Mrs. Ewing wasn’t the main inspiration for Sara to publish her book, though. The book was the result of an idea for a graduation gift for Sara’s long-time friend and fellow Farragut classmate, Zachary Fine ‘17.

“Zach Fine has been one of my biggest supporters,” Sara said. “He always encourages me to write and share my writing. Last year I visited him for his graduation and as a graduation gift I was compiling all my poetry from the past 6 years into a journal for him…but that took way too long and gave me so many hand cramps! I decided to see if I could make a book of it for him. Then I thought, why not make a real book and publish it?”

L-R: Ian Schlifstein ’15, Zach Fine ’17, Evan Schlifstein ’19, and Sara

It was a long process. “I found the website Createspace, which is a sister-site to Amazon. It allows you to format your book and go through all the proper steps to self-publish it. I started compiling my collection of poetry and then pruning poems and adding new writing and editing everything and formatting it all until my words were in book form. It took from June to November, but Zach finally has his graduation present!”

Sara’s writing isn’t slowing down anytime soon.

“Writing is my outlet for everything,” she says. “Everything inspires me! People, emotions, science, interactions, stories, facts. I feel like inspiration is everywhere if you choose to look.”

“Typically my poems kind of start off as stories,” Sara continued. “Then I manipulate them by changing the wording and the format, and adding some rhythm and piecing the lines together to create a poem. If my poems don’t start out as stories then they are just facts I like. I end up writing them down (usually on my hand, my knee, or whatever paper I can find) and the entire poem just hits me right there. One time in class I had an idea for a poem and the entire poem was written on a gum wrapper!”

“I plan to keep writing in the future,” Sara concluded. “Maybe just for myself or maybe I will try to publish another collection of poetry. Either way, I am fascinated with language and stories so I cannot wait to read my future students assignments!”

Though Sara did not graduate from Admiral Farragut Academy, the school made a large impact on her.

“The most important lesson I learned from Farragut was about family,” she said.

“Farragut is a boarding school and even if you aren’t a boarder you are immersed in the life of one and the family of Farragut. I was so lucky to develop relationships with faculty and staff outside of the classroom. Farragut offers a personalized education where the teachers know the type of student you are and the type of person you are, so they are better able to teach and relate to you. Everyone cares about everyone. And the diversity! Farragut is a melting pot of cultures. Not many students have fellow classmates from 20+ countries but at Farragut that is normal! You get a whole new perspective on the world and you’re able to become more of a well informed individual because of the diversity you have grown accustomed to and accepting of. Farragut not only teaches you the required learning material, but also the life lessons of what is really important, what can’t be taught but can be shown: family, culture, love, and acceptance.”

the Sun-

She is the biggest, brightest
star in the galaxy;
illuminating the mystery of darkness,
while only occupying an infinitesimal
amount of space.

Full and fiery,
explosive and mesmerizing.
You’re warned not to stare at her
for too long
otherwise, her image
will burn into your eyes.

She’s a blinding brightness.
Who remains happily oxymoronic.

Her golden rays spread everywhere,
touching everything in her path
and everyone.

Except on grey days,
when her shine feels
weak and clouded.

Sometimes she goes missing…
although
we can’t visibly find her,
we still know she’s there.
We know we will see her again.

She’s made to radiate.
(some days She radiates too well,
leaving temporary burns
on people She meant to share her
abundance of warmth with.)

Even though She’s millions of miles away,
She makes us feel close.
She loves pouring light into peoples’ lives
and shining on everyone’s day.
Planets and people adore her,
revolving around her warmth.

She’s stagnant.

Light years away, unable to communicate.
Wondering if she is fulfilling her purpose
Wondering if she’ll burn out;
as predicted,
like other stars before her have.

During the 2017 Alumni Homecoming Weekend, over 150 members of the Admiral Farragut Academy alumni community gathered to celebrate their alma mater and the many relationships formed during their time at Farragut. For so many, their time at Farragut was more than a school, it was about the bonds, the people, the life experiences. Farragut was the formative years!

Bringing 150 alumni, families, and friends back together after one day, or 50 years, the one thing that seems to ring true to many of these folks is “it all started here.”

The largest classes to join us were from the classes of 1967, 1987, and 1997. Those years in time all have a different feel. Life was different then. But the one common theme for those who came to celebrate and reminisce, “it all started here!”

While the weekend’s festivities “officially” began Friday morning, roughly 45 of our guests joined us poolside at The Club of Treasure Island for our annual Heritage Society Social. This social is a perfect way to kickstart the weekend while also offering recognition to those who have made the ultimate gift to Admiral Farragut Academy and the Foundation as members of our Heritage Society by leaving a bequest to our beloved Academy. Our Heritage “100” Society offers a  tremendous avenue for alumni, parents, and friends to honor their time at Farragut by leaving a legacy contribution to the school that will forever provide an impact on the students of today and tomorrow.

On Friday, alumni gathered together at Admiral Farragut Academy for Boca Ciega Bay boat tours, cadet-led campus tours, lunch in the West Lounge with the Cadet Regimental Command, the Multipurpose Building groundbreaking (read the groundbreaking story), the cadet parade, and the State of the School Address by Headmaster Bob Fine. That evening, everyone attended a tailgate at Commandant Todd Wallingford’s home followed with the Homecoming Football Game.

On Saturday, alumni members had the opportunity to sail or do other water activities at Farragut’s waterfront, take part in our aviation experience with resident Certified Flight Instructor and Co-Founder of our Aviation Academy, Rob Ewing at Albert Whitted Airport, host their own private glass gatherings, or attend the Coach Mike Nicholson’s retirement party at Great Bay Distributors. That evening, alumni joined for the Annual Homecoming Dinner held at The Club at Treasure Island followed with local musical act The Black Honkeys who performed poolside.

Complete survey for Alumni Homecoming 2017

View more pictures

Here’s what our alumni said about Homecoming Weekend 2017:

“I was fortunate enough to have attended the recent reunion at AFA. I am the class of 92S and truly enjoyed the activities hosted by the school as well as gatherings with fellow classmates. It’s amazing to see how AFA has transformed into such a modern facility and progressing towards the future. One of the special highlights was to attend  Mr. Mike Nicholson’s retirement party. After 40 years of devoted dedication, Mike has retired, and it was a pleasure to be a part of his send off. He will be missed, and as mentioned many times before, by many hundreds of students, Mike is one of AFA’s most valued and important members! I have so many fond memories of his 8th-grade science classes and the many trips we all went on”

Bill Baldwin ‘92

“Traditions ensure the preservation of positive memories and serve notice that what is being done, is still valuable”.
Bob Matthies ‘67

“As my 20-year alumni reunion came and went I’ve come to realize what Farragut Homecoming really meant to most of us. It was our childhood and our adulthood all combined into one. Able to pick up where we left off 20 years ago. Some of us a little older and fatter some of us haven’t changed at all, but still we are all close like a family of estranged cousins who hadn’t seen each other since childhood, and that Farragut bond had not been broken.”

Marco Inclan ‘97