Certifications earned:

• 22 open water certification
• 25 advanced open water
• 15 rescue certifications
• 5 master divers
• 2 Divemasters

Trips taken:

• Multiple trips to the springs in North Florida for students to perform skills for open water
• 3 trips to Lake Denton in Avon Park where students performed rescue scenarios for certifications
• 4 trips to Hudson Grotto for students to complete the necessary requirements for certification (diving to 100 feet in a low visibility environment which simulates a night dive)
• Trip to Epcot’s The Seas in Walt Disney World

Students learn diving in the pool at Farragut

East Coast Riviera Beach, September 2018

Ashton Raymer ’20 asks Diana Romanovskaya ’19 to Homecoming underwater in October 2018. She said yes!

Devil’s Den, November 2018

Devil’s Den, December 2018

Epcot’s The Seas at Walt Disney World, February 2019

Epcot’s The Seas at Walt Disney World, February 2019

Scuba students assist artist Michael Israel with his first-ever underwater speed painting, March 2019. For more photos and video, visit bit.ly/2XgbPnY

Students learn rescue diving in April 2019

View more photos of Scuba trips

Corky Newcombe ‘66S and Doug Pearson ‘66S submitted this story for the Spring 2019 edition of Reveille.

For the Farragut Class of 1966 South, there is a special bond. One that is committed anew every year at Homecoming. Ah Homecoming, that time of year when alumni return to campus for a football game and dinner. But the definition the Class of ‘66 likes to use is, “a person’s arrival home after being away for a long time.” We relate to this one most because Farragut was, and is still, home to many students for about 10 months out of every school year.

A Farragut Homecoming is distinctly unique from most others because our grads are different. We not only studied together but we lived together, drilled together, and were disciplined together. We studied military doctrine and learned to be accountable to each other. Many of our fellow alumni will tell you that they entered the school as naïve children, but left as young adults with very high ideals and ambitions.

For the Class of ’66 South, it goes even deeper. We attended at a much different time in history. A time when the school was an all-male military boarding school, a time when war was brewing in a place most of us had never heard of and where alumnus Dennis Babers, 1961-62 Battalion Commander, gave the ultimate sacrifice. In 1986 several class members were motivated to get our class together for a class reunion to celebrate the 20th year of our graduation. Capt. Orie Banks, a longtime educator, friend and newly assigned alumni director, was contacted and plans were made. After several strategy discussions, we all knew that something special was in the works.

The rest is history. Fourteen of our classmates, along with their spouses, showed up on that Homecoming weekend in 1986 and we certainly made our presence known. ‘66S outnumbered all other alumni in attendance. We and toured the Academy and visited our dormitory rooms. During the Homecoming Parade, along with the other alums, we marched with the battalion in Pass-In-Review; led cheers at the football game, and that evening attended a dinner arranged by Capt. Banks (in our honor).

After dinner, we adjourned to the Thunderbird Hotel, a site where several of us got into trouble as Cadets. We sat around the pool deck for hours, catching up on 20 lost years. We decided then and there to return every five years and to make our reunions all-inclusive affairs with spouses and families. We also committed to contacting more classmates and encouraging them to join us for future reunions. Since that first reunion, our class has been true to our promise, returning a total of 7 times. Each time proved more special than the last and we have truly bonded for a lifetime.

At our 50th reunion, we discussed how we might share our experiences, not only with the alumni but also with the Academy and others. The possibility of documenting our memories and experiences in a book had been discussed for several years but not acted upon until now. For the past two years, we have been collecting individual memoirs, from our classmates that desired to participate in the project. Each submission is authentic and in the writer’s own words. AFA-The Cadets of ‘66S, A Journal of Their Brotherhood is now a reality and will be released at Homecoming 2019.

There are no plans to sell the book and the entire project was self-funded by the Class of ’66S. Only sufficient copies have been produced to ensure that each of our classmates might have one and we are allocating a number of copies for Admiral Farragut Academy. It is our sincere hope that our actions and activities over the past 33 years, and the development of this journal, encourages all alumni, both North and South, to come back home for a reunion. We promise you will not regret it. Hope to see many new faces at Homecoming 2019 and beyond.

Doug Pearson ’66S

Corky Newcombe ’66S

In this Spring 2019 edition of Reveille, we feature progress on DeSeta Hall, a recap of Reach For The Stars, the aviation program, proud accomplishments from our teachers and students, stories about our alumni in the entertainment industry (including cover story about Joseph Zolfo ’86N), alumni class notes, the foundation annual report, and more!

Would you like a print copy mailed to you?

Below are the recaps for all Winter and Spring Sports.

Winter Sports

Wrestling

The Admiral Farragut Academy Wrestling Team put forth its strongest team effort in program history this season, including our third-ever State Champion in program history, Caleb Lemmons!

Individually, the team had 5 wrestlers ranked top 20 in the state all season long (or for substantial lengths of time) by The Orlando Sentinel: Caleb Lemmons, Guillaume Chevrier, Erik Sokolowski, Nick Carbone, and Dylan Andino. Angela LoRusso won several women’s tournaments while competing for both the men’s and women’s squads. Madison Moore also placed top 5 individually in several women’s tournaments.

Other Individual Season Highlights:

• Bryan Le had a winning record and won several critical matches in dual meets.
• Angela LoRusso placed at the district tournament, qualifying for regionals.
• Cameron Acklin placed at the district tournament, qualifying for regionals.
• Guillaume Chevrier placed high in many tournaments and made the district finals, qualifying for regionals.
• Erik Sokolowski placed at several tournaments, but unfortunately had his season ended due to injury.
• Aidan Harvel placed at several tournaments this season and won several matches at the district championships.
• Nicholas Carbone was ranked 2nd in the state all year and won several tournaments, but unfortunately had his season ended due to injury.
• Miguel Banuelos-Franco won a district championship, qualifying for regionals. He also placed top 3 at several individual tournaments.
• Dylan Andino placed high in many tournaments and made the district finals, qualifying for regionals.
• Antonio Johnson placed at both the district and regional championship, qualifying for the State Championships as just a sophomore!
• Josiah Davis-Brown placed in several tournaments this season and helped secure several dual meet victories.
• Scanlin Payok was a finalist in two individual tournaments as well as the district championship, qualifying for regionals.

The best individual performance of the season was undoubtedly Caleb Lemmons. The Admiral Farragut Academy junior won the 132-pound Class 1A state title Saturday night with a 6-4 decision in his final match against Mater Lakes’ senior Omar Armengol. Caleb was also a district and regional champion, completing a perfect postseason performance with a state title!

The AFA Wrestling Team collectively placed 3rd in both the Palmetto Pride Invitational and The Ben Richards Memorial Tournament, as well as finishing as the FHSAA 1A District 12 runner-ups in both the Dual Meet and Individual formats. This is the second consecutive season the AFA Wrestling Team has earned trophies at the district level. We also established our first ever youth wrestling team, combining an equal mix of Lower School wrestlers with other local youth wrestlers. This inaugural program was a great success!

Finally, and perhaps most importantly, two of our senior wrestlers will continue their careers as student-athletes at the NCAA level. Nicholas Carbone received scholarship money and signed his NLI to compete for Ashland University in Ohio. Angela LoRusso also received scholarship money and will wrestle for Adrian College in Michigan as a member of their women’s program.

Girls Basketball

In only their second year of competition since 2014, the Lady BlueJackets established a strong foundation for Girls’ Basketball at Admiral Farragut Academy.  Twenty girls from sixth to 12th grade initially tried out for the JV Lady BlueJackets, necessitating the creation of a middle school team in addition to the junior varsity.

The JV Lady BlueJackets competed in a difficult independent schedule in 2018-19.  They posted victories against Clearwater Central Catholic, Shorecrest, and two against Canterbury.  The victory versus Shorecrest proved particularly sweet since it followed a devastating defeat in the first meeting against the number-six-ranked female basketball player in the state.  The Lady BlueJackets squad started five players ranging from 8th to 9th grade but having a year of experience, showed great promise.

Kailynn Minor led the team in both points and rebounds and was awarded the team’s MVP citation.  Jordan Thompson, an 8th grader, was thrust in to the starting point guard position and maintained it throughout the season.  She proved an incredibly talented player with great leadership skills. Helena Panuthos and Brooke Sokolowski vastly improved their games from the previous year, providing great consistency and leadership as well.  The surprise player of the year was Sumaya McIntosh-Lewis who, as a sixth-grader, earned a starting slot on the JV roster.

Lady BlueJackets are moving up to the varsity level for the 2019-2020 school year and are looking forward to some new competition.

Boys Basketball

There was excitement surrounding the basketball program at the start of the 18’-19’ season. So much so, we had over twenty College Coaches attend workouts, practices and call to inquire about our players. That exposure helped several of our players receive Athletic Scholarships and College Interest to multiple Universities.

Senior Player spotlights:

• Winston Dessesow scored 1,000 points for his High School career and Committed to Missouri Southern State University (Full Athletic Scholarship)
• John Ojiako received Athletic Scholarship offers from all Division 1 “Power 5” Conferences
• Victor Ostermann received a scholarship to play at PHS Academy
• Guilherme Lacerda received interest from several universities. However, he’s undecided.

We finished victorious over some notable opponents, beating West Oaks (Top 10 Team in FL), New York Military Academy and North Florida Educational Institute (State Finalist). Although, our overall record may not show one of a successful season, I am proud of the level of fight, focus, determination and composure this team showed when faced with adversity. In response to missing key players throughout the season, we as a team rallied together to compete every game. Overall, this was a season of learning, lessons and growth.

In my three seasons as Head Coach, I’ve witness our school spirit and support grow year to year as our crowds for home games continue to increase. I am excited about the future of this program and I am looking forward to witnessing our continued growth and success over the years to come.

Boys Soccer

The Boys Varsity Soccer team recently completed their most successful season in school history. The boys soccer team competed in the Sunshine State Athletic Conference this year. They went 4-0 in their division to clinch the number one seed in the SSAC tournament. The boys reached the SSAC finals after defeating Legacy Charter School 8-0 in the quarterfinals and Windermere Prep 5-0 in the semifinals. In the SSAC finals, the boys lost a hard-fought game to St. Edwards 2-1. This would be their only loss on the season. The boys final record stands at 14-1, a monumental improvement from last season.

The team was led by senior co-captain goalkeeper Victor Castro, who played extremely well all season. Victor was the difference maker in several games and finished the season with six shutouts. Co-captain Justin Ariza, Jun Lee, Pablo Lescure, Miguel Banuelos and Evan Schlifstein all played outstanding defense throughout the year. The defense gave up only 11 goals all season.

The offense was led by senior forward Lliam Davis and junior midfielder Vander Rocha. The two players combined for 38 goals and 32 assists, leading the way in scoring. Hugo Alnebeck, Joao Pimenta, Alex Oi, Jared Ariza, Vinicius Rocha, and Dylan Miksch also contributed to the high scoring offense, which scored an average of 6 goals per game.

The boys soccer team will be graduating 12 seniors this year. They will be sorely missed, as their contributions have helped transform the soccer program. However, the team will be returning a core group of underclassmen whose experience and leadership should help next year’s squad try to match or better the accomplishments of this past season.

Girls Soccer

The Girls Varsity Soccer team battled injuries and tough opposition this past season to finish with a 5-6-1 record. The girls soccer team played in the Sunshine State Athletic Conference this season, securing a playoff spot by finishing second in their division. The girls lost a hard fought game in the SSAC quarterfinals to Windermere Prep. The girls completed their season with a 1-0 shutout victory over SSAC rival Bell Creek Academy. The girls team suffered numerous significant injuries this year, which makes their accomplishments that much more remarkable.

The girls were led by senior co-captain forward Sydni Bostik. Sydni scored 28 goals this year to easily lead the team in scoring. Sydni was the MVP for the offense and she is looking forward to continuing her dominant play at the collegiate level next season. Brielle Benefield, Casey Andrion, Melissa Diaz, and Yessica Johnson also contributed to the scoring production.

The defense was led by freshman Serena Vazquez. Serena did a tremendous job securing the middle of the field and making life very difficult for opposing forwards. Lilly Mozombite, Eileen Harreld, and Katerina Fe also played extremely well for the defense this year.

Senior co-captain Valentina Galliano stepped in and played outstanding in goalie for the team this season. Despite never playing goalie before, Valentina played the position exceptionally and always gave the girls a great opportunity to win.

The girls team will graduate five seniors this year. They have so much to be proud of, including having contributed to the girls soccer team’s first winning season last year. The girls will return a core group of underclassmen who will look to continue to improve the program and become better soccer players.

Spring Sports

Softball

The Softball Team for the 2019 season was led by Bill Hoopes. Coming in, Coach Hoopes knew that he inherited a very experienced team. One that was confident and talented, as well as, the defending State Champions. As soon as the Coach was hired he asked for the team to come up with a motto for the season. As a team, they selected, “Defend the Title, Protect the Ship!” This slogan was one they stood by all season long.

The 2019 Lady BlueJackets had a more difficult schedule than they have ever experienced before. One that would pay off dividends in the State Series Playoffs. Ten games were upgraded to stiffer competition.  Some positions were adjusted, the batting line-up consistently changed until the right combination was reached. It was a period of time that took some adjusting not only by the players but by the coaches as well. At the midway point of the season, the team was 7-9, with a hard second half of the season, just on the horizon. Everyone adjusted and softball became fun. Some practices before a big game included kickball, as a way to enjoy one another. This led to a team coming together and winning 7 of their last 8 games of the regular season.

Heading into the State Series, the team continued with the momentum becoming the Four-In-A-Row  3A District Champions, winning 15-5, against Bradenton Christian. They defeated Southwest Florida Christian, at home 13-2, in the State Semifinals. The Lady BlueJackets then traveled to Moore Haven and became the 3A Region 3 Champions, beating the Terriers 13-3. The Team was headed back to Vero Beach! In a Final Four game, the Lady BlueJackets defeated University Christian 7-2. The next day, the Lady BlueJacket Softball Team became Back-to-Back State Champions, defeating John Carroll with an impressive score of 15-5!

Not only did the 2019 Softball Team Win the 3A State Championship but also broke 11 School Records:

• Most wins ever in a season 20
• Most batters faced
• Highest number of plate appearances for us
• Highest number of at bats for us
• Most runs scored in a year
• Most hits in a year
• Most amount of RBIs in a season
• Most doubles in a season
• Most HRs in a season
• Most SAC Bunts in a season
• Least amount of defensive errors in a single season

“Defend the Title, Protect the Ship!”

Baseball

Moving into this season, the baseball team welcomed ten returning Varsity athletes, with four of them being Seniors. We were able to pick up right where we left off and hit the ground running from last year. Continuing our growth, and becoming a historic group along the way. Improving our win record significantly and breaking four MaxPreps records, including: record improved from 1-14 to 9-12; a record of 9 single season wins; the most runs scored at 100; and the least amount of runs given up at 104. Our run differential ended up being -4. It was a great year and an incredible journey!  As we close the chapter on 2019, we look forward to building upon the success we had going into 2020 and beyond.

Track and Field

In April, the boys’ team won the District Championship, placed 2nd at Regionals, and in May, placed 12th overall at the State Championships. Many school records were broken this season.  At Regionals, Avion Turner, Courtney Eubanks, Martel Mott, and Psavion Reaves broke the school record in the boys 4x100m relay.  Philip Henderson set new records in the 400m and 800m. The boys 4×800 relay team, Alex Fiorillo, Tobias Klenk, Makani Monahan, and Philip Henderson set a new school record at Regionals and then again at States.  They earned 1st place honors at Districts and Regionals, and finished 2nd at States!!! Maurice Leon earned a medal in the discus throw at States.

Girls had an outstanding season with Jasmine Alderman setting the school record in both the 100m and 200m – she is currently ranked 18th in the 100m dash in Florida, 172nd in the country. Jasmine Alderman was the District Champion in the 100m and 200m (new school records), and Jolie Caya qualified for the State Championships in the 100mH,  300mH, and Long Jump. At Regionals, the 4X100m relay team, of Sydney Bostick, Faith Nelms, Jolie Caya, and Jasmine Alderman set a new school record. This relay team finished 1st at Districts and Regionals and ran a photo finish race at States, earning 2nd place honors.  Cassandra Andrion set a new school record in pole vault at 9’ 4.25” and is one of the few AFA State Qualifiers in this event.  Every one of our girls’ State Championship participants earned at least one medal, several medaling in multiple events. They came in 5th place overall at the State Championships.

Three seniors received college scholarships – Jasmine Alderman, West Point Academy; Faith Nelms, Carson-Newman; and Alex Fiorillo, Virginia Military Institute.  We wish Jasmine, Faith and Alex the best of luck as they continue their careers.

Lacrosse

For the first time in program history, the Boys lacrosse program ranked inside the Top 30 in the State of Florida! With a record of 9-9, the BlueJackets were challenged with the toughest schedule in the state; competing against nationally ranked opponents from Texas, Ohio, Maryland, and 4 of the top 7 ranked teams in Florida. The gritty BlueJacket squad shocked the High School lacrosse community when they defeated Maryland powerhouse and 2019 Conference Champions, St. Andrew’s Episcopal by a score of 12-7. Led by outstanding leadership from Captains Elijah Albritton and Connor Smith, the BlueJackets defeated state-ranked Gulliver Prep, Berkeley Prep, and the First Academy. Junior Attackman, Norman Pitt, ranked 19th in the state for Goals as he recorded 54 goals in 18 games. Junior Midfielder, George Pitt, ranked 8th in the state for Assists, recording 47 assists in 18 games. The BlueJackets say goodbye to three seniors in 2019; Gonzalo Dorta, Cole Walker, and 2 Time Captain, Elijah Albritton. The future is bright for the boys lacrosse program as they return their top 5 point scorers and starting goaltender in 2020.

Tennis

Our Tennis team was led by Junior Bianca DeSilva.  With only one returning senior, this was a very young team.  Both the girls and boys teams grew and consistently got better. Sophomore Vladimir Rakitskiy only lost one match during the regular season.  Freshman Enzo Babboni advanced to the semifinals at Districts. Junior Bianca DeSilva proceeded to the finals at Districts as the team’s number one player.

The Coach is very optimistic about the future of tennis with such a young team that will be coming back next year.

We’ve received many requests for advertising or business listing opportunities, and here’s your chance for community-wide exposure! In the next edition and all future editions of Reveille Magazine, we will have a business directory available for parent, alumni, board member, faculty/staff, and friends of Farragut owned businesses.

Listing benefits:

On average, nearly 6,000 magazines are printed and mailed or given to parents, alumni, prospective families, board members, educational consultants, student agents, campus visitors, and more. With the print and online listing option, you will reach even more potential customers with an average of 112,000 new website visitors annually.

Listing includes:

• Individual’s Name (optional)
• Business Name
• Website
• Phone Number

Cost:

$75 for print and online* or $50 for print only

*Online listing will only be active during the run of the purchased edition.

Graduation was very special this year for the class of 2019. The weekend kicked off with the Final Parade with Pass In Review with CAPT Geno Paluso, USN ’85N Commandant of Cadets at The Citadel, CAPT Richard Petrucci, USN (Ret.) ’56N, Commandant Todd Wallingford, and Commander Schock.

CAPT Geno Paluso ‘85N eloquently gave the commencement speech to the class and provided the seniors with four life rules to remember as they move forward into their next journey. He inspired each and every graduate and shared one of his favorite quotes that applies to just about any situation one will face during their lifetime, “Fate whispered to the warrior, you cannot withstand the storm.” The warrior whispered back, “I am the storm.” Thank you to CAPT Paluso and his family for taking the time to come back to campus and inspire the graduates and the Farragut family.

The class of 2019 had 86 seniors who have 99% placement into top colleges from USNA, West Point, to Penn State and 1% enlisted in the U.S. Navy. We are very proud of this class.

Aquiles La Grave, who attended Farragut with the class of ‘98, was awarded an honorary diploma on behalf of the board of directors during the graduation for the class of 2019.

Aquiles was a quiet and reserved student-athlete at Farragut in the mid-nineties but unfortunately after only a couple of years attending Farragut personal events led Aquiles to have to move back home and finish his high school diploma elsewhere. Aquiles shared one of his biggest regrets was not being able to complete his high school diploma at Farragut. Admiral Farragut Academy’s Headmaster Robert Fine presented Aquiles La Grave an honorary diploma.

Today Aquiles is the Founder and CEO of Boulder, Colorado-based Brandzooka, a self-service, programmatic video marketing platform for small business. He holds a BA from Naropa University and a Specialization Certificate from The Johns Hopkins University. Aquiles writes for publications such as AdAge and DowJones and speaks regularly on subjects ranging from Entrepreneurship and Ad Tech to Agile and Product development practices.

Ken in his Farragut dress blues with Barbara at their Senior Prom

Ken Woltz ‘61N and his wife Barbara share many loves. For each other, certainly — they’ve been married for 53 years — but they also share a love for their three children and four grandchildren, their homes in Illinois and Florida, their faith, West Point Military Academy, and Admiral Farragut Academy.

They also share a desire to encourage young people to pursue a Farragut diploma while not having to worry about the cost. To that end, they have given back to Farragut over the years and, in particular, to the Admiral Farragut Academy Foundation in support of student financial assistance.

When Ken was a young boy, his parents divorced and his mother struggled with illness. Ken found himself in a Catholic orphanage for a period of time. His mother recovered, remarried, and they started a new life. When it was time to choose a school, his mother and step-father decided they would send Ken to Admiral Farragut Academy.

With the generous financial assistance from the Academy, Ken flourished in academics and athletics. “That financial assistance made a big difference,” he said. It also made a lasting impression.

Ken and Barbara at their wedding at West Point

Ken graduated in 1961 and received an appointment to West Point. While there, he never lost touch with his high school sweetheart Barbara, whom he married in 1966. Nine months to the day after their wedding Ken and Barbara welcomed the first of their three children. Meanwhile, the Army introduced Ken to skills in the emerging computer field.

Upon his discharge, these skills led to management positions with Raytheon, General Electric, Xerox, McGraw-Edison, and Peat Marwick Mitchell. Eventually, Ken founded his own strategic planning consulting company, Woltz & Associates. Later, Ken turned Woltz & Associates into a successful hedge fund firm.

Now, they hope their giving will make a big difference each year to students following a similar academic path.

“We believe this is a way for our annual gifts to have an impact on students who otherwise may not be able to afford the Farragut experience,” Ken said. “During my career, I remembered what Farragut had done for me and I promised myself that, if I was blessed in life, I would be generous in return.”

Ken and Barbara (top far right) with their children, their childrens’ spouses, and their grandchildren

Ken and Barbara are able to give back to Farragut and other nonprofit organizations because early on they set up a charitable trust and as their income grew so did their contributions to the trust. Additionally, at age 70½, when Ken began receiving IRA required minimum disbursements, he was able to avoid paying income tax by directing those disbursements to charitable causes including Farragut. For the Woltz’s, giving back is a way to express gratitude for their own blessings and to help make a difference in the lives of others.

For more information on making a gift to Farragut, contact Tony Sloan, Chief Development Officer, at 813-416-7202 or tsloan@farragut.org.

Joseph Zolfo ‘86N came to Admiral Farragut Academy by way of Staten Island and to filmmaking by way of childhood plays and home movies. Today, he produces the hit CBS TV show God Friended Me.

“Unequivocally, I would not be sitting in this chair today if I had not gone to Farragut,” he said from his office at Steiner Studios in Brooklyn. “That’s an absolute fact. The bar was just set so high at Farragut.”

Joseph manages a crew of 300 from one of the largest TV and movie production facilities outside of Hollywood. His productions today may be more sophisticated, but certainly not more special than the shows he produced as a Staten Island boy.

He auditioned and cast his friends, assigning those who could sing and act into starring roles and those less artistically inclined in roles such as ushers and popcorn sellers. He played the lead, including a run as Danny in Grease, while managing to film it all on his 8mm camera.

Homemade programs were distributed to parents and neighbors, who had to buy tickets to watch the shows. He paid his actors and ushers between 50 cents and a dollar — keeping for himself “the lion’s share, of course,” he laughed.

Summer of ‘83. L-R: Brother Nick Zolfo, grandmother Frieda Allessandro, Joseph Zolfo ‘86N, and grandfather Nicholas Allassandro.

Eventually, those backyard shows made way for summer fun at Farragut, thanks to Joseph’s mother. Once she told him about Summer Camp at the Pine Beach Campus, Joseph — still in junior high — just had to go.

Soon, Joseph was begging his parents to let him attend Farragut for high school. The Zolfos, like many parents, wanted their firstborn close to home (Joseph also has a younger brother, Nick). But Joseph’s success with the structure, discipline, and unique atmosphere of Farragut was hard to resist. They finally gave in.

Their decision to send him to Farragut would have a dramatic and lasting impact on Joseph.

Fall of ‘85. Joseph Zolfo ‘86N, center, with his uncle James Allessandro and his aunt Jacqueline Weir-Allessandro.

Joseph quickly proved that transferring to Farragut was an excellent decision. A football player both years and a varsity wrestler, his true passions were piqued when he discovered an out-of-commission photography darkroom that had laid dormant for years. After writing a proposal to Headmaster Bob Matthies, he secured funding for the newly reinstated Photography Club at Farragut.

This was a turning point for Joseph, though not a distraction from Farragut’s rigorous academic standards.

His memories of Farragut are happy, especially those of his friendships, particularly with fellow cadet Scott Jacobs ‘86N. Joseph swears (wink-wink) that he and Scott, now living in New Jersey “NEVER went AWOL!”

“Times were actually so much more innocent then,” he said. “If we were off campus and met some nice girls out and about, we would ask them to join us for a slice of pizza at the local pizzeria and invite them to our next cotillion.”

Spring ‘86 graduation. Joseph Zolfo, far right, with his parents, August and Jo Ann Zolfo.

As a junior and senior at Farragut, Joseph showed a talent for leadership and a heart for young people when serving as a Chief Petty Officer, 3rd Co, of the junior school kids. He still enjoys mentoring younger professionals and likens it to his days in training at Farragut.

Take for instance, Michael, a recent NYU graduate working today as Joseph’s assistant: “I tell Michael to keep writing and my dream is I’ll be working for HIM one day! That’s success.”

Encouraging Michael and building collaborative teams with others comes naturally for Joseph, who persevered against the odds to follow his passion.

Joseph Zolfo ‘86N senior photo

After graduating from Farragut, Joseph’s father expected him to go into the family business, Variety Stores in Brooklyn. Instead, Joseph announced he would be switching from studying business at Long Island University to photography at Pratt Institute. This wasn’t exactly what his father had in mind.

The discipline, organizational skills, perseverance, and dedication learned at Farragut helped get him through. To pay for his classes, he would open the family store every morning, run to classes at Pratt, then come back to the store to manage and close. Within one year, Joseph increased sales, revamped its practices, and had it running more successfully than it had ever been.

Pratt became too pricey for Joseph and so he enrolled at SUNY Purchase, an acclaimed art college in Westchester County, New York, with a much more affordable tuition. It came with a seven-hour daily round trip commute from his apartment in Staten Island.

While still at SUNY Purchase, Joseph started work on his first job in film as a Parking Production Assistant for the Woody Allen movie Husbands and Wives. It paid $80 for a 12-hour shift. To maximize his earnings, Joseph would work a 72-hour shift with no sleep and go straight from the PA job to his 3½- hour commute out to SUNY.

“I did 72 hours on zero sleep each week for a year and a half, graduated after five-and-a-half years and completed 19 credits in my final semester alone,” he said.

Because of the work ethics of his family, the guiding principles from Farragut, and his own tenacity and focus: “I never missed a day of school, or a day of work . . . always early, never late.”

After college, Joseph began a career in film and television, going from Parking PA, to Production Assistant on the movie Sabrina, with Ann Roth, an Academy Award-winning costume designer. While on this film, Joseph was asked to become the “Parking Coordinator” on another Woody Allen movie, Mighty Aphrodite. Parking Coordinator meant having a supervisory role and managing a staff and a budget.

Knowing that Joseph wanted more than anything to eventually be a producer, Ann Roth encouraged him to leave the position with her and take the job with Allen, saying that he would realize his goals quicker by doing the Parking Coordinating job. Grateful for her advice and mentorship, Joseph took the position.

Later, Joseph landed the job of Location Manager for Without A Trace, which gave him the flexibility to secure iconic locations for filming and then have enough time to produce his own low-budget movies.

In 2006, he produced his first movie, Things That Hang from Trees, with only a $1-million budget. Joseph quickly garnered a great reputation in the industry and became a Production Supervisor, then Production Manager, and eventually Lead Producer on many films including the comedy Puerto Ricans in Paris and the action thrillers Safe and Dead Man Down. His growing demands as a TV Producer eventually led Joseph to prominent producer credits on NCIS: New Orleans and his latest project, God Friended Me.

Joseph on the set of God Friended Me

God Friended Me won out over several other film and television projects with various studios that Joseph was asked to produce in 2018. The overall message of the show speaks to Joseph’s heart in a way he feels is more in line with his personal beliefs than past projects that often included crime and violence.

“I’m loving it,” he said. “We try very hard to tap into raw sentiments. That’s what this show is about, the emotional aspect and faith. It’s a show that just makes you feel good.”

Joseph and his mom Jo Ann, middle, with two of the stars of God Friended Me, Brandon Michael Hall (far left) and Joe Morton (far right).

Another thing that makes him feel good is giving back to his communities. His list of philanthropic giving and civic activism exemplify Farragut’s core value of integrity — “demonstrate caring and compassion for others.”

That caring and compassion includes supporting several schools and charities, including A Child’s Wish of New Orleans and The Sunshine Kids organization. He also founded a bi-annual trash removal program in New Orleans, is a vocal proponent of military personnel and first-responders, and a business ambassador for his communities.

Meanwhile, he found time to create a paid internship program on the set of NCIS New Orleans, specifically for students at the University of New Orleans. It was his way of keeping a promise to himself that if he ever got to a point where he could help young people get their start in the film business, he would.

Joseph Zolfo (far right) with his wife Carrie, son Maximilian, and cousin, Father Paul Tolve

Despite his busy schedule, Joseph remains committed to his wife Carrie, a financial analyst, and their 10-year-old son Maximilian. Although his four years of producing NCIS moved his family to New Orleans, his wife and son are seriously considering a move back to Staten Island so they can again be under one roof.

As for the possibility of Maximilian attending Admiral Farragut Academy in St. Petersburg? Joseph said he would absolutely love for his son to get an education at Farragut. For now, however, Maximilian sees himself as a “computer coder” — rather than a Top Gun pilot (one of Joseph’s dreams for his son).

Joseph reminds himself that at one time his own father’s dreams did not match his. Still, his love of Farragut and the lessons he learned there have filtered into the habits and mindset of his son.

“Maximilian truly understands the ethics of hard work and showing up,” he said, adding that Maximilian has taken to mimicking one of his Dad’s favorite mantras, “Early is on time. On time is late!”

Joseph on set with his son, Maximilian

For Joseph Zolfo — producer, husband, father, son, brother, alumnus — the principles of Farragut still guide him today and provide a set of ideals on which fathers and sons can ultimately see eye to eye.

Students as young as 9 have been learning to fly at Admiral Farragut Academy, where 2018-19 was a year of groundbreaking advances for the school’s Aviation Program.

Besides opening the program to Lower School students, Aviation acquired a state-of-the-art flight simulator, launched a new Upper School curriculum, and brought in a 700-pound jet engine. It’s a powerful combination, sure to increase interest in aviation.

The timing couldn’t be better; the aviation industry is scrambling to find future pilots. Boeing projects a global demand of 790,000 pilots through 2028. What better way to inspire aviation dreams than letting children — after simulator training, of course — fly a plane?

“By exposing the Lower School students to aviation early in their academic journey, we hope to foster a love of learning that will carry through to our Upper School program and beyond,” said Aviation Program Director Rob Ewing.

The Lower School program was made possible by a one-time $5,000 grant that American Airlines awarded to Farragut and 16 other aviation-focused schools. Farragut is hoping for a renewal in order to keep the program going.

Sixth-grader Hazel Alevok was among the 58 third- through seventh-grade students who participated in spring 2019.

“At first I was nervous,” Hazel told local TV news station BayNews9, “and I thought it was going to be like the simulator, but it was actually a lot easier than I thought.”

That simulator Hazel and other students trained with has a 200-degree wraparound feature, allowing the eyes to sense depth in landing. Farragut purchased the simulator — it’s technically an AATD (Advanced Aircraft Training Device) — with proceeds from the sale of a donated Cirrus SR22 G2 Turbo aircraft.

From FlyThisSim, the AATD allows Upper School students to get 2.5 hours of logged simulated instrument time to meet the FAA requirements for private pilot certification. Students also use it to log 20 hours toward their instrument rating. It replicates 45 different aircraft configurations from such companies as Cessna, Piper, and Diamond, Ewing said.

The Aviation Program innovations don’t end there.

Also new in 2018-19 was a first-of-its-kind aviation STEM curriculum developed and released by the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Associations (AOPA) at no cost to participating schools. It will grow yearly until all four high school grade levels of curriculum are complete.

“With an unprecedented demand for careers in aviation, we are thrilled that so many high schools are utilizing our STEM curriculum to inspire students and give them the skills to pursue future careers in aerospace,” said AOPA President and CEO Mark Baker. “Planting the seeds for the future workforce of our industry is part of AOPA’s mission to keep aviation vibrant.”

But there’s more.

Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, through which Farragut aviation students can take dual-enrollment classes, donated a 700-pound Lycoming engine designed for helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft.

“It’s a great demonstration engine,” said Aviation Instructor Jose Hercher, adding that someday interested students may learn to disassemble and reassemble it — terrific experience for aspiring mechanical engineers.

Whether hoping for aviation-related careers or just interested in the joy of soaring, Farragut students have unique opportunities found at few schools — for the youngers students especially.

“It’s exciting and rewarding to see people do something for the first time,” Ewing said. “They can’t drive a car, but are at the controls of these airplanes.”

Seventh-grader Sophia Raymer summed it up: “It was amazing.”

Support the Aviation Program by donating at www.farragut.org/giving. Funds may be used for purchasing project supplies, new simulator products and equipment, room renovations, and more.

Read below for the Annual Report for the 2018 Admiral Farragut Academy Foundation.

Dear Alumni, Parents, and Friends,

On behalf of the Admiral Farragut Academy Foundation Board of Trustees, thank you for your support of the Foundation in 2018. Your decision to support the Academy philanthropically allows us to fulfill our mission for each student every day. As a board, our most important task is to ensure the sustainability of our school not only today, but also well into the future. We want future generations of students to enjoy a great education, just as they do today. We carefully steward the funds we receive. Philanthropy is necessary to deliver the education and opportunities we do, and we do so in a fiscally conservative manner. As an Admiral Farragut Academy alumnus, it is a privilege to serve as the Foundation Board President. I know you feel proud as I do of the accomplishments of our students past, present, and future.

Sincerely,

Dr. Michael G. Kolchin ‘61N
President, Farragut Foundation

The following are contributions to the Admiral Farragut Academy Foundation from January 1, 2018 – December 31, 2018. All other gifts and pledges to Admiral Farragut Academy including the Farragut Fund, Capital Campaign, Admiral’s Athletics Club, Parents’ Group, and gifts-in-kind will be reported in the Fall 2019 edition of Reveille Magazine.

Bill, far right, with his mother, Julia, and his dad, William “Masci” Masciangelo ’37, at Bill’s graduation in 1962

Bill Masciangelo ’62N shared this story about growing up as one of the first legacy families of Farragut.

My dad was William Masciangelo Class of ‘37N and was fondly known as “Masci” by friends and alumni. He gave his life to Admiral Farragut Academy and served as its Public Relations Officer for almost 50 years.

He had his hands in everything from the Alumni Association, Development, Yearbook, and the Parents Association. While he was still alive the school dedicated the alumni house in his name, which was a beautiful tribute. My parents entertained many alumni at our home through the years including at halftime during football games. There was hardly a week Dad did not bring home an alumnus for dinner.

I grew up across the street from the North campus. The parades, games, concerts, dances and the waterfront were all a part of my life. It was a fun life for a little kid from Pine Beach, NJ. Being able to know the early leaders of Farragut made a huge impact on my life. I knew Mr. Russell, Captain Dodge, Captain Reinhart, and more. I knew Lt Norris in the rifle range and even got to know Mr. Banks from the South campus who would come up for the summer camp program. I attended summer camp from the age of seven and eventually became a swim and waterfront instructor in the summer. Those were wonderful summers.

Homecomings were priceless in so many ways. Dad went to Farragut on a music scholarship. I also joined the Band Company and it was a very exciting day when Dad and I marched onto the field together and watched the cadets pass by in review. Great memories. I came back while on active duty as a Marine Officer for the parade and drill competition, and fifty years later I took trombone lessons for a year so I could relive those AFA memories and return for homecoming and play with the band.

When did the legacy at Farragut begin? I myself attended the South campus in 1960 and then the North campus until I graduated in 1962. I believe it was with me in 1962. It now gives me great joy to see so many sons and daughters of alumni continuing the legacy of attending the finest Naval preparatory school in the country. I know my dad would be truly proud to see the legacy live on. I wish all students, alumni, and Farragut continued success.

Bill Masciangelo ‘62N is a retired Lt Col USMC Vietnam Vet, a retired Hotel Executive from Wyndham Hotels and Resorts, and a retired United Methodist Pastor. He credits Farragut for preparing him for all of those opportunities.

Admiral Farragut Academy alumni aren’t just astronauts and admirals. Farragut also has many alumni working in the entertainment industry as actors, writers, directors, producers, and more. The following are just a few of those alumni who attribute much of their success today to the skills they developed at Farragut.

Andy Luckey ‘84S
Attended Farragut with the class of 1984 from 1980-81.
Writer, director, and producer of animated works, children’s books and Bible studies.

Notable works:

• Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1987-1996) (Producer)
• Adventures from the Book of Virtues (1996-2000) (Producer)
• Spin & Sparkle (Childrens’ Book Series) (author and illustrator)

Fun fact: Son of director, animator and voice actor Bud Luckey and distant cousin of animator Earl Hurd, who co-created and patented the process for Cel Animation.

“Farragut had an enormous impact on me. I recall the first time I put on dress blues – I went from being 5’9” to being 9’5”. Then there were the great members of the faculty and staff. Most notable was Victor “Vic” Shul, CWO-4, USMC (Ret) — our Bandmaster. Tough-as-iron Marine on the outside — a heart of gold on the inside. He taught leadership by example. He also inspired me to work in the arts. The other two were Michael Moriarty, a retired Marine Aviator who later became Headmaster, and Orie T. Banks, the long-time Dean of Students. Those two embodied the saying ‘They don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.’ I could write a book on each and not do them justice.”

Kurt Knutsson ‘86S
Journalist and Actor

Notable works:

• Technology contributor on Fox and Friends (The CyberGuy)

During the Farragut 1986 commencement ceremony, Kurt was one of the senior class speakers who honored the late Capt Orie T. Banks for his 34 years of service to Farragut. During Kurt’s speech he said, ”Orie T Banks was a surrogate father to us all. I am speechless in how to express our gratitude. But we do owe him a great deal. Our parents gave you boys and you turned us into men.

Casper Van Dien ‘88S
Actor and Producer

Notable works:

• Starship Troopers (1997) (Actor)
• Tarzan and the Lost City (1998) (Actor)
• Sleepy Hollow (1999) (Actor)

Fun fact: His daughter, Grace Van Dien, has followed in her father’s footsteps and is currently appearing as Katie on the NBC drama The Village.

Sean Rankine ‘91N
Producer and Director

Notable works:

• The Real World (Production Assistant)
• Basketball Wives (2010, with the sequel series Basketball Wives LA in 2012) (Producer)
• Atlanta Exes (2014) (Producer)
• Your Husband Is Cheating On Us (2018) (Producer)

“My Farragut experience is a factor in my day to day life. It often was and is frequently a point of conversation in meetings. When people hear that you have a military school background, interesting questions always pop up. My education and leadership training from Farragut shaped my approach to the business on many levels, from scheduling to creative ideas, to crew management. I’m thankful that I was fortunate enough to have my years at the academy. It has been a beneficial resource in so many ways. The Farragut alumni network has been beneficial to me for both creative and alumni networking. It’s great that we have access to both our North and South brothers and sisters. As cadets, we were fortunate to cross paths with some dynamic individuals. I still recall conversations and interactions with staff such as Lt. Iverson and Lt. Dickerson that shaped me as a leader, and I vividly recall classes with teachers like CDR Romefelt and Mr. Cain who encouraged my creative and analytical thinking. I owe them all a debt of gratitude for the foundation that they gave me.”

Raey Webster ‘59 (left) and CAPT Peter Easton, USN (Ret) ‘49 (right)

Peter Easton graduated just a few years after World War II. Raey Webster finished when Elvis Presley was king. They finally met when American Sniper was one of the biggest things on the silver screen.

It was 2014 and Raey had just purchased his mother’s condo in Naples, FL. One day, he noticed Navy Aviator Wings on a door two doors down the hall.

Raey knocked. Peter answered. A friendship was born.

They quickly discovered that they not only shared a U.S. Navy connection but also had both graduated from the Toms River Campus of Admiral Farragut Academy — Peter in 1949 and Raey a decade later. As they compared notes, the men realized they had a lot in common, including rocky starts at Farragut.

CAPT Peter Easton, USN (Ret) ‘49

Coming from public school during ninth grade, Peter failed four out of five subjects his first year. And when Raey enrolled, he was a self-proclaimed “show off with disciplinary issues.” Through hard work, committed teachers (Raey cites Cedric Lewis, to whom the 1959 Trident yearbook was dedicated), and solid friendships, the boys turned to men, and then to the Navy.

Peter graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy and spent his career as a Naval Aviator. In Vietnam, he was among the first pilots assigned to the Grumman A6 Intruder. After being promoted to Captain in 1974, Peter’s final duty — his “dream tour” — was as Defense Attache to the Republic of Singapore.

Lured by “warm weather and not having to wear a necktie” Peter and his wife Kathy retired and managed a small hotel in the U.S. Virgin Islands, where he captained a seaplane shuttle until moving to Naples in 2010. Throughout the years, Peter remained especially close to Farragut roommate Frank Herosher, as well as classmates Joe Kelly, Leo Brandenburg and Pat Dollard.

Raey Webster ‘59

Meanwhile, Raey’s path also took him to the skies. From Farragut, Raey attended Mercer College and then became a Navy Aviator. Early in his military tenure, Raey took advantage IBM’s free computer classes for Navy personnel. That led to a 25-year career with the tech giant.

These days, Raey splits his time between New York City and Naples, while also traveling the world. He is an avid art enthusiast and runs daily. As for Peter, he has a summer home in Virginia Beach, enjoys golfing weekly and is a very active member of his condo association — the same condo where he met Raey.

Both men are grateful for their Farragut experience and have given generously to their alma mater. Both are looking forward to reunions this fall during Alumni Weekend on the St Petersburg campus. It will be Peter’s 70th and Raey’s 60th.

Until then, they’re thankful to be only two doors down.

Dates for the first practice, try-out period, and parent meetings.

Students can participate in sports starting in 6th grade. Middle School teams represent students in grades 6-8.

All parents are invited to the 2019 Back-to-School Parent Social on Monday, August 19, 2019, from 4:00-6:00 p.m. in DeSeta Hall at Admiral Farragut Academy. Please submit your RSVP to attend.

You will enjoy light hors d’oeuvres, a donation drink bar, and the opportunity to socialize with new and returning parents. The event is hosted by the Farragut Family Association (FFA), a volunteer-driven group that all parents are a member of.

Since alcohol is served, this event is for adults only. For those with currently enrolled Lower School students (PreK-7th grade), childcare will be provided at no cost in the Huntley Gymnasium. If your Upper School child would like to earn volunteer hours and supervise, please let us know in the form.

Please include the number of Lower School children with names and ages so we have enough supervision.

We look forward to seeing you there!

Poker Run 2019 by the Farragut Family Association

Saturday, September 14, 2019, from 3:00-8:00 p.m.

St. Pete Beach

Are you joining us? Let us know, and share it with your friends!

 

Sponsors

Coming Soon

On July 20, 1969, Apollo 11 landed on the moon and changed history for space exploration. In this video astronaut and Farragut graduate, Charlie Duke ’53 — who later became the 10th and youngest man to walk on the moon with Apollo 16 — recalls his experience being CAPCOM for the landing.

These moments make us so proud yet humbled that we could be at the beginning of a journey that led to the moon. “Keep your vision wide,” says Charlie.

Farragut graduate Alan Shepard ’41 also walked on the moon with Apollo 14.

#moonlanding #farragutalumni #apollo11 #apollo14 #apollo16

Golf Tournament 2019

Join us for a great golf outing which includes a lunch buffet and 1:00 p.m. shotgun start. Contests will include longest drive, closest to the pin, a 50/50 raffle, other raffle prizes, and a putting green contest to putt for booze. All alumni foursomes, including those purchased through a sponsorship, have the opportunity to compete for the Alumni Cup Trophy.

Thursday, October 17, 2019
11:30 a.m. Check-in | 1:00 p.m. Shotgun Start

This fundraising event is hosted by the Farragut Family Association and all proceeds go to Admiral Farragut Academy.

2000 Country Club Way S, St. Petersburg, FL 33712

Sponsor and Golf Packages

• Gold Sponsor – $3,500
• Silver Sponsor – $2,000
• Bronze Sponsor – $750
• Alumni Foursome – $500
• Individual Golfer – $125
• Hole Sponsor – $150

View the registration page for what is included in each sponsorship package. To receive all printed sponsorship benefits, please register and submit a full resolution logo (.eps vector file is preferred) by Thursday, October 3rd. If you do not submit a full-resolution logo we will put your business name and contact information on the sign.

Event Timeline

Dress Code

Raffle Items

We would love your help collecting raffle items! Would you reach out to your contacts or other businesses you frequent for donations? Items may include gift cards to chain or local restaurants, salons, breweries, gyms, and family fun activities or events, as well as wine and top-shelf liquor.

FFA Sponsorship Members

If you purchased an Admiral, Captain, Commander, or Lieutenant Sponsorship level, please contact FFA@farragut.org to get your promo code to attend the event at no cost.