January 2009 This spring we proudly celebrate the 75th anniversary of Admiral Farragut Academy. Why is this important? It was Carl Sandburg who wrote “When a nation goes down or a society perishes, one condition may always be found. They forgot where they came from.” That doesn’t mean living in or recreating the past, but profiting from what has gone before. Farragut is rich in history, and for many of us it is wonderful to look back in time to remember the joys, the sorrows, the excitement, the thrills, and the pure nostalgia of times past, but the truth is our lives as well as the Academy’s are ahead of us, not behind. We cannot recreate what we had in the past. Some will look fondly on the past and with some anxiety for the future. Others will remember the horrors of war and the friends and relatives who gave their lives fighting to preserve the American way of life that we enjoy today and one that will continue in the years ahead.
Democracy, technology, and capitalism have linked together to fuel an economy that has brought our society to unprecedented heights, as measured by our freedoms and standards of living. But it has also put a tremendous strain as well as a burden on all who enjoy this standard of living, and who are members of the most powerful nation in the world. Now and an into the foreseeable future the need for education has never been greater. Not just to keep up with technology, but to understand and manage the social and economic changes that encroach on our lives each day. While our physical environment may change, human nature does not. For that reason there are some things in life that never become obsolete. When people look at Admiral Farragut Academy as an educational instrument to provide our youth with the credentials to move on to higher learning, we who have had the Farragut experience see far more than that. The lessons of leadership, self discipline, teamwork, fair play, honesty, integrity are fine words which one could use to help define it. However, each one of us has his or her own, and knows of it a little differently. The associations, the learning how to live in harmony, respect for others, pride in ones self, the complex lessons learned in just growing up, are part of what make the Farragut experience. Just as we move into the future, so does Farragut. In the past 75 years Admiral Farragut Academy was showered with glory by the accomplishments of its distinguished Alumni, from the ocean depths to walking on the moon, as well as every walk of life. But, like you and I, Farragut’s life is clearly ahead of it. We stand at a point in time that is more than just a celebration. We stand at a point in time where we have the opportunity to make Admiral Farragut Academy “the” premier Secondary School in the country. There is no greater opportunity to contribute to the welfare of this nation, and to protect what we strove so hard to create, than by providing a full and well rounded education to the leaders of tomorrow. How do we do this? It is simple. It takes commitment, interest, participation and financial support by Alumni. The primary reason the Admiral Farragut Foundation was created was to provide a workable framework for harnessing the energy, spirit and dedication of those who will support and provide the financial resources necessary to reach the goals and objectives of Admiral Farragut Academy. By being interested in your school and its goals, and by supporting the school with any level of contribution that is comfortable for you, collectively we can not only be proud that we attended Farragut, but also take pride in the fact that we helped build an institution that will make a difference in the 21st century. George J. Michel, Jr. ’49 2
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We Need Your Help to Serve You Better The backbone of any school’s Alumni organization is its volunteers – particularly the volunteer leadership. At Homecoming this year we had the distinct pleasure of listening to David Yoho, Class of 1968. David spoke of his role as Class Agent in which he had dutifully served for over 25 years! David’s efforts as class agent have certainly paid off as evidenced by the number of members of the Class of 1968 that celebrated their 40th Reunion at this year’s Homecoming. Forty years after graduation it appeared as if the members of this class haven’t missed a beat in each other’s lives. Since graduating from Pine Beach in 1986 they have celebrated successes and mourned losses of classmates and members of the administration. As a matter of fact, by the amount of fun they had over Homecoming weekend I would imagine that on more than one occasion their spouses had to remind them that they weren’t 18 any longer! Our alumni can play a critical role in AFA’s future success in several ways. First, each of us through our accomplishments and accolades increase the value of the AFA diploma for our graduates and for one another – we help to brand the AFA name to be synonymous with discipline, strong leadership and success. Second, we each have a story to share about our Admiral Farragut Academy experience with a young person who could be a potential new cadet‐imagine the impact we could have on admissions if each Class took on the responsibility for bringing one new student to AFA each year! Third, we have the opportunity to put our money to work for an institution that shaped us, molded us and created within each of us the drive to persevere and succeed – what dollar value do you place on that? Broad participation by alumni in raising strategic funding for the institution sends a clear message to foundations and individual major donors that the mission and legacy of Admiral Farragut academy is alive and well with our alumni and deserves their consideration for support. These opportunities to participate in AFA’s future can most effectively be implemented when individuals in each class step forward to serve in leadership positions for the Alumni Association. Some of our graduating classes have active class agents, unfortunately many do not. If you do not know who your class agent is it is likely that your class may not have an active agent. Please consider volunteering for this critical role? A successful Class Agent serves as the direct connection between his/her fellow graduates and their Alma Mater. The Class Agent also serves as a member of the Alumni Council and works directly with the members of the Alumni and Development office sharing ideas for increasing class participation and raising awareness of Admiral Farragut Academy by becoming the “feet and hands” to their Class. Class Agents encourage involvement in events and activities both on and off campus throughout each year. In 2008 Alumni participated in gatherings in New York City, Boston, the Army/Navy Game in Philadelphia and Homecoming in St. Petersburg. Regularly the Alumni Office sends out e‐mail notifications to local alums to gather tailgate gathering prior to home football, basketball and track events. Our Admissions Department continually hold meeting to encourage enrollment. See page 20, this issue for details. Alumni participation at these events is particularly important. Our involvement sets the expectation among our current student body for what their future involvement as alumni needs to be. If you are interested in serving as class agent or simply have a question and no class agent to contact please contact Bill Monrose or Jeff Ogden (2000) in the Alumni and Development Office at 727‐343‐3678 or alumni@farragut.org and we would be happy to help you. I look forward to seeing you at the 75th Reunion.
Our goal is to announce a complete list of Class Agents at the 75th Anniversary! Please join the team!
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Calendar of Events 1200
Tuesday 31 March 2009
World Culture Day 0800
All AFA classes in session.
1200
75th Anniversary Celebration begins: Special luncheon featuring “Food From Around the World” (proceeds to Tampa Bay Harvest) Cultural Celebrations begin: AFA celebrates our diversity with cultural exhibits and presentations by our Chinese, Korean, Russian, South American, Central America, and Caribbean cadets.
1600
A Day in History
Main Stage Entertainment (all afternoon) Latin Music Festival Dunde Dole West African Dance Troupe Music of the Orient Steel Drummers of the Caribbean Irish Dance Troupe Athenian Dancers Wandering minstrels, games, and other activities all afternoon.
0800
Alumni Golf Tourney Bardmoor Country Club Classes in session all cadets. Sign‐up online.
1200
75th Anniversary Celebration continues Lunch served in the Mess Hall provide by SAGE (proceeds to Tampa Bay Harvest) AFA cadets present their “Decades Projects” in the West Lounge area Alumni interviews and video booth open to “Record History” Norman Rockwell Exhibit in the library
1730
Varsity Baseball game AFA vs Out of Door Academy (Buell Field) Middle Division Softball game (Libby’s Corner)
Thursday 02 April 2009
1230
Lunch served in the Mess Hall provided by SAGE (proceeds to Tampa Bay Harvest) Tours of the campus, waterfront, and museum Classes resume for cadets
Special International Dinner in the Mess Hall provided by SAGE (proceeds to Tampa Bay Harvest)
1230
Wednesday 01 April 2009
Career Day for the Lower Division (Special hands‐on programs for the elementary students) Career Day for the Middle Division (Presentations by local professionals and alumni) Career Day for the Upper Division (Alumni, parents and professionals talk about their careers)
1000 1030
Music of the Decades “USO Show” Featured presentations by Admiral Farragut Academy alumni and authors Special performances by the AFA cadets Lots of fun activities and entertainment all afternoon
Career Day 0800
Main Stage Entertainment (all afternoon)
1630
Varsity Track meet (Al Ross Stadium) Varsity Baseball game AFA vs Oldsmar Christian at (Buell Field) Varsity Softball game AFA vs Oldsmar Christian (Libby’s Corner)
Featured Speakers: Alumni and guest speakers for each division
1900
VIP Reception (Invitation Only) Featured Speaker: BGEN Charles M. Duke, Astronaut (Ret.), Museum of History downtown St. Petersburg.
Community organizations recruitment booths Visit booths in the West Lounge area
(Continued on page 5)
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Continued from page 4)
Friday 03 April 2009
Saturday 04 April 2009
Main Street Festival Day
0800
Salute to the Troops Day
Pancake Breakfast provided by SAGE (proceeds to Tampa Bay Harvest)
0900
Main Street Celebration begins (all day) AFA campus is transformed into an Old Main Street Festival setting Amusement rides and games Special performances and entertainment all day Tours of the campus, waterfront, and museum Aviation Academy tours and scheduling individual flights
1200
Lunch served in the Mess Hall provided by SAGE (proceeds to Tampa Bay Harvest)
1400
Alumni “Field Day Challenge” begins: North vs South Softball games (by classes) Tennis matches: Alumni vs AFA Cadets Events scheduled for all afternoon
Special performance by the US Navy Rock and Roll Band Jacksonville, FL
1730
Special Cookout provided by SAGE (Al Ross Field) (proceeds to Tampa Bay Harvest)
1900
Grand Finale (Al Ross Field) Parade of AFA cadets “Salute to America” by The Second Time A’rounders Marching Band PARACHUTE JUMP Special Operations Command MacDill AFB Laser Light Spectacular
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1000 1300
AFA Campus open to the public Main Street Festival opens Special performance by the US Navy Band “Sound of Freedom” from Jacksonville, FL Military displays Antique Auto Show Tours of the campus including visits to all three divisions Entertainment and events scheduled all morning Special performance by the US Navy Band “Sound of Freedom” from Jacksonville, FL
1400
Admiral Farragut Academy’s Anniversary Celebration ends
1800
Alumni Formal Party (Black Tie or Business Wear) open to all alumni, parents and friends of Farragut at the TradeWinds Resort Hotel, St. Pete Beach, FL.
All Events Subject to Change
The first order of business at this year’s Homecoming entailed the welcoming of our new Alumni Association President, Christian M. Wagner ‘82. Christian and his family live in Greenville, Delaware. As a young man Chris attended and graduated from Admiral Farragut Academy in Pine Beach, NJ. He was the President of his class and Battalion XO.
Christian lives in Greenville, Delaware with his wife Lisa, of 19 years and their 13 year old daughter Grace who attends The Tatnall School of Greenville. Lisa is very active in local charity work having served most recently as the President of the A. I. duPont Hospital for Children's’ Auxiliary. Christian M. Wagner ‘82
Professionally, Christian M. Wagner is a Founder and the CEO of Longview Financial Partners, LLC an SEC Registered Investment Advisor specializing in corporate retirement plans and Chief Investment Officer at Longview Financial Advisors, LLC an SEC Registered Investment Advisor with a focus on absolute returns for accredited investors.
Prior to Longview, he was a Senior Vice President and the Director of Investment Services for Commerce Capital Markets, Inc. and Commerce Wealth Advisors. While at Commerce, Christian was responsible for the investment services and products delivered by Commerce Capital Markets and Commerce Wealth Advisors as well as managing a staff of over 150 investment consultants, retail brokerage and service personnel. Before joining Commerce, Mr. Wagner was a Senior Vice President at the Bank of America Private Bank, were he was responsible for the sale of Asset Management and Alternative Investment Products from Delaware to New York. Prior to Bank of America, he was a Managing Director at Fisher Investments in Woodside, California. Prior to Fisher Investments, Chris was a Vice President at CoreStates Investment Advisors. He has served on the Advisory Board of ING Financial Partners a division of ING Groep N.V. Mr. Wagner is also a CFA (Chartered Financial Analyst) candidate. Christian has been featured in Bank Investment Consultant Magazine and Benchmark Magazines. He is a graduate of the American Banking Trust School at Bucknell University, and The Cannon Financial Trust School. He attended George Washington University and received his bachelor’s degree from Rutgers University. Next year we will celebrate the 75th Anniversary of Admiral Farragut Academy. Founded in 1933 in Pine Beach, New Jersey, the mission of Farragut continues to this day; educating and grooming tomorrow's leaders. After having the privilege of spending three formative years at Farragut (Pine Beach) and twenty‐six years after graduating, there is not a single day that passes when I do not have the opportunity to apply the principles of the Admiral Farragut Academy. Admiral Farragut Academy recognizes the value that a strong Alumni Association brings to an independent private school. As the newly elected president of the Alumni Association, I thought it best to kick‐off my term with information on the structure of the Admiral Farragut Academy Alumni Association. The objective of the Association is to promote awareness, support and pride among alumni, students and the community. The Association also promotes student and alumni activities, and is anchored in a the common goal of preserving the unique heritage and mission of the Admiral Farragut Academy. The Association consists of elected officers and an executive committee that adhere to a strict set of by‐laws. The president of the Alumni Association serves as an ex‐officio member of the Admiral Farragut Academy Board of Trustees and the Admiral Farragut Academy Foundation. These boards are well represented by Farragut alumni. All alumni are welcome to attend any board meetings and participation is encouraged. Our celebration of 75 years of success in education and the creation of leaders is one that everyone looks forward to with great excitement. We all share in the remarkable legacy that endures and guides us long after graduation. I am honored to serve as the president of the Alumni Association, and I look forward to the continued growth and success of the Alumni Association.
Sincerely, Christian M. Wagner ’82
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The Commander–in– Chief, Pres. George W. Bush at center stage before the start of the Army/Navy Game
Presentation of the Colors Army/Navy Football Game December 6, 2008
Coach Stan Slaby and Verne Packer, Director of Development
Robert J. Fine, Jr., Headmaster, Leonard J. Bonacci ’89, and Verne Packer, Director of Development
On the evening of December 6, 2008
Alumni Pres. Chris Wagner ’82 and Robert L. Kaplon ’61
Past Alumni President Donald Schreiber ’46 and Howard Sakolsky ’47.
we Gathered in the Farragut Room at the Union League in Philadelphia for fellowship and the renewal of friendships among our Alumni following the Army/Navy Game. We are planning to make this an annual event each year and you need to let us know how many tickets you’ll need for next year’s game. Here are pictures from the Game as well as pictures from the Gathering. Please make plans to join us next year!
RADM Mark Buzy ’75 and Bob, Fine, Headmaster.
Jeffrey Ogden ’00 and RADM Mark Buzby ’75
Jeffrey Ogden ’00, Headmaster Bob Fine, Blake Lusty ’08, RADM Mark Buzby ’75, Eric Palmer ’08, and Alumni President Chris Wagner ’82. Blake Lusty ’08, MIDN Newman, Eric Palmer ’08, and RADM Mark Buzby ’75. Adam Anderson ’01, Wes Erbe ’01, Jeff Ogden ’00, and Nancy Taskin ’01.
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With such an impressive background you would expect him to hit the road running, and he did! His first official meeting after this year’s Homecoming was the Army/Navy Game in Philadelphia, PA. Though he’d just begun, he immediately looked for a way to get our Alumni together and having already donated an auction item at the Homecoming Reunion last year which included round‐trip airline tickets to and from Philadelphia, a limousine service from the airport to the hotel, then to the game, and return. The above also included accommodations at a first class hotel, and a generous food allowance. This auction item was purchased by Board Chairman George J. Michel ’49 and his wife, Paula.
Christian added to the December 6th grudge‐match between Army and Navy by reserving the Farragut Room and the Downtown Union League for the purpose of holding an after game Alumni Gathering. Over 30 Alumni and guests attended, including Coach Stan Slaby, Headmaster Robert J. Fine, Jr., Development Director Verne Packer, Jeffrey Ogden ’00, Leonard J. Bonnacci ’89 ‐ Events Manager for the Philadelphia Eagles, Donald R. Schreiber ’46 Past Alumni President, William P. Garwood ’49 Past Alumni President, Sam Heineman ’49, Howard Sakolsky ’49, Robert L. Kaplon ’61, Alumni Development Associate ,RADM Mark Buzby ’75, Chief Judge of Ethics for Pennsylvania, Judge William D. Bucci ’75, Sam Heineman, current Mid‐Shipmen at the US Naval Academy, Blake Lusty ’08, and Eric Palmer ’08, Adam Anderson ’01, Wes Erbe ’01, Nancy Taskin ’01, and many more.
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HOMECOMING 2008 Homecoming was attended this year by alumni and spouses or significant others totaling 107. The number was down from last year, mainly due to the fact that many alums notified us that they would be coming to the 75th Anniversary Reunion to be held 31 March through 4 April, 2009.
We have been asked whether this will be the reunion for those celebrating their 50th anniversary. The answer is that we will recognize those who choose to come for this event to mark their 50th reunion, but for those who are unable to attend until the Homecoming Reunion in the Fall, we will celebrate theirs at that time.
Sylvio Brutus ’98 Athletic Director at Randolph Macon, talked about how important AFA was in his
David Yoho ’68 and Hall of Fame Speaker— was the speaker at this year’s reunion. He challenged alumni to reestablish the class agent system.
life. Would like to return someday and teach.
Neil Hicks ’63 and Dr. and Mrs. Ben Johnson ’63
Class of 1968 North
enjoy the reunion dinner at the Sandpiper Resort. 10
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This is quickly becoming one of the most popular events at Homecoming! As one alum put it, “this is the first time I’ve ever had a legal drink on campus.” Actually, the Alumni Center has been officially declared as “Off Campus.” This year’s event marked the first time our “Spirit Party” was held at our new Alumni Center. The party lasted a little over one hour and the participants enjoyed beverages provided by alumni Matthew and Douglas Sokolowski through the compliments of their Great Bay Distributorship. They have provided the Spirit refreshments now for three years. In addition to the cold beverages, the participants also enjoyed Wings and Smoked Sausages along with a chips, dips and salsa. As you can see, everyone enjoyed themselves and it helped to soften the disappointment of a loss on the Football Field. This party is becoming a tradition. It is followed by a Tail Gate Party at the Al Ross Football Field, the annual Homecoming Football Game, and the Crowning of our Homecoming Queen and her Princesses during half‐time. Make your plans to attend the next “Spirit Party.”
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“The Coaches Slaby - Nicholson
Dear Fellow Alum:
Of the 61 years in Pine Beach, graduates of 39 of those years were influenced by Coach Stan Slaby. He was more than just an athletics coach to me, he was a mentor, an example, a disciplinarian and helped me to grow and mature to face life’s challenges.
were outstanding athletes or on winning teams, but because they can attribute part of their success to lessons learned from an outstanding coach/mentor such as Stan Slaby. Honorees will be nominated/suggested by all of us. We will want you to send us a name and any information possible as to potential candidates. The Honoree will be invited to receive the award at the annual Alumni dinner during Home Coming and a plaque will be mounted in the new to be named “The Stan Slaby Athletic Hall of Fame.”
We want to honor and perpetuate Coach Slaby’s legacy , and to that end have established “The Coaches Slaby & Nicholson Athletic Endowment Fund.” Coach Slaby from the North and Coach Nicholson from the South, two outstanding long tenured men, who will now be remembered because of the annual gifts made by this fund in their names. We also want to provide another way to help you “Come Home to Farragut”, a theme from a few years ago to facilitate the blending of memories from all seventy five graduating classes of the Pine Beach and Saint Petersburg campuses. Our campus is gone, but we still have our memories. Yes, AFA does live on! Giving to this Endowment Fund will help provide needed financial support for the purchase of athletic equipment and supplies. The fund is overseen by a volunteer Advisory Board made up of Alumni from both campuses who are graduates representing a period of four decades.
If you remember Coach Slaby, have fond memories of your AFA experience, believe that we should be supporting athletics in our old alma maters name sake, or believe in strengthening the mission to “provide a college preparatory environment that promotes academic excellence, leadership skills, and social development within a diverse community….” Please help us bring this to realization. Your support, in any amount, will be greatly appreciated! Funds will be deposited in a sub account of the AFA Foundation account at Merrill Lynch.
We believe we can get this initiative off the ground with a minimum funding of $100,000 from just us by the time we celebrate the AFA 75th Anniversary on April 4th, 2009. As of today, with only a letter sent to “Coach Slaby’s Boys”, we have already received over $30,000 in cash or pledges.
1. AFA FOUNDATION, 501 Park Street North, St. Petersburg, FL 33710 Please note on the check: “Coach Slaby— Nicholson Endowment Fund”
I just reconnected with Coach Slaby who is alive and well and still living in the Toms River area. Believe it or not, he is just as I remember him from 50 years ago. He has been to the St. Petersburg campus on a couple of occasions where he tells me they treated him with the utmost respect and dignity. Coach Slaby and I both arrived in Pine Beach in 1952. However, after graduating in ’57, I had no inclination to consider myself part of the on‐going tradition and since the 1994 closing of the Pine Beach campus all memories faded. It wasn’t until my 50th reunion that I even gave AFA a thought. I wasn’t able to go, but I learned a lot about what was going on. AFA South has continued and enhanced the educational opportunities we all remember and gained from. In retrospect, I realize how much Coach Slaby influenced my life. I learned many things from him including, if you make a commitment, stick by it. Don't be a quitter. It is not the winning or losing that is important, but how you play the game. There is no substitute for honesty, integrity or discipline.
Tax deductible donations may be made by either sending a check to:
Or 2. UNDER ONLINE AT: www.farragut.org Under Support AFA, Make A Gift Now, Select Slaby‐Nicholson Endowment Fund “Please Direct My Gift” drop down box of the giving form. I do hope you will give to this new initiative and please, don't hesitate to email, write or call me. I would love to hear any thoughts, ideas or comments you have.
Warmest regards and remember…
“Damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead”.
He also taught me that if I really felt hurt “take an aspirin” and never ever, as a defensive end, let the ball carrier get past me to the outside. Incorporated in our effort is to annually honor an Alumnus who, because of lessons learned on the playing fields at AFA, 12 has made a success of his life in business and/or the community. The honorees will be recognized not because they Page 12
John J. Klopstock ‘57 12 Beach Court Saratoga Springs, NY 12866 Telephone: 518‐583‐4292 Email: klopstockj@aol.com
Athletic Endowment Fund”
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Greetings Fellow Alum, The good ship Farragut is fast approaching its Diamond Anniversary. As I meet more of our Northern Brothers at AFA events, it amazes me how much our experiences were the same at the two campuses. Recently, I learned of Coach Stan Slaby from Pine Beach who had much of the same impact as Coach “Nick” Nicholson has had on our students at the St. Petersburg campus. Discussion began on how to perpetuate the legacy of Coaches Nick and Slaby and how to honor them in some fitting way. Out of an idea spawned from a Northern alumnus, we have established “The Coaches Slaby and Nicholson Athletic Endowment Fund.” The idea is to provide a perpetual endowment supporting the purchase and maintenance of athletic equipment, supplies and facilities. A voluntary Advisory Committee of North and South Alumni has been established under the AFA Foundation to oversee the fund and determine which requests made by the athletic department we can grant. For me, upon entering the fifth grade, Coach Nick was my first true coach in any sport as well as a fantastic science professor. He taught me the basics of character, with which I would forge my own identity and drive. Integrity, sportsmanship, commitment, perseverance and knowledge were the cornerstones of his lessons. Whether in the classroom, on the track or in everyday tasks, Coach Nick knew how to identify and use those teachable‐moments. I always recall one day at track practice, he watched me clear the bar set almost at my shoulders, completely miss the landing mat, fall nearly 5 feet, disappear and land squarely on the cement below. He ran around that mat with the thought of seeing my brains gushing from my head. In the end, he dusted me off, asked if I was ok, looked at the bar as it still rested in place and said proudly, “You did it, but land on the mat next time. Let’s try it again.” Our Northern alumni have a great head start in their fund raising with $30,000 in cash or pledges to date. It is the goal of the Advisory Committee to get the initiative started with $100,000 minimum from both the North and South Alumni by the 75th Anniversary celebration in April 2009. That is why I am asking you to get into the giving spirit. There are two ways to give: Checks; made payable to: AFA Foundation and mailed to 501 Park Street, St. Petersburg, FL 33710. Please note on the check Coaches Slaby‐Nicholson Endowment Fund, or... Give Online at:www.farragut.org Under Support AFA, Make A Gift Now, Select Donation or Pledge, then Please Direct My Gift To: in the drop down box select Alumni Giving then, The Coaches Slaby‐Nicholson Athletic Endowment Fund By using this method you may either give a onetime gift, establish a recurring gift or set‐up a customized pledge to work with your budget and your timing. For any of these options you may either use a credit card or have the contribution draft directly from any bank account. As a member of the Advisory Committee and Foundation please don’t hesitate to e‐mail, write or call me. We are always open to your thoughts, memories, ideas and comments. Thank you for your consideration in making this important gift. Sincerely, Matthew Sokolowski ‘92 c/o AFA Foundation 501 Park St N St. Petersburg FL 33710 Phone: 727/394 9688 / E‐mail: matt@sokotribe.com
Tax deductible donations may be made by either sending a check to: 1.
AFA FOUNDATION, 501 Park Street North, St. Petersburg, FL 33710 Please note on the check: “Coach Slaby— Nicholson Endowment Fund” 2.
Or UNDER ONLINE AT: www.farragut.org Under Support AFA, Make A Gift Now, Select Slaby‐Nicholson Endowment Fund
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“Please Direct My Gift” drop down box of the giving form.
Note from John Street ’68
“To the class of ’ 68 North, and to all “ North Boys ”
from every class, Greetings, This is John R. ( Jack ) Street writing to you about
experienced four decades ago. Financially the school
a rewarding and amazing experience I recently had at the
seems to be in good shape. Military discipline isn't’ what
40th reunion in St. Pete. When the north campus of AFA
we remember. The waterfront, I ’ m told doesn't freeze in
( “ o ur ” school ) closed, I felt that Farragut was gone as
wintertime. What is most impressive, however, is that they
I ’ m sure many of you did also. Our high school had been torn down, turned into condos, a park, and bare ground. Our school was gone and would never be seen again. We had no physical place to connect with—to go back to. No place to relive the good and bad times along with the adventures and experiences which became our Farragut experience. I though all of that was gone and would never matter to anyone. I mourned the loss.
Dave ( Mother ) Yoho talked me into attending our 40th class reunion. I really wasn ’ t expecting much. I had never visited the south campus before and I had no idea what it would be like. The most I was hoping for was a get-together with old friends, and to see if Bill Farrell had aged any since the 20th. I wandered into a building which said “ A lumni Office ” on the sign. When I identified myself I was immediately greeted by the staff on duty, and made to feel very much like the prodigal son. These folks are real, dedicated, and professional, and did everything they could to make all returning alums feel welcomed and appreciated regardless of whether we graduated form the north or south campus. From campus tours, a barbecue, a football game, meetings with faculty and
administration, and meals in the mess hall, ( the food was really good!) - they did everything possible to make us feel
million in scholarships, and awards. The faculty, staff, and administration are top notch. Most significant to me is the realization that the Farragut traditions, the esprit de corps, the feeling of being part of long line of
well-educated,
disciplined, and well prepared graduates lives on. Farragut way, “ our school ” will survive and prosper for another 75 or more. More about how we can help in another letter. I encourage any and all of you who are reading this to come back to Farragut yourself, and experience being
reunited with your family. The 75th anniversary of our great school will be celebrated this coming spring. ( March 31st through April 4th, 2009—See full details in this edition of Reveille ) . Visit the Farragut Museum and see things from up north that you remember. Look at the pictures of “ o ur ” battalion commanders on display in the administrative wing. These people are doing their best to involve the “ n orth boys ” and make us feel as much at home in St. Pete as we would have in Pine Beach. I ’ ve even heard rumors about a plan to fly in hoagies from Sorrento ’ s for the event. You won ’ t know if you don ’ t show. Smooth sailing and God Bless,
a part of the Farragut family.
John ( Jack) Street ’ 6 8. ”
The AFA of today is not the same as what we
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superb. Last year ’ s graduating seniors garnered $6.7
has survived for 75 years and if these fine folks have their
I ’ m here to tell you all, right now, that it ain ’ t so.
( e ven though we lost) ,
have 100% college placement. Academically they are
Heart to Heart from an Alumnus Page 14
Very often we overlook the fact we can be influential in someone’s life. Here is an example of how a Farragut alumnus has had a very significant impact on the life of a cadet during his visit to the Academy. This is a reprint of an email exchange between Rick J. LoCastro ’84, . Colonel, USAF to USAF Academy Cadet Andrew Fuller ’08.
Andrew,
From: Fuller, Andrew S C4C USAFA/CS21 [mailto:C12Andrew.Fuller@usafa.edu] Sent: Monday, September 08, 2008 6:49 PM To: LoCastro, Rick J Col USAF AFMC 96ABW/CV Subject: From a Fellow Farragut Graduate
Colonel LoCastro, Sir, I'm not sure if you remember me or not, but I was the student at Admiral Farragut Academy that you talked to about the Air Force Academy. If you remember, I wasn't sure or not about going, or if it was the right place for me. Well, shortly thereafter, I made up my mind 100%, and I couldn't be happier. I made the decision to come here, accepted my appointment, graduated, and started my Air Force career on June 25th. I just wanted to thank you for coming and talking to me. It really opened my eyes to what I really wanted to do, and so far, I don't regret it! Thank you for your time and consideration,
Response from Colonel Rick J. LoCastro to USAF Cadet Andrew Fuller’s email .
‐‐‐‐‐Original Message‐‐‐‐‐
It was great to meet you earlier this year when I visited and spoke at Farragut...glad I got a chance to return there. Seems like yesterday I was pounding the pavement at Farragut as well as the Air Force Academy...you too will see how quickly time will fly by‐‐so make the most of it. Thanks very much for your email‐‐I'm happy to hear I might have had something to do with you deciding to attend...or at least making you feel more confident about your decision. You will quickly find the AF Academy is a fantastic place and it's a great honor to represent your country and get an incredible education all at the same time. Proud to know another Farragut grad is also wearing the Air Force blue...I look forward to following your progress and charting your accomplishments. As you have already seen I'm sure‐‐the Air Force Academy is a challenging place. Hang tough and give it all you have. Never forget why you are there‐‐and what you are working towards. The military‐‐now more than ever‐‐needs the best from our leaders. Dive in deep into the academic & military environment‐‐and then we'll see you on the other side.
I will be attending my 20th reunion there this November...so I will definitely look you up in Sq 21. Best of luck in your first year....it's a long one....but if you keep at it...you'll be throwing your hat in the air before you know it!
Very Respectfully, Andrew S. Fuller, C4C, USAF
....Col L
Cadet Squadron 21 ‐ Blackjacks Class of 2012 Protestant Praise Team United States Air Force Academy Colorado Springs, Colorado "Double Down!"
Rick J. LoCastro, Colonel, USAF Vice Commander, 96th Air Base Wing Eglin Air Force Base, Florida (850) 882‐9600 DSN 872‐9600
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We’re popping the Champagne bottles to celebrate this milestone event in the life of Admiral Farragut Academy. Please join us in our Grand Celebration. Here is the day by day schedule of events as we celebrate school‐wide throughout the entire 5 days of events. Tuesday
31 March 2009 World Culture Day
Alumni and guest are invited to join the Admiral Farragut Academy cadets as they celebrate all the cultures represented at our school. The day will start at 1200 with a special luncheon featuring “Food From Around the World”. The Main Stage entertainment begins soon afterwards and will be patterned much like a folk fair. The featured entertainment will be the Dundu Dole West African Dance Troupe, a high‐energy performing group that is sure to delight all ages. There will also be a Latin Music Fest with song and dances for everyone, Music From the Orient with a real Chinese Lion Dance, a dynamic Caribbean steel drum group that will fascinate all, and many more entertaining groups. Entertainment is planned for all afternoon ending with an International Dinner in the mess hall. (Proceeds from all meals this week will benefit the Tampa Bay Harvest food bank.)
Thursday
02 April 09 A Day in History
All alumni are asked to make plans to attend the Alumni Golf Tourney at Bardmoor Country Club. The shotgun start will be at 0800. Registration for this event is ‐ March 1, 2009. ___________________________________________________________ 1200 AFA cadets will be presenting their Decades Projects. A component of these projects are to “Record History” that day. All alumni in attendance are requested to sit for an interview so our cadets can learn more about the time period the alumnus attended Farragut. These interviews will be video taped and shown Friday and Saturday to alumni and guest who attend the celebration later. Everyone can participate in this project even if the alumnus cannot attend the celebration. Send a picture slide show of your family and life to the teacher sponsoring the decades project during the years attending or graduating Farragut. Be sure to include all the information that you would like to see in the master show. The cadets will assemble these photos by year of AFA graduation and play the show at their project booths. Even if you can’t attend, your classmate can catch up with your life! Send your photos to: 30’s and 40’s Chris Miller cmiller@farragut.org
50’s
CDR Jennifer Vernine jvernine@farragut.org.
60’s Ryan Nase rnase@farragut.org
Wednesday 01 April 09 Career Day
70’s
Tom Xenakis txenakis@farragut.org
80’s
Amber McMillin amcmillin@farragut.org
Alumni are asked to participate in this day to make our Career Day a success for each of the division. We would like for alumni to share their professional experience with our cadets. The Lower Division format calls for “hands‐on” presentations that are highly interactive for elementary students. The Middle Division cadets need presentations that are dynamic and engaging for this age group. The Upper Division format is similar to a “Teach In” where a variety of professions to be represented and cadets will select and attend those they are interested in. Three 45‐ minute sessions are planned to accommodate this format. Career Day presentations will begin at 0800 and will culminate in a special luncheon. AFA cadets will attend classes that afternoon but the campus, waterfront, and museum will be open for tours. Please contact CDR Robert Gibbons if you are interested in assisting with this project. Email him at rgibbons@farragut.org or call 727‐384‐5501.
90’s
Ryan Nase rnase@farragut.org
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2000’s
Mark Panuthos mpanuthos@farragut.org
The Main Stage entertainment planned for this day is exciting! A professional USO Show featuring music from the decades is guaranteed to engage all ages. Music, dancing, and “skits of the decades” will be fun for everyone. Admiral Farragut will also feature author presentations throughout the afternoon. Astronaut General Charles Duke will review his book, Moon Walker, Admiral Richard Wheeler will unveil his new book about Admiral Farragut titled “The Tale of Two Campuses” and Robert Schneller will discuss his book Farragut. Additional authors and interesting speakers are also scheduled. The afternoon activities on campus will culminate with an evening meal in the mess hall. In addition, there is a special invitation only Black Tie reception that evening at the History Museum in downtown St. Petersburg.
Friday 03 April 09
Academic Competition
1200 Luncheon in West Lounge in honor of the crew members of the USS Farragut , Past, Present.
In addition to the Athletic Competition, each class is encouraged to have at least one participant in the Academic Competition. The final results will award the following points for the top 3 winners in this competition:
Main Street Festival Don’t miss this day! The AFA campus will be transformed into an old‐ time main street festival featuring a variety of entertainment and AFA cadet performance. All alumni are invited to come see what Farragut is like today. Activities begin at 0800 with a pancake breakfast and commence with the Grand Finale late in the evening. In between, there are many events that the alumni do not want to miss. Tours, performances, interactive presentations, and great a social time are planned for all attendees.
Points for Academic Winners Points will be awarded: 1st Place = 25 Points 2nd Place = 15 Points 3rd Place = 10 Points
During the day we plan to have an Alumni Field Day Challenge throughout the better part of the day. The Alumni competitions will be comprised of two categories. There will be an Individual Competition and Class Competition. You must sign‐in for each competition with your name and the year you graduated. The alumni individual with the highest score for each category will be the individual overall winner. In the spirit of unity we will recognize classes by year and not campus. For example, if you are a member of the class of 75, your class is made up of alumni from both the north and south. The alumni class which has the highest combined total based upon each individual score by class will be the overall class winner. So, individually we urge you to compete in as many categories as you can. We will present Certificates to the Individual category winners as well as for the top three overall Class winners.
Salute to the Troops
Sign up for this event by March 1, 2009!
Name of Alumnus ___________________ Number to attend_____________
Points for Individual Category Winners
3rd Place = 5 Points 17
04 April 09
The AFA campus will open at 1000 with Main Street Festival events and displays that honor our military organizations. The community will also be invited to view our campus and participate in our celebration. Tours of the campus and special cadet performances will be featured. The US Navy band “Sound of Freedom” is also scheduled to perform. An antique auto show will also be on display. The on‐campus activities end at 1400 allowing the alumni plenty of time to get ready for the final Formal (Black Tie or Business Wear) Alumni Party at the TradeWinds Hotel later in the evening. All alumni and their guests are encouraged to attend this very special event.
2nd Place = 10 Points
Saturday
Individual Category Competition
1st Place = 15 Points
The top 3 Class Winners of the Academic Completion will receive Certificates of Academic Excellence.
The Grand Finale that evening will feature a Special Cookout, Cadet Parade, Special Operations Parachute Jump, a Big band Performance and a Laser Light Show.
CATEGORY North vs. South Softball Rifle Range Drill “Knock‐out” Competition Golf – Pitch for Accuracy Football Throw for Accuracy & Distance Tennis Challenge Free‐Throw Shooting Push‐up Competition Sailboat Rigging
These points add to the Class Competition Totals shown above. This could definitely change the finish position of the Class Competitions.
A special Alumni Field Day Challenge is being planned that will feature individual events and will pit the North verse the South in competition. Events being planned include: North vs. South softball, sailing competition, tennis challenge, free throw shooting, push‐up contest (by age group), and much, much more. Come prepared to show that you still have it!
Points will be awarded:
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Send email of FAX reservation to:
joverton@farragut.org or FAX
727‐384‐5507
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Some time ago, we received several golf carts through the generosity of our alumni. Though these carts were several years old when we received them, they nonetheless have provided years of service to the Academy. The Admissions Department receives great benefit when showing the campus to prospective cadet families. Also, there are many times when guests, including alumni, are unable to walk the campus and at these times the cart provides us with the ability to show‐off everything our school has to offer.
Originally, many of the gifted carts were to serve as trade‐ins when purchasing a new cart. Their trade‐in value established the value of these carts and determined without question the amount of tax‐credit received by the donor when gifted to the Academy. Admiral Farragut is a 501(C)3 not for profit entity. If you have a golf cart in good working condition and are planning to trade it in you might consider gifting it to the school instead. Many people are able to realize a greater personal savings when using it as a tax credit. If you would consider gifting your golf cart to AFA, please contact CDR Roy Wheeler, CFO of the Academy. We appreciate the gift of your cart. It will bear a plaque in your name indicating it was donated to the Academy.
André Fernandez ’95 – Where is he now?
Here is an interesting article which sheds light on the above question: André, a 1995 graduate of Admiral Farragut Academy is engaged in research at Ohio University. André’s curiosity piqued when he was a cadet studying Science with CDR Michel Nicholson. Nicholson has had a pronounced affect upon the lives of many of his academic students. André also was a member of Nicholson’s track teams. Most of Nicholson’s cadets enjoyed multiple roles of mentoring, that is, both in the classroom and on the athletic fields as well. Fernandez is now engaged in a post doctorial fellowship program at the University of Texas’ M. D. Anderson Cancer Center this fall.
Fish cancer gene linked to pigment pattern that attracts mates Swordtails can inherit melanoma that drives sexual selection ATHENS, Ohio (Aug. 18, 2008) — Though skin cancer is deadly to male fish, it also has one perk: The black melanoma splotches arise from attractive natural markings that lure female mates. A new study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences this week shows that the melanoma gene can be conserved in swordtail fish because of its beneficial role in sexual selection.
Ohio University scientists André Fernandez and Molly Morris studied three populations of female swordtails, tiny freshwater fish native to North and Central America, and found that two of them preferred males whose tails were painted to resemble the skin cancer spots. The researchers also examined specimens of swordtail fish with real melanomas, which confirmed that the cancer gene is switched on only in the tissue with the dark pigment. The study marks the first time scientists have found a cancer gene linked to a pigment pattern that functions to increase mating success in animals. In the current study, the researchers placed a female swordtail in the middle of a tank with two partitions. They positioned a male with the faux pattern from which melanomas form on one side, and a male without the pattern on the other. After releasing the female from an opaque tube into the tank's center chamber, the scientists observed how much time she spent looking at each male during an eight‐ minute period. The project builds on previous studies in the Morris lab, which used the same tests to show that female swordtails are 18 strongly attracted to males with dark vertical bars.
To avoid any bias the female might have for a particular side of the tank, Fernandez then switched the males. Two days later, he conducted the trials again, this time changing which male received the painted skin cancer spot. The female consistently chose the male with the dark pigmented marking in two of the three populations, he said.
But the research suggests that the swordtail fish population also keeps the prevalence of the cancer gene in check. A third population of females in the study rejected the males painted with the pattern that can form melanomas. The scientists suspect that's because the third group had a higher ratio of both males and females with the gene for skin cancer, which increases the likelihood of too many offspring inheriting the gene and dying off.
Swordtail fish usually live for 1.5 to 2 years in the wild and sexually mature at 4.5 months. The ones with the skin cancer gene can develop melanomas at about 7 months and die a few months later. "Melanoma formation cuts the reproductive life cycle in half," Fernandez said. "It has a huge cost for males." But during the few months when the male is sexually mature and healthy, he also can produce a lot of offspring, he noted.
The swordtail melanoma, has been studied since the 1920s, and scientists previously believed that fish developed the cancer only in captivity. But in the recent study, 10 percent of the swordtails collected from the third population in Mexico also exhibited the disease, said Fernandez, who joins the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center this fall as a postdoctoral fellow. He hopes to conduct further studies on the habitat, such as whether stronger exposure to the sun's UV rays might be driving more instances of skin cancer in the wild. ### The study, funded by a National Institutes of Health Research Service Award pre-doctoral fellowship to Fernandez and a National Science Foundation grant to Morris. Morris is a member of Ohio University's Ohio Center for Ecology and Evolutionary Studies. Contact: André Fernandez, (616) 901-4639. Use the links below to view pictures of the melanoma on the swordtail fish. http://www.research.ohiou.edu/upload_files/images/fish_melanoma1.jpg http://www.research.ohiou.edu/upload_files/images/fish_melanoma2.jpg
□
Dear Alumni, Over the past year, I have been asked the question by many alumni, "...who owns Admiral Farragut Academy?" To answer the question I would like to quote our Board Chairman, George Michel, in a memo he wrote a couple of years ago. "... Admiral Farragut Academy, Inc. and Admiral Farragut Academy Foundation, Inc. are corporations registered in the State of Florida and qualify as nonprofit organizations, therefore they are tax exempt under Article 501 (c)(3) of the United States Tax Code. As nonprofit organizations, no one person or group of people can own Admiral Farragut Academy nor Admiral Farragut Academy Foundation. Any equity in either corporation belongs to the organization itself, not to the Board of Directors, nor the staff, nor any third party. This does not mean that assets of either corporation can't be sold, but the proceeds of any sale must benefit the organization, its mission, and not any private parties. Despite the name "nonprofit", an organization such as Admiral Farragut Academy and its Foundation can have surplus funds ‐ essentially a profit ‐ at the end of a year. Any surplus funds are accumulated and held in reserve, which can be used by the organization to cover any future deficits or to expand programs in support of its mission. Surplus funds can never be distributed outside the organization, except in accordance with its registered mission. In the case of Admiral Farragut Academy "Foundation, surplus distributions can only be made to Admiral Farragut Academy." I hope this clarifies any questions about the operational status of Admiral Farragut Academy. I would also take this opportunity to invite you back to Admiral Farragut Academy this Spring to celebrate 75 years of educating young people.
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Admissions is a Beehive of Activity
In August of 2006, one element of Admiral Farragut Academy's strategic plan called for an increase in boarding population of thirty‐five percent within four years. At the start of the 2006‐2007 school year, our boarding enrollment stood at ninety‐ five cadets, and I am thrilled to announce that by 5 January, 2009 our boarding population will be in excess of one hundred thirty‐five cadets or an increase of over forty‐two percent. In these financially uncertain times an increase of this magnitude is significant and even a little surprising. There is certainly many who share in the credit for such an increase, extending well beyond the Admission Office and its staff. Some of the key factors contributing to our strong surge within the boarding school ranks and some of the key factors in sustaining and even improving upon these numbers are: (in no particular order)
• •
•
Increased focus on boarding population beginning with a dedicated and vigilant Residential Life staff
Indian Mountain
Of special note: Admiral Farragut Academy has been selected to host the Small Boarding School Association's 2009 Annual Conference; which will take place in March on AFA's campus. Over 180 small boarding school administrators and educational consultants will spend three days on our campus touring, networking and attending workshops bringing AFA squarely into the national spotlight.
Linden Hill
Wellington High School Fair Washington D.C. Area‐Educational Consultants Open House New England Junior Boarding Schools recruitment trip
• • • • •
Bement
Rectory Rumsey Hall
•
St Mary's Episcopal Day School ( T a m p a ) S e c o n d a r y S c h o o l Information Session
•
The Association of Boarding Schools (TABS) Asian Recruitment Fair
• • • •
Cohesive and dedicated efforts between Admission and Communication offices
Japan Korea China Thailand
•
Recruitment Fairs in Russia and Kazakhstan
•
Mid‐Atlantic States‐Boarding School Fair (Bermuda)
•
More faculty living in the dorm
•
•
Enriched after‐school offerings
Tampa Bay Independent Secondary School bi‐annual meeting
•
•
Improved weekend activity choices
Pinellas County Jewish Day School ‐ High School Information Session
•
•
Increased number of Day‐ families acting as hosts for boarding cadets
Safety Harbor Montessori Academy's High School Showcase
•
•
Improved quality and selection of residential dining services
Independent Educational Consultants Association (IECA) bi‐annual conference
• Grace Lutheran‐High School Fair • Florida Council of Independent
•
The continued renovation of dormitory living quarters
•
Increased and focused off‐campus recruiting
•
• •
Improved prominence and recognition within the national and international boarding school markets
•
Travel, travel, and more travel Global Prominence
On the global stage, Admiral Farragut Academy as improved its recognition and prominence due in large part to the membership and attendance of the Admission officers to regional, national, and international association meetings & conferences, fairs, and educational events. In the fall of 2008, at least one member of the 20 Office has attended and/or Admission participated in the following:
Schools (FCIS) annual conference
• TABS annual conference • Bay Area Association of Independent Schools (BAAIS) bi‐annual meeting Travel & Attendance this Winter Over the winter months the Admission Office will remain active with:
•
Recruiting trip to Mexico City
•
Recruiting trip to the Bahamas and Cayman Islands
•
IECA bi‐annual Conference (which should include a presentation by AFA's Admission Director for National Recruitment on both the state of Military schools and the vast difference in their educational philosophies)
Marketing The Admission and Communication Offices will continue to improve AFA's presence on the Internet through increased web‐based marketing. The website will continue to evolve as we incorporate more and more of the technological advances available to us. The next goal for marketing AFA will be the use of Skyping (video‐telecommunications) for face‐to ‐face, international interviews, construction of a virtual campus used for virtual tours and interaction between potential families and current members of the AFA community.
Greetings and Go Navy!
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I’m Captain Tom “T‐Mac” McClelland, the Director of Naval Science for the past ten years. I am ably assisted by CWO2 Bill Schuyler, OSC Jack Blasko and our newest member of the team, 1stSGT Billy Williams. Our mission is probably the same as when you went to AFA: To produce the finest leaders in the country! To accomplish that, we train cadets to achieve a desire for excellence in academics, physical fitness, military bearing and appearance.
CAPT Tom McClelland USN (Ret)
We have been blessed in accomplishing our NJROTC mission with the excellent facilities at AFA. We have just completed a new sea wall for the waterfront basin and the dredging will begin in the next few months. The waterfront consists of a fleet of 14 sailboats, 4 kayaks and two powerboats. As a result of our fine facility and location, we are asked each summer to host the Leadership Academy for all Florida NJROTC schools. The Naval Science Department classrooms are state of the art with Smart‐Boards and wireless connectivity. In addition, we have the new Classroom Performance System that allows each cadet to answer questions with the click of a button and get instant feedback on performance.
AFA Color Guard with NJROTC Distinguished Unit Flag
For the past seven years, our NJROTC unit has been designated a Distinguished Unit. Last year was a record as almost 20% of our graduates received ROTC scholarships and Service Academy appointments. Total military scholarship value exceeded five million dollars! Currently, we have seven graduates at the Naval Academy, three at the Merchant Marine Academy and one at Air Force Academy. Our Honor Naval School and Distinguished Unit designation gives us the ability to nominate cadets to the three major service academies. As you can see, we have an excellent record of preparing our cadets for scholarships. So, if you are looking to save money on college tuition, there is no better place to send your children or grandchildren than Admiral Farragut! To enhance our success in military scholarships, we have established the Service Academy Fast‐Track to ensure that every cadet interested in an academy or ROTC can exceed the minimum eligibility requirements. We identify eligible candidates, monitor their academic, physical and leadership progress, and provide remedial training, when necessary. This year, the Navy has provided funding for our cadets to sign up for a free web based SAT/ACT tutorial. We expect this will significantly improve their scores and increase the number of cadets eligible.
Midshipman and former Battalion XO Blake Lusty ('08) wearing Rear Admiral Mark Buzby's ('75) Blues
Congressman Bill Young with Battalion Commander Spencer 21 Fletcher
The Naval Science Department thanks you for your generous support of Admiral Farragut Academy and our NJROTC program. We also want to remind you to make plans to attend our 75th Anniversary‐‐ we will have many cadet versus alumni events in sailing, kayaks, rifle range competitions, just to name a few. So, come and show us your skills in exhibition and knockout drills, and enjoy all the activities planned—especially the Friday evening parade… it will be spectacular! We also invite you to stop by, visit with us, and share some of your experiences.
Leadership Academy cadets sailing in a Laser
Leadership Academy cadets sailing on Boca Ciega Bay
Midshipman Thomas Deeter ('07) and A.J. Saunders ('07)
Midshipman Thomas Deeter ('08) in USNA parade
OUR UNIQUENESS AS EXEMPLIFIED BY THE UPPER DIVISION
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CDR Shannon Graves, Head Upper Division
The Upper Division shares with Admiral Farragut Academy a unique time in history. The students are fortunate to be attending in the year that marks the 75th Anniversary of our special school. From our humble beginnings, we have truly come a long way. With each year brings new people, new ideas, and new opportunities to grow and adapt to a world of constant change. Once again the Admiral Farragut Academy community has united and is responding positively to this exciting time. We learn to adapt, alter our journey, and view these as opportunities so that we learn and gain new skills and
wisdom from these new challenges. As we prepare for the 75th Anniversary we are focusing on the large variety of events that make our Academy unique, different, and special from our competitors. Teachers are working with the cadets on presentations for this event. As I have been here just three years, I have seen some wonderful examples of what it means to be a member of the AFA family. People care about one another and the Alumni share with the current cadets what it means to be part of this community. Some change is inevitable, and though we have made small changes, the core beliefs of Farragut have remained unchanged over the last 75 years.
Our boarding component is what makes us unique from most other schools in our area, and is that element which benefits our community the most. We have cadets and teachers from 22 states, the US Virgin Islands, and 15 International countries. A major part of our uniqueness is the fact that our students share language, food, culture, customs, traditions, and respect for one another. We expose our cadets not just to Florida and the United States, but have representation from nations all around the world. Socially this puts us at a huge advantage in diversity and understanding for our world. We live it every day in the mess hall, classroom, on the athletic fields, or simply walking on campus. We appreciate the uniqueness of every individual on campus.
The military component sets us apart from most other schools. Through it, we learn the importance of character education, and responsibility to self and country. We cultivate manners, expect sound moral judgment, personal responsibility, self‐discipline, and respect for self, as well as for others. We feel being a good person is part of the educational process. We take pride in the military uniform. We drill weekly, march in parades, and respect the naval traditions of our country. All of our cadets take three years of Naval Science and Physical Training. The third component that makes us special is the opportunities our cadets have in the classroom wherein they focus not only on Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics, but also the special idiosyncrasies that make us special, earning your QBH; having your own laptop computer; taking part in Wednesday Drill; playing activities at the Relay for Life kickoff; learning Chinese, participating in Video Production; and having the opportunity to earn an aviators Pilot license.
The future holds many opportunities for our cadets because of the variety of experiences they have at AFA. We will continue to expand the experiences we learn at Admiral Farragut Academy with the full‐realization they will provide a solid foundation for our life’s journey. □
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MIDDLE SCHOOL CADETS PROUDLY EMBRACE 75 YEARS OF TRADITION
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The Admiral Farragut Academy Middle Division is excited and proud to be a part of the 75th Anniversary of this great institution. Though times and traditions of AFA have changed throughout the last 75 years with different leadership and world events, the core beliefs of Farragut have remained unchanged. Core curriculum instructors for all grades, including language arts, mathematics, social studies and science, have been working since August on different projects to present at our 75th Anniversary celebration. For example, our 6th and 7th grade cadets in Geography will be presenting food from around the world for 'World Culture Day' as well as collaborating with the History and Social Studies classes from all three divisions on a “Farragut through the Decades” project. The Middle Division participates in both the military and boarding components of Admiral Farragut Academy, two qualities that set us apart. Cadets wear four uniforms, including salt and peppers, khakis, travel gear and PE gear. Boarding cadets may be either 5‐day or 7‐day.
Jennifer Vernine, Head Middle Division
Michael Hajek and Melissa Brizzi, (6th grade) with our new touch tank.
Middle Division faculty sponsor clubs to enrich each cadet’s experience while at Admiral Farragut. Cadets have the opportunity to participate in Earth Force, National Junior Honor Society, Student Government, Community Service and Forensics. The clubs enhance the idea of community and give students real‐world applications to expand their repertoire of knowledge. During homecoming week, we were pleased to welcome Mr. David Yoho, Class of ‘68 and CPAE Speaker Hall of Fame, who shared his knowledge with the Forensics club, and the 4th and 5th grades about the proper techniques for giving a speech. At the next competition in November, four out of five cadets placed! Another example of a club's effect on our school and community involved the Earth Force club and science classes. The students planted a salt marsh using thousands of plants. The goal was to help the environment while instilling a sense of pride in the student's work and service to one's community. This task, like many others, at AFA exemplifies the core values practiced regularly at our school. Cadets enjoy a wide array of sports and clubs in the Middle Division. Sports include football, basketball, soccer, swimming, track, and cross country. Our Middle Division football team exploded in the fall with an undefeated season this year! The Middle Division sports program provides a teaching atmosphere and allows all cadets a chance to play and build on their skills. All of our sports offer an opportunity for teamwork and camaraderie among our students and opposing teams. The future is wide open for our cadets because of the variety of experiences they will be offered at AFA. Admiral Farragut hopes to provide a solid base for these cadets following our mission and core values that will guide them successfully through their journey called life.
Middle Division Faculty during Homecoming Week‐‐Back Row, Left to Right: LTJG Heather Ewing, LCDR Phil Barnhill, LTJG Scott Singleton, LT Derek Harrington, LT Ryan Nase, LT Sandra Miller, CDR Mike Nicholson; Front Row, Left to Right: CDR Jennifer Vernine (Head), LT Sari Deitche. 23
Leigh Buttner (8th grade) dissects a squid in Science.
Fallon Arnold (7th grade) with her brother, Blake Arnold (9th grade) at the Salt Marsh Planting.
Lower Division is filled with Learning, Excitement and Fun!
Upper Division Cadets Chester Claudon, Zach Northcutt, Drew Quinn are engaged in a project with the Lower Division Lego Robotics Club Third Graders, Maxwell Overton, Be’la Wilson, and David Brizzi.
Third Graders Clayton Scott, Be’la Wilson, David Brizzi, Maxwell Overton, Ryan Schlagheck, and Mathew Overton decorate the tree.
Third graders Mathew Overton and Clayton Scott and Second Grader Ashton Colbert race down the slide.
Lower Division Second Grade Back row: Michael Carboni, Alex Fiorillo, Angela LoRusso, Casey Andrion, Middle row: William Herr, Dylan Miksch, Amethyst Crone, Sierra
Students in Lower Division have the opportunity to participate in many competitions and programs. In November, the Kindergarten through 3rd grade students entered the Stanley Shalit Drawing Contest. Out of 98 entries and 12 drawing contest finalists, the Lower Division placed four students. Two of these students are alumni children, Ella Anita Fine, Sokolowski, daughter of Matt Sokolowski, Head of Lower Division Class of ‘92 and Casey Andrion, daughter of Albert Andrion, Class of ‘79. During Homecoming week, Mr. David Yoho, Class of ‘68 and CPAE Speaker Hall of Fame spoke to the 4th and 5th graders about the proper techniques for giving a speech. These students will be competing in the 4‐H/Tropicana Public Speaking Competition in March. Pre‐Kindergarten through 5th grade classes are participating in the 2009 Florida School Garden Competition hosted by the University of Florida. All classes have a garden plot that they are responsible for planting and maintaining. They will be documenting and taking photos of their garden’s progress. Our 3rd – 5th grade students have been busy reading their fifteen Sunshine State Reader books in preparation for the Battle of the Books. This book competition is against other Pinellas County Schools and will be held in March. Starting in January, the 4th and 5th graders will be busy working on their science fair projects. The top three science fair projects will be represented at the Pinellas County Science Fair. Students in Pre‐Kindergarten through 5th grade receive Spanish instruction three days a week. Five Lower Division students will be selected to compete against other private schools in the “Brain Bowl Español” this spring. For the past three months, the 3rd, 4th and 5th graders have been preparing for the National Math Bee. In January, the winning group of the school wide competition will be going onto the 24
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District Competition. In November, while learning about food and nutrition, our Pre‐Kindergarten class planned a menu, with each food group represented, and invited their families in for a Thanksgiving feast. Last week, the students were chefs, making and delivering “Kindness Cookies”. They incorporated the December character education words, “sharing” and “friendship”, along with the highlighted letter of the week, “K”. Kindergarten is participating in a holiday greeting card exchange with schools from all over the United States and from as far away as Japan. Once they receive their cards, they plot the school on Google Earth for a closer look. Our first grade class has been studying about nature and reptiles! They recently wrote about what they might see at a campsite and what kinds of animals might wander by camp. The students then drew and colored pictures of their favorite snake. Some popular reptiles were boa constrictors and cobras ‐‐ but rattlesnakes were their heavy favorite! Habitats around the world have been a major topic for our second grade classroom. They hatched three gecko eggs and released them into their natural habitat. For their monthly project, students designed a habitat of their choice and included plants and animals that live in that habitat. The third grade students have been busy collecting recyclable bottles and cans from the Lower Division. So far, they have collected over 2,300 bottles and cans, which equals about 192 pounds of recycled material in just four months! Fourth grade is learning about the history of pirates in the State of Florida. They are culminating the unit by creating their own pirate plaques, which represent their own pirate flags. The school day does not end at 3:00. There are many after school clubs and activities to join, including: Lego Robotics Club, Mad Science, Safety Patrol, Student Council, Cheerleading Club, Art Club, Sunshine Math Club, Byte Press Club, Lower Division News Show, Cross Country, Tennis, Baseball, Basketball, Golf, and Soccer.
Alumni Homecoming at the Alumni and Development Center
Those attending this year’s Homecoming enjoyed visiting the new Alumni Center and Development Offices. As promised in 2004 we have finally moved our historic artifacts to their new home, the Farragut Museum located in our newly renovated home over‐ looking the beautiful waterfront of Boca Ciega Bay. Below are pictures of our new home.
This is the new Alumni Center. It is located on Park Street across from the waterfront. You will enjoy this beautiful building and especially the beautiful Farragut Museum and Alumni Conference Room. You can drive directly onto the property from Park Street through the gates and to the parking area behind the building. The building provides space for the offices of the Director of Alumni and Director of Development. There are two offices for administrative assistants, a reception area in the front foyer, a copy and supply room, a fully equipped kitchen, and two bathrooms. The spacious Farragut Museum has no windows and is divided by three partial walls to provide space for displaying pictures and artifacts. There are enough pictures to change the displayed photographs at least two times each year. We are currently working on cleaning, framing, and cataloguing the hundreds of pictures we have for future display. At the time the pictures were taken no date, or identification of people in the pictures was recorded. We are asking everyone who visits the museum to please help us identify the names of people shown in the pictures. Here are some more pictures of the inside and outside of the Alumni Center.
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The band and choir have been incredibly busy. Last week they greeted holiday travelers at the Tampa International Airport. They performed at a Largo retirement home to brighten the day. The band also performed on an historic vessel that set sail out of Tampa Bay called the S.S. American Victory.
Ruffles and Flourishes!
The shining moment was the performance at the U.S. Coast Guard commissioning of a new Cutter called the Crocodile. Florida’s US Senator Bill Nelson and Congressman Bill Young in attendance with the Admiral of the South East Coast Guard our cadets shined. Our battalion commander and senior student, Spencer Fletcher, also joined us playing trumpet. He plans to attend the Coast Guard Academy and had the opportunity to meet and speak with Rear Admiral Steve Branham, District Commander, Seventh Coast Guard District.
The AFA Band get its instructions from the Band Director Joseph Terrana.
Band patiently awaits the start of The Commissioning ceremony
Well done and Thank You, from USCG Rear Admiral Steve Branham.
The newly commissioned Cutter, named “Crocodile”! 26
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JOIN US FOR FUN AND FELLOWSHIP
We are proud to announce the First Annual “Carlos Uhrbach Memorial Golf Tournament,” sponsored by The Admiral Farragut Academy South Florida Alumni Club /and Members of the AFA Class of 1980. We invite all Admiral Farragut Academy Alumni living in Dade, Broward & Palm Beach Counties (and anywhere else!) to participate in this Inaugural event at one of Miami's premier golf resorts! In addition to this Inaugural fundraising event for the “Carlos Uhrbach Memorial Scholarship Fund” it is our hope that it will grow each year into one of the outstanding golfing events in the South Florida area. The 2009 event will be held at the International Links of Miami Golf Course, 1802 N.W. 37th Avenue (Douglas Road) ‐ adjacent to the Miami International Airport and Coral Gables. SAVE THE DATE ‐ Friday, April 24, 2009 We will have a 0830 Shotgun Start. We will have prizes for the Longest Drive, Closest to the Pin, and Lowest Team Score (Best Ball Format) Following the competition, we will have a Luncheon, compliments of “Garcia’s Seafood Restaurant & Grille,” 398 N.W. River Drive in downtown Miami. The Tournament entry fee is $100 per person This year’s tournament will be limited to 6 foursomes (24) players. It is our hope that the tournament will increase in number by at least 6 more foursomes a year. Though made up initially of Admiral Farragut Alumni, we hope that it will soon include friends and family members of AFA Alumni. To reserve your tournament place now, or for more information, please contact either Rudy Dominquez '78 at rdominguez1@miami.nef.com, Or David Bowser '80 at DavidLBowser@hotmail.com.
IF YOU CAN’T JOIN US THIS YEAR, BUT WOULD STILL LIKE TO MAKE A CONTRIBUTION TO THE “UHRBACH MEMORIAL FUND” SEE INFO BELOW! Ways to Give Checks The most common means of making a gift is by writing a check. All checks should be made out to the purpose you would like your funds to be deposited to. For instance, if you would like your donation to benefit the Annual Fund, the check would be written to the Admiral Farragut Academy Annual Fund. A Foundation gift check would be written to the Admiral Farragut Academy Foundation. Checks should be mailed to: Admiral Farragut Academy 27 Alumni and Development
Office 501 Park Street North Saint Petersburg, Florida, 33710 Credit Cards Using a credit card the easiest and most convenient way of making a gift to Admiral Farragut Academy. We accept MasterCard, Visa, and Discover and ensure that your information is secure. There are 2 ways to make a Credit Card gift to the Academy: ~ Call 727-343-3678 and speak with a member of the Alumni and Development Staff. ~ Request a pledge card
me emailed or mailed to you that you can fill out at your convenience. Matching Gifts Matching gifts from corporations and foundations are a very important source of our fundraising effort and are a great resource for donors to enhance their level of gift to the Academy. All matching gifts will be credited to that donor for the cause that they choose. If you do not work for a matching gift company, but your spouse does, a matching gift might still be possible from their employer. Guidelines for such gifts vary from company to company. Specific questions regarding matching gifts should go to
the employer's Human Resource office. Once you have found out if the company or foundation offers such a program and you have received a matching gift form, please complete it and enclose it with your gift to the Academy. Stock Gifts Gifts of securities provide a significant savings for the donor by avoiding capital gains taxes, plus they're tax deductible at fair market value. For more information please contact the Alumni and Development Office at 727-343-3678, or by email at: joveron@farragut.org.
AFA Lower Division Head Elected to FKC Board
Though our Lower Division is not yet ten years old, it has nonetheless been recognized as one of the outstanding pre‐school and kindergartens in the State of Florida.
Anita Fine, Head of Lower Division has been elected to the Florida Kindergarten Council (FKC) Board of Directors. At present, FKC has over 170 schools throughout the State of Florida. Anita’s responsibilities as a Director of FKC include maintaining high standards in Early Childhood Education, reviewing educational issues, informing members regarding pertinent legislation, sharing ideas with schools regarding curriculum improvements, and leading the Florida Kindergarten Council evaluation team. Anita has been at Admiral Farragut Academy for nine years. She taught first and third grade, and for the past four years she has been the Head of the Lower Division.
Congratulations Anita, we are all proud of your dedication and professional accomplishments.
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Scored 20 or more points nine times and reached double digits in rebounds 11 times. He had 10 double‐ doubles ... Had seven games with at least three blocks ... Upped his numbers down the stretch, Some of our alumni who were in Philadelphia averaging 17.0 points and 8.9 rebounds over the final for the Army/Navy Game and the Union League nine games of the season ... Had 20 points (7‐for‐10 Gathering attended a Philadelphia 76’ers basketball from the field) in Orange Bowl Classic victory over game. They went to the game to see AFA Alumnus Temple ... Had 18 rebounds in the 2008 NIT semifinal Marreese Speights who is in his rookie year with the loss to Massachusetts. 76’ers. Marreese was a Forward and Center on the Marreese is now a center on the Philadelphia 76er’s 2006 & 2007 University of Florida Gator’s National professional basketball team. Watch his play Championship Basketball Team. whenever you can! He has expressed a desire to He is 6’ 10” in height and weighs 245 lbs. establish a scholarship for deserving young people in Marreese was born in St. Petersburg, Florida on the St. Petersburg community. August 4, 1987. He attended Gibbs High School and Admiral Farragut Academy. His game combines quickness and athletic ability with his sturdy frame… Good hands and more‐than‐adequate offensive repartee…He hits the board hard and works hard on defense. During his Freshman year: Played in Florida’s National Championship victory over UCLA ... Set a school freshman record for field‐goal shooting (67.1 percent) ... Scored 16 points in just 10 minutes against Jackson State in an NCAA first‐round game. At the University of Florida in his Sophomore year: Averaged 14.5 points, 8.1 rebounds and 1.36 blocks in 24 minutes per game ... He was ninth in the nation in field‐goal percentage (62.4 percent) ...
MARREESE SPEIGHTS
MEET FIRST SERGEANT WILLIAMS, USMC (Ret.)
First Sergeant Billy Williams was born on 22 May 1968 in Memphis, Tennessee. He enlisted in the Marine Corps in 1986 and served in numerous significant billets until his retirement in October 2006. 1SGT Williams comes to Admiral Farragut from his last position as a Naval Science Instructor at Herndon High School in Herndon Virginia. In addition to his Naval Science Instruction, he was the defensive and receiver coach for the Freshman Football Team and a Track Coach. 30
His most significant tours of duty in the Marine Corps include: • Battery First Sergeant for Headquarters Battery, 1st Battalion, 11th Marines • Company First Sergeant for Charlie Company, 1st Battalion, 1st Marines • Assistant Marine Officer Instructor, NROTC Unit, Jacksonville University Drill Master and Scheduling Chief, Marine Officer Candidate School, Senior Drill Instructor, Paris Island 1SGT Williams has served on numerous overseas deployments with Marine Expeditionary Units and in combat in Iraq. He has earned a Bachelor’s in Business Degree from Jacksonville University and is completing a Master’s of Business Administration Degree from Central Michigan University.
George F. Theobald ’39 – George and Ginny live in Weston, Florida. George sent us the following update: “Four years ago I had triple Cardiac Surgery, and of course had to take it easy so I didn't do too much. When the time came to get back to my favorite athletic club I had to have one of my hips replaced. That took close to a year before I was OK. I then started back to the athletic club but was not like I used to be, could run five miles in an hour, now it is one mile in twenty minutes. I spend two and a half hours a day and then I have to go home and get a rest. Not like it use to be. Now the newest problem, ‘balance’ has caught up with this old age, now using a cane as I have fallen a few times.” George. (The picture at the right is of George an Ginny at the Alumni Spirit Party this year.) George graduated from AFA at Pine Beach. His sister and brothers all had children graduate from either the Pine Beach or St. Petersburg campus, eight in all. As you can see, the Theobald family believed in the education programs at Admiral Farragut Academy. You can reach George at his email address: theobalg@bellsouth.net. Verne D. Finks ’43 ‐ We received an update from Verne. His is a CAPT USCG (Ret.) and is living in San Francisco. He says, “It behooves comprehension how you found me out her after all these years. I am pleased and gratified, however. I was a refugee from Hawaii as a 17 years old when I entered AFA for a year as a PG student, needing an additional year’s math. I graduated from AFA in 1943 and entered the Coast Guard Academy, thanks primarily to the learning I acquired at AFA. I graduated from the Coast Guard Academy in 1946 and made a career in the Coast Guard, first with four years of sea duty, then as an aviator in the service, with a year’s school in aircraft maintenance and a MSIM from Purdue University. I retired as a captain in 1975. AFA was helpful in my studies just when I could use the help, being evacuated from Hawaii. I have fond memories of AFA— excluding of course, the mosquitoes there, which looked on me as a tropical treat. Warren S. Peterson also graduated with me from AFA and was a classmate at the Coast Guard Academy. He retired in 1976 and died last year. Please find the requested picture. I have also included a ($1,000) donation for AFA. Keep up the good work.” Sincerely, Verne D. Finks ’43. You can reach Verne at: ehofer‐rudroff@yahoo.com. Ralph A. Jenkins ’45 – Ralph sent us an online update. He said, “Dear Bill, Once again I am moving and in reviewing some of my files I found a booklet I am forwarding to you by mail. Hope it can be used in some way. It has been 7 months now since my wife passed away and I have decided to move back to Colorado Spring, CO. I thought I'd see more of Farragut, but I did not do much away from the Nursing Home for the past two years. Wouldn't you know it the move is scheduled for the weekend of the Home Coming. If it changes I'll try and get up for at least a day. PS I noticed you have an ’08 grad at the Air Force Academy, Andrew Fuller. I'll make it a point of contacting him after the move back. Our youngest graduated from there in '78. and I'll be living right across from the North Gate. The Best to All, Ralph Kenneth L. Elow ’46— Ken sent us an update along with a rather unique picture of himself and George C. Drivas ’46 What is unique about this? Well Ken graduated from AFA south and George from Pine Beach! They were in the same company—19th Infantry, 24th Division, in Japan. He is a US Army Veteran and served in Japan from 1946 to 1948. Ken is married and is living in New Hartfort, NY. He and his wife Fran have 3 sons. Ken graduated from Syracuse University and is a retired school teacher of the Utica School District. You can reach Ken at his email address: ElowKen@aol.com. Pictured L to R...George Drivas and Ken Elow. (Continued on page 32)
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Harvey R. Fritz ’47 sent us the following update: “I have been active in a local Mashpee, MA organization that helps seniors. It is called Mashpee Triad, and is sponsored by the Sheriff's Dept. Our office is located at the Mashpee Police Station. Otherwise, I play Cribbage and Poker in my retirement. I have been out of business since Dec. 31, 1989. If I figure out how to send a picture, it will be forthcoming. Harvey Fritz '47 You can reach Harvey at his email address: mhf58j@verizon.net. J. Val Smith ’47 – Val sent us an update in response to our email about the Army/Navy Game. He said, “Bill, we’ll be watching in a joint A‐N meeting here in Dallas, an annual affair. I will be playing in my 20th A‐N Alumni flag Football Game here in Dallas. I’m the center for Navy. We cheat now and then, using Roger Staubach for our QB. The last time he played, two years ago, I was 77 and hoping I wouldn’t embarrass myself or the team. I caught 3 passes from Roger. One for a first down, the winning score against Army, and the longest play from scrimmage in the history of the game‐‐‐an 85 yard TD!!! The only problem is that it is a tough act to follow the next year! My wife says I gotta’ quit!! We’ll see!” J. Val ’47 Smith. You can contact Val at his email address: jvsmith@flash.net.. Alden H. Elsea ’51 BC— First, Alden sent us an update comment regarding our Reveille Email Program. Here’s what he had to say: “Good Morning, Bill, The September Reveille came through in good shape. It seems strange to me that you have such a small percentage of alumni who have sent in their e‐mail addresses. I can't believe that at least 75% of our alumni wouldn't have e‐mail either on their computers or hand‐held devices or both. Second, Here’s a update we received from Alden. He said, “Good Morning Bill, I hope you had a good trip up North for the weekend.” (The December 6th Army/Navy game and Alumni Gathering at the Union League was very successful.) Alden went on to say, “I had a note this morning from Laura Lou Ladd saying she will be leading the MMA Regimental Band in the Inaugural Parade as Company Commander. One of her friends has tickets to the Inaugural Ball and she will try to find Ashley Patterson there. I still don't know whether I will be flying down or driving down for the 75th, but either way, I plan to get in on the 31st.” You can reach Alden at his email address: ahelsea@sbcglobal.net Bob Lucas, ’53 – “Good Morning. from sunny, yet chilly [ ‐3F ] Vermont! I am enclosing a transcript from our local VT CBS station ‐ WCAX/TV ‐ regarding the retirement of my former classmate from AFA North. John T. “Jack” LaDuke ’54 was one year behind me, yet every evening when I watch my local station for the news, I never fail to find some assignment that he has seen fit to broadcast. As you can see from the transcript, he has a way of chasing down the news that others just can't seem to find. Perhaps this can make the next edition of the Alumni News. It is just another example of an alumnus making it well, in the big world.” Here’s the story! Plattsburgh, New York ‐ December 31, 2008, Longtime Reporter Jack LaDuke Retires. “This is a sad day at Channel 3; we're saying goodbye to an old friend who is retiring after 40 years of working for Channel 3; first as a free‐lancer, and then for nearly 20 years as our New York bureau chief.” Last summer, he reflected on how it used to be. “"Well I really started doing material for Channel 3... Oh, about 40 years go," Jack said. "And back then a good portion of it was silent. We had one sound camera and the rest of it was shot on 16 mm film; Bolex cameras, Bell and Howell cameras, and the narration went over the picture." To Jack, picture was paramount‐‐ (Continued on page 33)
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be it still picture, 16 mm film, or more recently video. He went everywhere to cover all sorts of stories, often looking for that odd angle that made his story stand out. From asbestos to agriculture... city hall to the Clinton campaign... from crime to call boxes... he covered everything in three counties. His work in the 1970s on our magazine program Dimension helped win us an EMMY. Jack plowed through snow as deep as the horses did to get the pictures. There were two exceptional stories in the North Country over the past 40 years. The first was the Winter Olympics of 1980. Jack was the audio‐visual director of that effort and took many of the pictures. He hired dozens of photographers to put together a nightly film for worldwide broadcast of the events. "The 1980 Winter Olympics in Lake Placid turned out to be one of the most controversial Olympics that have been held in recent memory, because right away the press said it's too small a town to hold them in; they can't do it. And as it turned out they did do it. Did a very good job of it and more Olympic records were broken during the 1980 winter Olympics than any Olympics up until Lillehammer," Jack recalled. The other major event was the closing of the Plattsburgh Air Force Base. It had been the single biggest employer in the North Country and the biggest SAC base in the world; home to B‐1 bombers, KC 135 tankers and nuclear weapons. Thousands of good paying jobs all gone in a Pentagon cost cutting move in 1995. "Well... over the years I think the biggest shock that came to the community was the closing of the Plattsburgh Air Force Base," Jack said. "They didn't expect it... they had had it for 40 years. It was an integral part of the community both economically and personally. The relationship with the Air Force and the community were unprecedented." But it was his relationship with the region‐‐ his appreciation for the Adirondacks which endeared Jack to the audience. His images, his style; he was often up before dawn looking for just the right picture‐‐ Noelle the news hound on top of Whiteface. We all wept when Noelle died and cheered the arrival of Kirsty ... one of four rescue dogs over the years that have accompanied Jack almost everywhere on his rounds... sometimes wondering why they were there. Jack has always been interested in the history of this region, rich in reenactments of the battles of our early years. He brought those stories to life‐‐ a task he has done so well and so long. Though he and his wife Marina like to travel, Jack will stay in his native North Country, still pursuing stories, working occasionally for Mountain Lake Public Television. Chester C. Davis ’54 – Here’s and update from Chet. “As I get this (your email) we are on the road to northern Va. to visit our kids. Then we’re off to the national parks on an 18 day tour. That way, we are out of the way of both (hurricanes) Hanna and Ike! One great thing about a continuing care retirement community, like ours at Fleet Landing, is that should there be any damage, it is up to management to take care of it. Since real retirement ten years ago, we have traveled extensively in Europe‐east and west, South America and around the good ’ole US of A.” You can reach Chet and his bride, Andrea at his email address: ccdasd98@earthlink.net. Herbert B. Richter ’55— Herb sent us an update. Here is what he said, “ I really don't have much to add to what was reported a number of years ago, though that may have been before Pine Beach closed. Also I'm a computer nerd when it comes to handling photos. I spent 21 years in the Navy after graduating from Annapolis in 1959. I then taught NJROTC for 21 years here in Albuquerque, where I met my wife Barbara and we married, 40 years ago next month. Of course teaching NJROTC made me feel closely allied with Farragut. In fact, I was able to get a small piece of the mast of the USS Hartford, to show my students my Farragut alliance. I also managed to get them to Mobile Bay one year. I still substitute teach and in fact did NJROTC at my old high school yesterday. However I was unable to see where the USMC LtCol who replaced me has hidden that section of the Hartford (Continued on page 34)
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mast. My other main activity is senior softball. I still love sports. We have 2 sons, the oldest, David, a juvenile public defender here in Albuquerque, the other, Paul, a banker/musician in the Kansas City area. However, we're still devoid of grandchildren, having just 2 grand dogs and a grand cat!!! I guess that's about as much as I can think of for a short summary. Farragut remains in my heart and that of my brother Ed '46N. He has just moved from Vandalia to the Toledo area after suffering a stroke. I don't know if he's on your alumni list. He also did a post grad year at Pine Beach before attending Annapolis.” Herb Richter ‘55 You can reach Herbert at his email address: herbertrichter@msn.com. Robert C. Waldman ’55 – Bob is planning an exciting Wheel Chair Tennis Event for this summer (’09). It will be aboard the WASP Aircraft Carrier in New York Harbor. He says, “We are planning an Alumni Gathering for this event which will be held on the deck of the carrier. The carrier will be in NYC and we are looking forward to having as many alumni attend as possible. Watch for more details. Norfolk, VA. is the Wasp's home base. Would love Farragut to be involved in the event and I arranged for as many guests as we want. It would be a great event. The ship has 2000 sailors and 800 marines the Captain has promised a great tour of the ship, he has even assigned a designated officer to work with me for the event. “Bill, you and Captain Fine are invited for the day to the ship as my guest, and perhaps you might bring along a couple of honor cadets. It is something to see and I will arrange a tour for you all. This would be a great event to hold an Alumni Gathering.” You can contact Bob at his email address: waldbob12@aol.com. Robert N. Isquith ’56—Bob sent us an update. I asked him for a picture. He said, “Might scare them with a picture but will look for it. Here's a brief summary.” Bob Isquith currently works as a public affairs consultant to the federal government's Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) in Rockville, Md. Prior to retiring from federal service in 1995, he served as a public affairs specialist with AHRQ and other agencies of the Public Health Service, part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Bob lives in Potomac Falls, Virginia, near Washington, D.C., with his wife Ana, originally from Cartagena, Colombia. Bob graduated from AFA in Pine Beach, N.J., in 1956. Here’s his email address: BIsquith@AHRQ.GOV. Dr. Richard Charles Niemtzow ’60 – Richard sent us a nice update. He is currently living in College Park, MD. Here’s what he sent us, “Hello, I am still on active duty with the Air Force since 1981. I am a Colonel in the USAF Medical Corps and Consultant for Alternative and Complementary Medicine for the AIr Force Surgeon General. Would like to visit or even review a parade. It has been a long time since I graduated from Farragut North Class of 1960. Best wishes, Richard C. Niemtzow, MD, PhD, MPH, Colonel, USAF, MC, FS (active duty) You can reach him at his email address: n5ev@aol.com. Jeffrey B. Miller ’63— Jeffrey sent us an email update. He said, “Get a load of these high school kids. At the conclusion listen to the high notes on the trumpet . . . played by a high school kid? One of the fathers recorded it, added some graphic enhancements to the recording, and posted it on the web. The song, of course, is the ' Battle Hymn Of The Republic.' Be prepared . . . it will definitely send a few shivers up your spine. Click below and allow a few moments after the first screen shows! Here’s the link: http://www.greatdanepromilitary.com/ Battle You can reach him at: heffey727@cox.net. Sergio Cartaya ’65— Sergio sent us an email. He said, “Hello Bill: Greetings from the mountains of New (Continued on page 35)
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Hampshire. First of all: Yes‐ By all means e‐mail me Reveille. Additionally, I want to set up a monthly donation to AFA Naval Science Dept. and the waterfront. I plan to send the appropriate Dept. at AFA a letter authorizing them to charge my account at the Navy Federal Credit Union, and will provide them with a voided check. If there is another way to do this, please let me know. Update: Our plans are still to move to Florida. We had to delay this move from back in 05 when we visited the campus, for various family reasons. My wife Debbie and my youngest son Aidan will be moving to Fort Myers in Nov/08 to enroll Aidan in the Florida School System. Aidan has some emotional issues that can be best addressed down there. My eldest son Andrew, is presently boarding at the Hunter School here in NH, and is doing fantastically well. He will be there for at least the 08/09 school year. I will remain behind, working in remodeling our home and to be close to Andrew. If everything works out, Andrew and I will rejoin the family in the summer, and settle in the Sunshine State. I will certainly attend the 75th Anniversary Homecoming. I am trying to get a hold of my roommate for all my AFA years: Carlos Alberto Todd. Could you relay the following through Reveille: Oye ! Cabo, Llamame o mandame un e‐ mail. Dejame saber si todavia estas vivo. Rest easy Bill, there were no @#$% words in my message. I also read in Revellie that the old 65' spanish mafia lives close by. If you could pass on my regards to Rich Dewitt '65,Schneider 64' (mafia wanabees), Usategui '66, Babun '66, McGarvey '65 et. al., and my intentions to tour St. Pete in their dubious company. Well Bill, see you in 09. Sergio Cartaya 65' Home # 603‐374‐7341, Cell: 603‐986‐ 7486 e‐mail : sergiocartaya@yahoo.com Ramon C. Usategui ’66— Update from Ramon. Ramon is the President of the Florida International Bankers Association. Here is a timely comment on the present financial situation in our country. “Bill. As usual, I see things looking up for AFA. IN banking, all I can say is I wish the same were true. This is probably the worst situation I’ve experienced since I started in banking in 1971. But they say “this too shall pass”, and we must never lose ourselves, so it’s most important to take the high road and help others where possible, so I’m doing my best. Some day, someone will help my sons, sort of like that book “pay it forward”. Best Regards, Ramon. You can contact Ramon at his email address: RUsategui@BankUnited.com. Drew N. Elson ‘67 ‐ Drew sent us an email update. He said, “As previously mentioned, I'll have to skip this year's homecoming‐ tell Ed DeSeta I said 'hello'...Reading about the Army/Navy game reminded me of something that happened to me in my senior year. Vanderbilt University was one of my choices. I had arranged an interview with the Admissions Department, and my father and I flew up there. This is what I walked in to: it was the week of the Navy/Vanderbilt Game, and USNA Middies were all over the campus. Think of me, now. The only clothes I had was my AFA uniform with my senior gold braid on my cuff. I had no other rank on my sleeve, and as I passed by some of them, they saluted me. I quickly realized, they were taking me as an Ensign, and with great amusement, started saluting back, however, that cut both ways, as I had to salute all the officers as well! How embarrassed they would have been if they were saluting an 18 year old high school student (even if I wore the patch of the USHNS Farragut, (which we all know stands for: United States Hydro‐Nuclear Submarine Farragut).” You can reach Drew at his email address: brerbear1@mac.com. Dr. Thomas Thompson ’68— Tom and his wife Teresa live in Coppell, TX. He sent us an email update. “Dear Bill, Unfortunately, I won't be able to attend the upcoming 40th reunion for the class of ’68. I am currently working on a book project that will have, as a central theme, my journey back to college to play football, as a place kicker, at the age of 60. Thus, by all accounts I will become the oldest college football player in history (Mike Flynt was ’59). I am currently enrolled as an undergraduate at Austin College in Sherman, Texas. The (Continued on page 36)
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NCAA has cleared me to participate next Fall. My current role on the team is that of a student coach (Please refer to the Austin College website for pictures). Please give my regards to my fellow classmates. Kind regards,” Dr. Tom Thompson, ‘68 afceagle@juno.com. David Yoho ’68 is the Class Representative for his class. David sent us the following update concerning members of his class: Yes, that’s a picture of Chuck and Alane Koczwara’s youngest daughter Katie and husband. Koz and Alane just built a home right off Hilton Head Island. I’ll be on Hilton Head for two weeks this summer (last week of June/ first week of July). Who’s coming to visit? ckoczwara@msn.com How about you Shriner? Take us fishing!!! Nessen, Borchert, Bramson, Decker? You can all drive within a few hours. Coach gave Gary Amsterdam two of Koz’s sisters’ paintings. (Koz’s sister Chris is well respected in art circles.) They’re sending one to me. They claim it’s only going to cost $300 to ship it. It damn well better be good. My wife Annie will be surprised. Let’s hope it’s a good surprise. Supposedly, it’s worth “thousands” (that’s Gary talking). GAmsterdam@aol.com Ron & Linda Rose’s daughter Jess finished her NCAA championship Field Hockey days at Michigan by coaching her team to a championship in PA and – beating her former coach and mentor. Cool, huh? Email at: rrose@ptd.net Betty Hunt wrote. rehuntnj@aol.com They miss Bob and his wisdom. Granddaughter Emily is at William & Mary Law School. And of course, they’ll all be rooting for the Eagles tomorrow as will I, Ron Rose, and other cool people. Ron Bramson has a new hip. If you received a copy of the AFA videos from 65‐68 that I offered, you saw him, Rabida and plenty of others playing a soccer match against Howell Twp. That was the first time I’d ever seen soccer played. bramen@peoplepc.com Rich & Carol Hurley have started an online travel business. You can book travel through their site. www.edlptravel.com. rdhurley_68@yahoo.com.
I heard from our underwater treasure hunting John “Jack” Street ’68 on New Year’s Day. He has a new email address 2jerseyjon@live.com. William O. Beesch ’75— Bill sent an email to Roy Wheeler who forwarded it to me. Here’s what his email had to say. “Roy, I don't know if you remember me from my days at AFA. It's been more than 33 years since I graduated and when I got the recent issue of Reveille I saw a name I recognized (yours), so I thought I would drop you a line and let you know what has happened to me since 1975 (hopefully it's the short but interesting version). Although the first question that everyone who knew me from high school asks is, "Did you go work on the Alaskan Pipeline?", I thought everyone knew that was a joke that I put in the senior yearbook. After Farragut I went to the University of Florida and graduated in 1980 with a BA degree in theater (I majored in acting and minored in film study) but I didn't want to live in Los Angeles or New York and be a waiter, so I never did any acting after college. During my senior year in Gainesville I started racing motorcycles, and when I graduated from UF, I went to motorcycle mechanic's school in Daytona (graduated as valedictorian from the American Motorcycle Institute in 1981). I raced as an amateur until 1984 when I won the lightweight superbike National (Continued on page 37)
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Championship in the AMA Championship Cup Series. I turned pro in 1985 and followed the national circuit in the AMA Pro Series until 1993. I retired from racing in 1993 and went to law school. I attended Campbell University Law School in North Carolina, where I was living at the time. I had met a number of law enforcement people when I was racing and went to law school with the idea of becoming a prosecutor. When I graduated in 1996, I went to work for the DA's office where I was living in Greensboro, NC. In early 1997, my wife (did I mention that I met her during my freshman year at UF and at this writing we have been together more than 32 years?) got a job offer in New York and we moved to Manhattan. I was able to get a job with the Manhattan DA's Office and I am currently a homicide prosecutor in the trial division. (Funny story, when Law & Order was introducing the newest prosecutor in the 2007 season when Fred Thompson ran for the Republican nomination, one of their new writers came to observe a murder case I was trying and we talked a bit about being a homicide prosecutor. Narrow ties and rolled up shirtsleeves are my trademark, and when the new character was introduced wearing narrow ties and rolled up sleeves, my assistant kept telling everyone the character was based on me. When I finally saw the show and the character turned out to be an unethical caricature of a prosecutor, I told her she had to stop telling people it was based on me.) Anyway, last year I started bowling (that's right, bowling). My current goal is to become good enough to bowl in a PBA tournament (I have a five year plan). I admit it's an odd goal but I've always been a competitive person. I would also like to say if I did anything to make you think I was a jerk when we were in school, I apologize. I was not a very serious person in my youth (a rebel without a clue), and Farragut was both good and bad for me. It was not until I went to college that I was able to focus my life and become more goal oriented, and it was literally decades before I appreciated the things that the school had done for me. After I left AFA, I didn't really keep keep in touch with anyone but Mark Stoughton. We both went to UF and were both in the UF theater program when Mark died tragically while working at a summer repertory theater in the Midwest. Also, I don't know if you remember my younger brother Raymond (he went to AFA and I think he was in 9th grade when I was a senior). He went to Stetson and was in ROTC. He joined the army after he graduated and eventually left as a captain. He spent he last decade developing FileMaker software for the Apple computer. He died last year unexpectedly of a heart attack. Hate to end on a sad note, but this is probably already more than you care about. I hope Farragut has treated you well. It sounds like you helped usher the school into the new century. I did get to see the campus in 1995 when I was in St. Petersburg for a mock trial competition when I was in law school. Things had changed a lot by then, so they must be even more different now. Drop me a line if you have a minute.” William Beesch, Assistant District Attorney, New York County District Attorney's Office, CLASS of ‘75 (212) 335‐4144. You can email Bill at: BEESCHW@dany.nyc.gov. Mark Wallace Campbell ’76 – We received a very brief update from Mark. His is living in London, England. You can reach Mark at his email address for more information: woodycamp@gmail.com. Brian C. Fischer AFA ’76—We received a nice email from Brian Fischer following the Army/Navy game and the Union League Alumni Gathering. Here’s what he had to say, “Bill , I wanted to drop a note to thank you for the opportunity to once again attend the Army Navy game. I hadn't been to the game since the late 60's and it was better than I remember! It was a great family event with my son, son‐in‐law, and grandson, we all had a great (Continued on page 38)
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time. Thank you for allowing us the opportunity to attend this event and for sharing with my family the patriotism and pride that surrounds the Army Navy game. I met Howard (Sakolsky), class of ’47 and his friend, Joy Stein at game.” You can reach Brian at his email address: marinesale@aol.com. Mike P. Williams, ’76 – Mike is living in Mechanicville, NY. Mike sent us an interesting note. He said, “ In our yearbook, under "The Legacy", you will see an entry under my name wherein I pass on the 'family hat' to Bob Cox, AFA North ’77. The ‘family hat’ was given to me by Boustany ’75. I don't remember who had it before Boustany, but I know it was old when I had it. The other funny thing about the hat is, if you look at the ’75 yearbook “Class Will” you will see that Boustany actually leaves the ‘family hat’ to Norton, not me. I don't know how I ended up with it. I wonder what happened to the ‘family hat’? Best regards, Mike Williams AFA North, ’76.” (If anyone knows what happened to the ‘family hat’, why don’t you send us the information so we can include it in another issue of Reveille). You can reach Mike at his email address: MWilliams51@nycap.rr.com. Thomas Brown ’77 ‐ Tom sent us an brief update. He is living in Fort Myers, FL. You can contact him at his email address and try to pry more information from him: trbrown@embarqmail.com. Earle Olson Sanborn ’78 – Earle did not tell us what was going on in his life. He is living now in Naples, FL. You can reach him at his email address: earlesanborn@hotmail.com and get some info about how he is doing! John F. Gwin '80 ‐ John sent us an update. His living in Panama City, Florida. Here’s what he had to say. ”Bill, Read your "appeal For Assistance" in this month's Reveille. Well stated! Please begin to send my copy of Reveille via e‐mail. Below you'll find my current contact info. Please begin to send my copy of Reveille via e‐mail. I'm still at the Naval Surface Warfare Center here in Panama City, where I'm the Lead Electrical Engineer for the Navy's SEAL Delivery Vehicle. Work phone is 850‐235‐5544, and e‐mail is john.gwin@navy.mil. If you need more data to fill in the blanks, feel free to ask. Here’s my address: John F. Gwin '80, 511 Hidden Island Drive, Panama City, FL 32408‐7486, Phone: 850‐596‐0942. Cheers!” John You can reach John at his email address: gwinj@comcast.net. Frank Thomas Biscardi ’81 ‐ Chip is living in Benson, AZ. . He is a Desert Storm Vetran, having spent six years in the Army as a Cav Scout. Currently he is a millwright in a copper mine. You can reach Frank at his email address: fbultra@yahoo.com. Stephen John Pinette ’81 ‐ Stephen sent us an update. He and his wife are currently living in Lexington, SC. Here’s what he sent, “I retired from the US Army in 2006 as a LTC cavalry officer after 20 years of service. That same year my wife and I had our first child, a little girl. I am currently the Deputy G‐3 of Ft. Jackson, South Carolina, working for the federal government. You can reach Stephen at his email address laynepinette@windstream.net. Michael Bergt ’83 – Mike sent us an update. He is living in Hermosa Beach, CA. Here’ what he had to say: “I have been with Lufthansa for the last 24 years, currently as a Flight Operations Mgr. and Instructor. The Job has taken me to all corners of the earth and let me enjoy living in New York, Atlanta, Detroit, Fairbanks, Chicago and for the last 7 years in Los Angeles. I have been married to Kathleen for 20 years and have one Daughter who has recently given me the pleasure of becoming an Grandfather. After 25 years it would be nice to catch up with some old class mates that I have not heard from in a very long time.” You can reach Michael at his email address: michaelbergt@hotmail.com. (Continued on page 39)
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Thomas J. Gaffney ’84 – Tom sent us a very brief update. He is living in Hanford, CA. You can contact him at his email address for more information about what he is doing at this time: naomitom@pacbell.net. John R. Street ’86 – John is living in University Place, WA. He did not sent us an update on what he has been up to as of late. You can contact John at his email address for more information: 2jerseyjon@live.com. Michael Kevin Mitchell ’86 – Mike sent us a brief update. He is living in Henderson, NV. He did not let us know what was going on in his life. You can reach him for more information at his email address: mmitchell30@hotmail.com. Carlos Jose Ferrey ’87 – Carlos sent us a brief update. He is living in Managua, Nicaragua. You can contact Carlos at his email address and try to pry more information on what he has been up to since graduation: cjferrey@yahoo.com. Mario E. Jimenez ’88 BC – Mario sent us a brief update. He is living in Liberia, Costa Rica. Here’s what he sent us, “(I’m) Married, wife Sheila, 1 ‐ 8 yr old son Mario Alejandro. Living in Costa Rica year round. Own and operate own hotel http:// www.borinquenresort.com. (We) also live in Wisconsin part time. You can reach Mario and try to get him to join us for the 75th Anniversary (31 March through 4 April, 2009) at his email address: mario_J_00@yahoo.com. Christopher John Shoemaker ’87— We received the following announcement concerning Chris from Meg Tornetta of the Sturdy Financial Services Company. “Christopher J. Shoemaker has joined Sturdy Financial Services as an Investment Adviser Representative. Shoemaker, a Cape May County native, has worked in the financial industry for more than 12 years.” “Chris has a wealth of experience with all aspects of investing. He will provide clients with the personalized, professional service customers at Sturdy Savings Bank deserve,” said Gerald L. Reeves, Bank President and CEO. Investment services are offered through PRIMEVEST Financial Services® at Sturdy Savings Bank locations. Sturdy Financial Services offers a wide range of products and services, including stocks and bonds, annuities, mutual funds, insurance, tax‐favored investments, U.S. government securities and more. Shoemaker served as a Supply Officer in the U.S. Navy for five years. He began his investment career as a stock portfolio accountant in Philadelphia. He quickly advanced in the field, serving as an equity trader, assistant portfolio manager, financial advisor and a divisional sales director. Shoemaker is an MBA candidate at Villanova University. He is a graduate of Admiral Farragut Academy and earned a bachelor’s of arts degree in political science at George Washington University. Shoemaker is now scheduling appointments at each of the Bank’s seven branches. Call reach him at him at (609) 465‐2387. Robert D. Atkisson, III ’89 – Rob sent us the following email update. “It's been a long since I've been in touch. So here's a quick run‐down of my last 19 years. (I) Graduated from Florida State in '93, Brett Clarke’89 and I were Sigma Epsilon Brothers. I also saw Pete Donovan ’87, and Dave Miles ’86 a few times during my days at FSU. I spent 8 years in Atlanta doing advertising sales then decided to take a chance in the restaurant business. In 2002, I moved back to Tallahassee to open a Moe's SW Grill franchise and now operate 3 locations. Life is good in 'Nole Country' with my wife Michele and our 2 year old daughter, Quinn. I've seen Leo Young who is also residing in Tallahassee. Please get in touch if you are in the area. I'm looking forward to seeing the ’89er’s next year. You can reach Rob at his email address: robatkisson@embarqmail.com. David Elias Mahanna ’89 – David sent us a very brief update. He is living with his family in St. Louis, MO. He says, “I am married with 2 kids, working in law enforcement is St Louis.” You can reach David at his email address davemahanna@yahoo.com. Michael James Murphy ’89 – Michael is living in Jacksonville, FL. He did not send us any news. You can contact Mike at his email address: nflland@gmail.com. (Continued on page 40)
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LCDR Edward Crossman ’92—Eddie sent us an update. He is living in Miami, Florida. Here’s his news. “Bill‐ Great product! The newsletter is quite informative... And I like the green idea. I noticed in Capt. Fine's 2008 commencement speech remarks the name of Ashley Patterson. I was looking to see if she perhaps got married and is Ashley Roque of the Congress Now news service from Capitol Hill? She's been reporting on the National Defense Authorization Act and I just thought it might be an interesting coincidence.. i.e small world type thing...Not too much too report... But here is a snippet.. I'll ask the wife for a picture or something to that effect...After having recently completed multiple deployments to the Persian Gulf on the USS Mason (DDG 87), I am currently assigned in Miami FL to US Southern Command, with my wife Lindsay, who is a Medical Technologist, and two children, Carson (8), and Kaelynn (5) and also our dog Morgan. I always welcome correspondence from old classmates and despite my regular travel I am usually reachable by my email address: Edward.crossman@hq.southcom.mil. (Eddie, She is not Ashley Rogue, though she just received her credentials as one of the 50 or so news journalist to cover the White House). LCDR Edward Crossman ’92 ‐ Eddie sent us an update. “Bill‐ NP. Not too much too report... But here is a snippet.. Bill‐ Great product! The newsletter is quite informative... And I like the green idea. I'll ask the wife for a picture or something to that effect...After having recently completed multiple deployments to the Persian Gulf on the USS Mason (DDG 87), I am currently assigned in Miami FL to US Southern Command, with my wife Lindsay, who is a Medical Technologist, and two children, Carson (8) and Kaelynn (5) and dog Morgan. I’m always usually reachable by email and welcome correspondence from old classmates and despite my regular travel. You can reach Eddie at: edward.crossman@hq.southcom.mil. Gabriel T. Quave ’92— Gabe sent us some wonderful news to share. Here’s what he said, “Hello Everyone!!! Genie and I are happy to announce that at 8:45 & 8:46 AM on September 16, 2008 we welcomed Charles Bond and Bailey Martin Quave into this world. Both are doing wonderfully and we thank each of you for your prayers. We’ve attached a few pictures. Charles was 5 lbs 11 oz and Bailey was 5 lbs 9 oz! Both babies weighed more than anticipated and we are very happy about that. Thank goodness they have wrist bands because telling them apart is nearly impossible. We will check DNA once we get the brothers home to be 100% they are or aren’t identical. I was allowed to use a black marker on Charles’ big toe in case the wrist bands came off. I just can’t imagine mixing them up! Genie is recovering very quickly.” Best Regards, Gabe Olivier V. De Smedt ’94— Ollie sent us an email update. Here’s what he said, “Good morning Bill, How are you doing these days in Florida? We are getting ready for more cold weather and snow in Colorado. I just wanted to provide you with an update and perhaps it’s something you could use for your Alumni write‐ups. I was the recipient of a 2008, State of Colorado, CDHS Employee of the Year Award for Customer Service. My current position is as a Data Analyst for the State of Colorado, Division of Vocational Rehabilitation in Denver, Colorado. I have attached a picture to this message (taken in Estes Park, CO) if you need a photograph. Happy Holidays to you and yours, Sir. Please, share my wishes with all the people that remember me from 1993‐1994! Kind Regards, Olivier V. De Smedt, MS, CRC PS How is the basketball team looking this year? (Ollie, we should have an excellent BB team this year. They play together and were outstanding last year. Everyone on last year’s team has returned.) You can reach Ollie at his email address: olivierdesmedt@hotmail.com . LTJG Nicola Alvord ’01 — We received a nice email update from Nicky. Here’s what she had to say. “Hello all, I haven’t written an update in a while, but we’re having a string of no fly days so I thought it would be a good time. We are about to roll our clocks again so we’ll be ‐11Z as we steam toward the wake islands. When I joined the squadron in July they were in Hawaii and after spending a few weeks doing some exercises near the Hawaiian Islands we pulled into San Diego . The carrier we were on, the USS Kitty Hawk, is being decommissioned (it’s 47 yrs old) so we had to cross deck over to the USS George Washington, which was still being fixed from the fire. I had never been to San Diego before so it was nice to finally see the area. I was able to spend my birthday there with a couple of good friends so it was better than celebrating it on the boat. It was still a working port though so we had a lot of stuff going on plus the cross deck was not fun at all. I hope I never have to move from carrier to carrier again. We pulled out a few weeks ago and have been flying around Hawaii trying to get the GW up to par with our air wing. Before we left San Diego there were a group of evaluators on board making sure the ship could launch and land aircraft safely. (Continued on page 41)
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The GW hasn’t deployed in 4/5 yrs so the ship as a whole is very rusty especially the air department, but they’ve been doing ok. They understand the jets, but they sometimes don’t know what to do with the E‐2. The GW has some good things about it. The food is actually not that bad, which is probably why they have a lot of gyms with new equipment. The cookies are amazing, which is my downfall. I live in a 6 man stateroom with 4 other girls that is 2 decks below the flight deck so it is not as noisy. The room is big enough for all of us and the racks are bigger than the KH so it’s not bad. I still like all the people in my squadron although I have people I prefer to fly with over others. My current ground job is the ground safety officer, which isn’t a bad job since our new safety petty officer has arrived. I have a lot of time to do my qualifications and have completed 50% of the requirements and seem to be doing well. I fly everyday when we are flying and almost every event requires us to control the fighters so I’ve gotten to know a lot of the fighter guys since we have to brief and debrief with them. Most of them are pretty cool. We’re usually up till 1am, but then you can generally sleep till 9am or later depending on what you have going on so I still get a good amount of sleep. It would be very easy to sleep all day if you wanted since you have no idea what time it is and your room is always dark. We’re pulling back into Japan at the end of the month, but it is only for a few days and then we pull out on fall cruise. I’ll just have enough time to figure out the base and maybe some of Atsugi. I have gotten my leave approved for Christmas/New Years and I am planning on going to Australia to visit some relatives that I haven’t seen in a while. I hope you all are doing well wherever you may be! Let me know how you are doing when you get a chance. Love, Nicky” You can reach Nicky at her email address: ajalvord@gmail.com. Christopher A. Turner ’01 ‐ Chris sent this to us. “CDR Monrose, I just wanted to update you on my deployment to Iraq. Last month I was promoted to the rank of Captain and next month will mark the end of my 15 month deployment to Iraq. I will be back to my home in Germany in early November and I will be home in early December to Florida; I would like to swing by the campus to see to visit some faculty and see the Alumni Center. Thanks, CPT, IN, Executive Officer, FOB WARHORSE Eagle Co 2‐2 SCR APO AE 09336. (Chris and his wife, Katrina visited with us at the Alumni Center and enjoyed refreshments on the Courtyard. Following our visit Chris and Katrina went to watch our basketball team win an victory in the Gym). You can reach Chris at his email address: christopher.turner@2scr.army.smil.mil or Christopher.turner7@us.army.mil. Heather Chapman Cahoy ’02—Heather sent us a brief update. She said, “There are only a few updates from my end. I’m in a Physician Assistant program, and we recently bought a house in Riverview FL. Hopefully things will slow down shortly! Hope all is well at your neck of the woods! Thanks, Heather Cahoy” Solomon Mendel Fine ’03 – Sol sent us a brief update. He is living in Clearwater, FL. Here’s what he sent. “I am a US MARINE by trade. I'll be going to Miramar Marine Corps air station in the next couple of weeks attached to the 3dMAW part of the 314 Marine Fighter Attack Squadron AKA; "The Black Knights" a deployable unit out of California. Other than that not much is going on with me, I go to work every day and thank God that I am no longer in the field eating MREs and not being near a shower.” You can give him a contact at his email address solarm789@gmail.com. Stegin D. O’Neill ’03 – Stegin is living in Seattle, WA. She did not send us his email address. You can address mail to him at 555 Prospect St., Seattle, WA 98109. Laura Lou Ladd ’05—sent word to former BC Alden Elsea that she will be leading the MMA (United States Merchant Marine Academy) Regimental Band in the Inaugural Parade on January 20, 2009 as Company Commander. You can reach Laura at her email address: Laura.Ladd.2009@usmma.edu.
Rebekkah Cazalas ’08—Rebekkah was not able to attend AFA’s graduation last May. However, she did set a precedent for other cadets to follow. Rebekkah graduated from St. Petersburg College with an Associate in Arts degree on May 3, 2008 in the college’s graduation ceremony at Tropicana Field. Rebekkah attended AFA from the 5th through 12th grades. Her AFA graduation, which she was unfortunately unable to attend, took place on May 17, fourteen days after she had graduated Summa Cum Laude at St. Petersburg College. That’s right! She graduated from college before she graduated from high school! Rebekkah is now attending Auburn University on a full scholarship, and is loving it! (Continued on page 42)
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Blake Lusty ’08—Blake sent us a copy of his email to his AFA Chemistry Instructor, LCDR Charles Summers. We quote. “Dear Mr. Summers, I wanted to thank you for preparing me for the chemistry I face here. The two years I had of chemistry helped build a solid foundation that I use here. I definitely feel a step ahead of most other beginning chemistry students. I also apologize not being able to return that book to you before I left, I still have it and will return it this fall when I come back to St. Pete. Its too early to say that I am doing good or bad but so far I have received an A on all my chemistry tests. I am adapting to the quiz everyday that our teacher hands us. I find it somewhat advantageous having a quiz everyday as it keeps everyone up to pace. I also understand I have not even faced the beast of chemistry which the Naval Academy yet. Many other kids are panicking and wonder how the hell to do chemistry but Farragut definitely prepares you for Chemistry. I hear there are many changes at Farragut and I hope for the best. I also wanted to request something and that is those formula sheets that you made with all the chemistry / physics formulas on it. I remember those being awesome guides for chemistry. I highly recommend Chemistry II for all those students that want to come to the Naval Academy as well. Very Respectfully, Blake Lusty 2008.” Blake also sent us an email following the Alumni Gathering at the Army/Navy Game and the Union League Meeting. Here’s what he had to say, “Hello CDR Monrose, The Army‐Navy game was awesome, we sure took it to army, 34‐0. I ended up getting in touch with Christian Wagner ’82 before the game and as a result joined him and George Michel ’49 in the Toronto‐Dominion Box Suite on the 50 yard line. I spent a majority of the game talking with Mr. Michel and Mr. Wagner, I had a great time with them. After the game I attended the Philadelphia Alumni gathering at Union Hall where I mingled with some of the alumni and ran into RADM Buzby ’75. It was great to speak with everyone again. In our company I had a challenge that if I got a picture with an Admirals rank on I would earn some privileges in my company. Well, I accomplished that bet and have included some photos you might find interesting! I hope all is well and I am currently planning on possibly attending the 75th Anniversary but it would only be the Saturday and Sunday of that week. Enclosed please find photos of Mr. Michel and me, and also photos of me and RADM Buzby. Hope all is well, Blake C. Lusty.” You can reach Blake at his email address: blake3201@hotmail.com. Eric Palmer ’08—Here is an email from Eric to CAPT McClelland, head of Naval Science at AFA. “Hello from Annapolis Captain McClelland, I hope all is well in sunny St. Pete. I was surprised to hear that a name and uniform change can bring a team to the World Series. Everything is going well in Annapolis. I was awarded Plebe of the Month in my company and haven't had too much trouble adjusting to this very unique life style. I actually found SOME parts of Plebe Summer to be fun and can confidently
say that Admiral Farragut Academy prepared me well. Academics are hard but I surprised myself with a 3.0 GPA so far. The best time I've had since I've been here was the phone call I made to Andrew Fuller when Navy beat Air Force in football. I plan to make a visit either Thanksgiving or Christmas time. Thanks for everything again. Very Respectfully, Eric Palmer, MIDN USNA.” You can reach Eric at his email address: Eric Palmer <m125298@usna.edu>.
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LET US PAUSE TO REFLECT UPON OUR ALUMNI WHOSE DUTY IN THIS LIFE HAS BEEN FULFILLED...MAY THEY REST IN PEACE
Edward L. Willever ’49N ‐ We received a sad note from Mrs. Virginia Willever about the passing of her husband on May 18, 2008. She kindly sent the following to share with his classmates and friends. Edward L. Willever's life‐long dream was to be part of the United States Navy, and after graduating from Phillipsburg, New Jersey, high school he attended Admiral Farragut Academy (class of '49). He received a Congressional appointment to the U. S. Naval Academy from which he was graduated and commissioned Ensign in 1953. He began his career aboard the USS Turner, and after entering the “silent service” attended submarine school in Groton, CT, served aboard the USS Jallao and USS Tench, the nuclear‐powered USS Nathanael Greene, and culminated his at‐sea command as skipper of the USS Trout. He continued his Naval career ashore at the Naval Ordnance Laboratory in White Oak, MD, and the Naval Sea Systems Command in Crystal City, Virginia. After retiring as Captain in 1980 he continued to work with the Navy as a program manager for both Tracor Corporation and the American Systems Corporation. Ed was an active member of his church, where he sang in the Sanctuary Choir and performed with the Fairhaven Musical Theater, as well as serving on various committees. While recovering from successful bypass surgery at the National Naval Medical Center, Bethesda, Ed suffered complications which could not be reversed, and died on May 18. He leaves his wife of 33 years, Ginny, four surviving children, nine beloved grandchildren, and a host of other relatives and friends. He will be buried with full military honors at Arlington National Cemetery on Monday, August 18, 2008. Virginia L. Willever (Mrs. Edward L. Willever), 15112 Water Oak Drive, Darnestown, MD 20878.
William Balaban 45N—We received an email notice from Frank Wendt ’42 indicating that Bill Balaban has died. Balaban was the devoted son of the late Bert and John Balaban, dear brother of Ida Balaban. Bill was a noted philanthropist and active leader in the field of Veterinary Medicine and in the field of therapeutic service dogs for the handicapped. Mr. Balaban is a retired television producer and director. He has been involved in all phases of the human-animal bond for many years. Mr. Balaban was recently featured in the Virginia Commonwealth University publication, “The Power of Philanthropy”, for his support of the Center for Human-Animal Interaction. His story is available on the university advancement website at: http:// www.advancement.vcu.edu/spotlights/ dogsoncall.html.
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We are saddened to report the passing of Louisa Hardy Wheeler, wife of Richard G. Wheeler, Past Chairman of the Admiral Farragut Academy Board of Trustees on Thursday, September 26, 2008, after a long illness. Mrs. Wheeler, “Lou” was an institution at AFA for over 30 years with her generous volunteer leadership. Mrs. Wheeler was always there cheering our cadets in all of their endeavors, whether of an athletic or academic nature. Over the years, well over 2,000 alumni will remember her for her Sweet encouraging smile.
She was honored in 1999 with the dedication of the Admiral Farragut Lower Division in her name. She was preceded in death by her son Ronald Wheeler. She is survived by her husband, Richard G. Wheeler of Treasure Island, FL; two sons (and their wives) Louisa Hardy Wheeler Richard G. Wheeler (Kathy) of Gainesville, FL, and Roy Wheeler (Linda) of St. Petersburg; brother and sister‐in‐law Sid and Mary Beth Hardy of Oklahoma City; and four grandchildren Colin, Laurel, Marissa, and Julie Wheeler. Services were held Monday, September 29, 2008 at Memorial Park Funeral Home and Cemetery. In lieu of flowers the family has requested donations to be made to the Admiral Farragut Academy Foundation In Memory of Louisa Wheeler. Donations may be mailed to the Headmaster’s Office, 501 Park Street North, St. Petersburg, FL 33710.
Commandant Frank Steele ’57— ’67 – We are saddened to note the passing of a gentleman who greatly influenced the lives of a large number of cadets here at Admiral Farragut Academy. I quote from one of his former cadets, “Frank Steele passed away last night at the Baldomero Lopez State Veterans Nursing Home in Land‐o‐Lakes, FL. While his passing will be noted by few in today's selfish world I would mention that many, many AFA grads will cherish his memory and influence on their lives. Personally I will remember him not only as the no excuses Commandant of Cadets at AFA but as a personal friend over the years who helped me understand the great sacrifice our soldiers, sailors and airmen made in WWII. As a member of the famous 29th Infantry Division Frank Steele made the 6 June 1944 Normandy landing and fought against the Nazi legions until their final defeat in May 1945. Only many years after AFA did I learn of his many unselfish near death experiences against the enemy. He earned the Bronze Star, Silver Star and Purple Heart while in ETO. He was deeply upset when Dennis Babers one of AFA's most popular battalion commanders was KIA in VietNam. Every AFA Alumni will remember Franks influence on our lives. His granddaughter Nikii at 813‐833‐8868 can provide you with further information. It was Franks wish to have a military funeral after cremation but did not leave written instructions. I have provided the family with 29th Division Association contact information.” Best regards, Don Doornbos ’63. 44
He will be missed by so many former cadets!
Book your 75th Anniversary Celebration accommodations at The Trade Winds Resort…and receive special rates when you identify yourself as an *Alumni Guest of AFA! The TradeWinds Island Resort… was chosen as our primary gathering place for the 75th Anniversary Celebration… It is made up of two distinct beach resorts on the island of St. Pete Beach just steps away from each other on the white sandy beach of Florida's Gulf Coast. This beachfront setting with a hint of the Island tropics offers a colorful mix of relaxation, fun and recreation, along with friendly, four-diamond service and accommodations that encourage you to "just let go". TradeWinds Island Grand is the classic, AAA four-diamond, familyfriendly resort, while Sandpiper Hotel and Suites is the more intimate TradeWinds resort with leisurely days of relaxation and tranquility. At our TradeWinds Beach Resorts, we are pleased to offer the ideal Florida beach vacation, complete in its offerings, relaxed in its attitude, and attentive in its approach. Here are directions and telephone number for booking your reservations. *Remember, be sure to identify yourself as an Alumni Guest for Admiral Farragut Academy’s 75th Anniversary. This will give you a discounted rate for the event.
TradeWinds Island Resorts are located in the Tampa Bay Area of Florida’s Central West Coast directly on the Gulf of Mexico beach. Nestled on the island of St. Pete Beach, the resorts have a breezy, casual ambience, yet share the diverse cultural events and active night life of the Tampa Bay metropolitan area. Both Tampa International Airport and St. Petersburg/ Clearwater Airport are about 30 minutes away, via Interstate 275. At TradeWinds Island Resorts, guest enjoy the best of the beach and the theme parks, with Busch Gardens just 45 minutes away, and Orlando only 90 minutes away. TradeWinds Island Grand 5500 Gulf Boulevard St. Pete Beach, Florida 33706 727‐367‐6461
To contact the concierge or another department at any of the TradeWinds Island Resorts & Conference Centers, please call us today. We will be happy to assist you in any way we can. Reservation/Information Request Group Reservations
Call toll free 800-360-4016 Call toll free 800-808-9833
Admiral Farragut Academy has booked over 100 room nights at this prestigious resort for the benefit of our Alumni. You can be assured the rates are equal to or better than any other facility on the Gulf of Mexico. Just be sure to identify yourself as an AFA Alumni! 45
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RESERVATION REQUEST Please use this form to make your Group Reservations Reservations Fax #: (727) 363-2222 or E-Mail: groupreservations@twresort.com Group: 75 th Anniversary April 2-5, 2009 TradeWinds SandPiper Resort, 6000 Gulf Blvd., St. Pete Beach, FL Courtyard Hotel Room: $169.00 Courtyard Suite: $184.00 Gulf Front: $204.00 A specific number of rooms are being held at this rate until: March 2, 2009. After this date, all group requests will be subject to rate/room type availability. Please make your reservation as soon as possible. ____________________________________ __________________________________________________________ Name Organization/Firm ________________________________________________________ Phone Number_____________________ Address ___________________________ __________ _________________ Fax Number ______________________ City State Zip E-Mail: _________________________ Arrival Date_____________ Departure Date (Check-out noon)______________ Arrival Hour (Check-in 4:00 PM)_____
# of People in Room ____
Sharing With _____________________________
A one night deposit by check or credit card is required. Check enclosed $___________________________ (Personal checks are not accepted for payment at check-out) Please charge to: MasterCard Visa Deposits will be billed on receipt of reservation request. Card Number ____________________________________
American Express. Exp. Date ___________________________
Name on Card ___________________________________ Signature ___________________________ All rates are based on single or double occupancy and are subject to applicable taxes unless attendee provides proof of tax exempt status prior to check-in. • Children under 18 are complimentary when sharing a room. Each additional person 18 years of age and older will be charged an additional fee of $15.00 per room, per night. • Group rates and availability for arrivals two (2) days prior and departures two (2) days after above group dates are on a space available basis only. • Group rates may not be combined with any other special offer, package or discount. • REFUNDS: Deposits are refunded provided your reservation is cancelled at least 48 hours prior to 4 PM on your arrival date. Please retain the cancellation number given. • A nightly Resort Amenity Fee (RAF/Parking) is included in each over night Hotel Room or One Bedroom Suite. Nonovernight guests will be charged a parking rate of $15.00 per day. Return this form with deposit to: TradeWinds Island Resorts/Group Reservations Dept. PO Box 66307 St. Pete Beach, FL 33706 Group Reservations: (800) 808-9833 Fax: (727) 363-2222 E-Mail: groupreservations@twresort.com
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Non‐Profit Organization U.S. Postage PAID Saint Petersburg, FL Permit No. 609
Admiral Farragut Academy Alumni Association 501 Park Street North Saint Petersburg, Florida 33710 (727) 343-3678
Alumni @ Farragut.org http://www.farragut.org/alumni
Address Service Requested
AFA ALUMNI UPDATE WE need to hear from you! Please complete this form and return it to the Alumni Association Office. This is YOUR means of keeping in touch with your classmates, and for receiving reunion, alumni club, and Homecoming information. We depend on you to advise us immediately of any address, or email changes so we can up‐ date our database files. If you are aware of any classmates who are not receiving our alumni mailings, please let us know. Name: _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ Class of: ___________________ Address: _______________________________________________________________________________ Phone #: (_________)_______________________________ City/State/Zip: ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Maiden Name: ____________________________________________________Spouse’s Name: _________________________________________________________ Occupation: __________________________________________________________Place of Employment _________________________________________________ Home Phone: _(________)________________________________________ Work Phone #: (______)_________________________________________________ Email Address: ___________________________________________________________________ News—Marriage, Death, children, grandchildren, promotions, etc. If possible, please email us a picture. ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
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