uccess S Stories Fork Union Military Academy Admissions Magazine
In This Issue: What Sets FUMA Apart? The One Subject Plan CQ - Mandatory Study Period
Volume 3, Issue 1
uccess S Stories SUCCESS STORIES is a publication of Fork Union Military Academy.
How to Apply
We’re glad you’re taking the time to review this magazine with information about Fork Union Military Academy. You can find links to complete the application for admission online, as well as complete the online application for financial aid, at this link: http://www.forkunion.com/admissions
Deciding to enroll your son at FUMA is a big step for any parent or relative. That’s why it’s important to see the Academy firsthand. We urge you to bring your son and spend a few hours with us taking a close look at our campus. After all, you are considering making quite an investment in his future. You will receive a guided tour of the campus, meet and speak to cadets (when school is in session), and meet with an admissions officer for an interview. You’ll come away with a real impression of what the Academy is, and what it is not. Young men, from around the country and the world, choose a Fork Union Military Academy education. Admission to the Academy is based on a student’s application, two teacher recommendation forms, a character evaluation form, and the Academy personnel’s contact with the prospective cadet. Applications are accepted with the understanding that the applicant is willing to abide by FUMA’s regulations should they be admitted. Fork Union Military Academy accepts qualified applicants regardless of race, religion, or national origin, and does not discriminate unlawfully in the administration of its educational policies, scholarship and loan programs, or other school programs.
Mission Statement
Our mission is to educate, develop, and inspire young men in a college preparatory, Christian, military environment. Cadets build character, and learn leadership, independence, confidence, responsibility, and discipline in a setting that encourages mental, physical, and spiritual growth. Statement on Non-Discrimination
Applications are accepted with the understanding that the applicant is willing to abide by FUMA’s regulations should he be admitted. Fork Union Military Academy accepts qualified applicants regardless of race, religion, or national origin, and does not discriminate unlawfully in the administration of its educational policies, scholarship and loan programs, or other school programs.
Fork Union Military Academy Post Office Box 278 4744 James Madison Highway Fork Union, Virginia 23055 phone: 434-842-4200 fax: 434-842-4300 for information on admissions, call: 1-800-GO-2-FUMA http://www.forkunion.com
From Our Director of Admissions COL Tripp Billingsley
One of the questions I am asked by families interested in Fork Union Military Academy is, “What types of students typically apply to Fork Union?” It is a question for which I wish there was a simple answer. Suffice it to say, the backgrounds of our applicants are varied and diverse. Each young man comes with a unique set of goals that he feels can most effectively be met here. It is also true, however, that despite their diversity on the front end, cadets completing their high school (and post graduate) careers at FUMA, come to share many special bonds as they move forward from this place, truly becoming brothers for life. It is a challenge to get to the heart of what any institution is. Our hope is that Success Stories gives you a window into the life of the school and the people being shaped by it. From its initial years as a dream of Dr. William E. Hatcher, a Baptist minister, and the community of Fork Union, to the exceptional college preparatory school that it is today, Fork Union is a place where success through hard work is realized daily.
Success Stories is not a typical admissions brochure. You will not find information about our tuition or a sample of our daily schedule. Instead, you will get a sense of Fork Union life. You will learn why we have used the One Subject Plan in our upper school since the 1950s and why our CQ period (study hall) is so important. As you read these pages, we hope you become more curious about this special place and find time to visit with us. You will see our cadets, “typical teenagers,” who are achieving outstanding results because of their time here on this campus. Sincerely,
COL Tripp Billingsley Director of Admissions
www.forkunion.com
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Fork Union Military Academy Driven by Purpose Called to Lead
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Success Stories
Fork Union Military Academy Core Values Respect We respect ourselves, others, and the resources around us. We treat each other with fairness, dignity, and compassion. This creates trust, confidence, learning, and high performance. We value diversity and encourage individual opportunity, growth, and creativity. We are a team.
Integrity Integrity is synonymous with truth and honesty. We mean what we say, and say what we mean. When we make a promise, we do so in the presence of God. We always tell the truth, and are people of our word.
Faith Faith means to have complete trust. We acknowledge that God provides opportunities for us to have a positive impact on the world. We know we are on this earth to serve Him. The world revolves around God; it does not revolve around any one of us. We focus on serving others.
Character Reputation is defined by our character. We live lives guided by our conscience, and directed by respect, integrity, and Christian values. We demonstrate our character every day, and always strive to do what is right. We support others as they do the same. We reflect our God.
Discipline We create positive habits of thought, speech, and action through deliberate practice. We maintain high standards. Learning discipline allows us to improve, achieve our goals, cooperate with others, and thrive in adversity. Freedom comes through discipline.
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What sets FUMA apart as
a Special Place
“It has not all it needs, and is not all that it ought to be, nor can I tell what its future will be, but I shall leave the world thankful for the good that it has done, and for the honor which has been mine in working with the good people of the community in the establishment of the Fork Union Military Academy.�
- Dr. William E. Hatcher (1834-1912)
Wicker Chapel stands at the heart of the campus and cadets attend chapel services here three times a week.
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Success Stories
F
ork Union Military Academy was founded in 1898 by a renowned Baptist minister, Dr. William E. Hatcher. He was the longtime pastor of Grace Street Baptist Church in Richmond and traveled widely throughout the country as a popular guest preacher at revivals and special events. Dr. Hatcher built a summer home, Careby Hall, in Fork Union and soon became very involved in the local community. Dr. Hatcher was a graduate of the University of Richmond (then known as Richmond College), and was elected a trustee of the college in 1870, serving in that role for the next forty-two years. He also served as president of the Education Board of the Baptist General Association of Virginia from 1875–1901. Providing young people access to a college education had long been a significant part of his life’s work.
He noted that in this rural part of Virginia, while the girls might be sent away to one of the sixty private high schools then operating in Virginia, the boys were generally kept at home, busy working on the farm. Public high schools were almost non-existent in Virginia at that time. Dr. Hatcher thought that Fork Union would be the ideal location for a college preparatory academy that could provide an opportunity for both boys and girls to go on to college. He soon had organized a group of supporters in the community and his new Fork Union Academy opened in October of 1898 with nineteen boys and girls enrolled. College Preparatory School
Dr. Hatcher’s school was first and foremost a college preparatory school, designed from the very beginning to provide young people a pathway to the college of their choice. That emphasis on academic excellence remains in full force today, and every student is expected to apply to, and be accepted by, one or more colleges during their junior and senior years. One hundred percent of our graduating seniors have been successful in meeting this expectation in recent years, and college readiness continues to be our top goal as a school. In addition to our regular high school level courses, we offer a number of Advanced Placement and Honors classes, as well as dualenrollment courses that provide college credit. Our academic curriculum remains challenging, and our admissions standards are equally high. www.forkunion.com
Christian Environment
Just as our founder viewed the education of young people as part of his life’s Christian mission, we today are dedicated to cultivating a community of Christian love on our campus. Upon Dr. Hatcher’s passing in 1912, the Baptist General Association of Virginia stepped forward to assist the Academy and help fund its continued growth, and that relationship with the BGAV remains strong to this day. Each school day begins with a morning devotion, and students attend chapel services three times each week. Our staff, faculty, and administration are expected to emulate Christian character and charity (love), while respecting the freedom for our students to choose and follow the faith of their choice. Military Structure
By 1902, school leaders decided to incorporate aspects of military structure into campus life, and the school’s name was changed to Fork Union Military Academy. Their purpose was to promote discipline, physical conditioning, and build the confidence and “bearing” of the students. The goal was not to build soldiers, but to develop solid citizens. We remain an “independent military school” and do not offer the JROTC model. There is no training in military tactics, techniques, or doctrine. We are not a “boot camp” program, nor do we cater to troubled teens in need of a therapeutic school environment. Our military structure provides outstanding opportunities for leadership development and reinforces self-discipline, respect for others, and personal accountability. Boys-Only Education
Early school leaders decided to phase out coed education and become a boys-only school by about 1911. The value of single-gender education is widely recognized today as a way to reduce distractions and allow students to concentrate on achieving a quality education. Test results often demonstrate the advantage of learning in a single-gender environment, and the Academy continues to provide a safe, distraction-free, boysonly sanctuary for learning.
For over a century, these distinguishing characteristics have continued to set Fork Union Military Academy apart as an outstanding educational environment and a very special place. 5
Your Diploma
& What Sets Fork Union’s Diploma Apart (According to College Admissions Officers)
We invited more than a dozen college admissions officers to come tell us what they thought of Fork Union Military Academy...
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Success Stories
...and here is what we heard from them: 1. Our development of critical thinking, communication, collaboration, and cultural competency skills through academic excellence was identified as ideal preparation for a liberal arts education. 2. Our curriculum directly addresses the areas where this panel of college admissions officers finds incoming students to be weak: writing, speaking in public, and combining their knowlege from multiple subjects into critical thinking skills. 3. The panel identified the level of instruction depth and student mastery of a subject found in our one subject curriculum to be the type of preparation that overcomes the learning style of “memorize, regurgitate, then forget” seen in many of their freshmen. 4. A lack of maturity is a major issue for many incoming freshmen. Our boarding environment helps develop a level of independence and responsibility not found among most incoming students. 5. Our young men are much more prepared for the cultural mix found in college because of the diversity of our student body. 6. The panel reported that many unsuccessful college students struggle with setting priorities. They have no “big picture” vision and cannot put tasks in their proper order. The military structure component of our environment deals directly with the development of these skills. 7. With family affordability such an issue on the college level, we offer students the opportunity to become as prepared as possible to protect their parents’ investment in college. 8. The panel spoke of the growing tendency for applicants, especially boys, to be late in beginning the college admissions process. A major part of our college counseling program is working with students to be sure they are completing the necessary steps during the times of year that they need to be occurring. www.forkunion.com
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A Few Good Men
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ach year the senior class at Fork Union Military Academy achieves 100% college acceptance, and the diversity of the Corps is often reflected in the wide range of colleges they choose. Beginning with the Class of 2008, select members of each graduating class have been included in a photograph we call “A Few Good Men,� which highlights the quality of the college programs into which our seniors are accepted. These editions of the Few Good Men photograph now hang in the main lobby of Hatcher Hall. The captions posted in the frame of each one tell the success stories for each of the smiling boys selected for inclusion, and provide visitors with a glimpse of the impressive array of college acceptances our seniors achieve each year.
Typical boys, outstanding results. 8
Success Stories
Cadets were recently accepted to the following colleges and universities: Academy of Art University Allegheny College American University Appalachian State University Arizona State University Auburn University Ball State University Bowdoin College Bowie State University Brandeis University Bridgewater College Campbell University Casenovia College Catholic University Christopher Newport University Citadel, The Clemson University Coastal Carolina University College of William and Mary Colorado School of Mines Dartmouth College Davis & Elkins College Delaware State University Denison University Drexel University Duquesne University East Carolina University Elon College Emory and Henry College Ferrum College Florida Gulf Coast University Florida Institute of Technology Florida State University Gardner-Webb University George Mason University Georgia Tech Grand Canyon University Hampden-Sydney College Hampton University Harvard University High Point University Hofstra University
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Howard University Iowa State University Ithaca College James Madison University Kansas State University Keystone College King’s College LaSalle University Liberty University Longwood University Louisiana State University Lynchburg College Lynn University Maine Maritime Academy Marion Military Institute Marymount University Michigan State University Midwestern State University Millersville University Morgan State University New England College North Carolina A&T Northern Arizona University Norwich University Ohio State University Oklahoma Baptist University Old Dominion University Pennsylvania State University Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts Purdue University Queens College Quinnipiac University Radford University Randolph-Macon College Regent’s University London Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Roanoke College Rochester Institute of Technology Rowan University Rutgers University Saint Peter’s University San Diego State University
St. John’s University SUNY Maritime College Syracuse University Tennessee Tech University Texas A&M University University of Akron University of Bridgeport University of California - Davis University of Connecticut University of Illinois University of Iowa University of Kentucky University of Maine University of Maryland University of Mary Washington University of Massachusetts University of Miami University of New Hampshire University of North Carolina University of Pennsylvania University of Pittsburgh University of Richmond University of San Francisco University of South Carolina University of Tennessee University of Tennessee at Knoxville University of Vermont University of Virginia US Air Force Academy US Coast Guard Academy US Military Academy at West Point US Naval Academy Valparaiso University Virginia Commonwealth University Virginia Military Institute Virginia Tech Virginia Union University Wake Forest University West Virginia University Wofford College Wright State University Xavier University
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Success Stories
Military We are a military school.
The goal of the military system at Fork Union Military Academy is not to turn young men into soldiers. Indeed, we have no affiliation with any branch of the armed forces. Rather, our goal is simply to use the best aspects of the military system to teach young men the value of being responsible for their actions, of doing on their own the work that needs to be done, and of working with others toward a common purpose.
We have identified a set of broadly agreed upon positive military courtesies, such as... • respect for authority • punctuality • self-discipline • accountability • personal and corporate hygiene ...and we have superimposed these values on our living and learning environment—
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in the classroom, the locker room, the dining room, and the dorm room.
At Fork Union Military Academy, our cadets are expected to tuck in their shirts, to say “Yes, sir” and “No, ma’am”, to stand when a lady enters, and to open doors for others. Our cadets learn to look others in the eye, address others with respect, and speak with confidence. Our cadets are taught to “sweep in the corners”—that is, they are expected to pay attention to detail, to be accountable for their actions, and to set high standards for themselves and others. Our environment of structure and discipline helps to limit distractions and encourage students to focus on achievement in academics, athletics, and personal growth.
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Academics We are a college prep school.
Most young men come to Fork Union Military Academy in search of a place where they can perform up to their full potential— a place where they can excel in both the classroom and the athletic field. These students find what young men have been seeking here since 1898: a challenging educational experience in a safe, structured environment where distractions are few and where every aspect of student life encourages academic achievement and personal growth.
Our unique curriculum schedule, known as the One Subject Plan, has been in use for many decades. In addition to the course material, thousands of young men have experienced the absolute value of mastering the subject material they set out to learn. Studying one subject at a time is a unique experience that is intended to sharpen a young man’s focus and improve his ability to concentrate.
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Success Stories
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Spiritual
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Success Stories
We are a Christian school.
Fork Union Military Academy was founded in 1898 by Dr. William Hatcher, a prominent Baptist minister. Christian values and biblical principles continue to undergird the entire program of Fork Union Military Academy.
Our cadets are expected to conduct themselves with kindness and respect. This expectation is reinforced and clarified in the chapel services and student assemblies held during the week and on Sunday mornings. Our goal is to provide young men a framework within which they may apply themselves toward achieving their academic potential while growing as men of character and integrity. While the Academy is proud of our affiliation with the Baptist General Association of Virginia, our student body reflects the broad diversity of religious belief found in our world.
About 20% of our cadets are Baptist, another 20% are Catholic, approximately 20% are of another Christian denomination, nearly 20% are of another religious faith such as Jewish, Buddhist, or Muslim, and about 20% do not specify any religious affiliation.
www.forkunion.com
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Success Stories
Sports
We are a championship school.
Fork Union Military Academy has achieved a national reputation in athletics, usually sending thirty to sixty athletes from our high school and postgraduate teams to NCAA Division I college programs on athletic scholarships each year.
There is a longstanding tradition of excellence in the athletic programs of Fork Union Military Academy: • 5 Olympians • 2 Heisman Trophy Winners • 12 NFL First-Round Draft Picks • More than 80 NFL football players • At least 6 NBA basketball players • Dozens of professional baseball players • Multiple track & field National Champions • Over a dozen Swimming & Diving Champions Few other schools can match the length, depth, and breadth of Fork Union Military Academy’s athletics program.
www.forkunion.com
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Success Stories
Activities
We are a boy’s school.
While the daily schedule is both full and focused on academic achievement, there is time set aside specifically for athletics, arts, fellowship, and recreation. For example:
• A wide variety of clubs are organized each year helping cadets pursue special interests. Such clubs have included debate, chess, fishing, SCUBA, woodworking, international cultures, and much more. • Cadets can develop their musical abilities by playing in the award-winning FUMA Marching Band, the FUMA Bagpipes, or by singing in the choir.
• Intramural and club-sponsored sports may include competition in flag football, raquetball, tennis, table tennis, softball, volleyball, basketball, golf, swimming, weightlifting, and more. • Those with an interest in drama and theatre can take to the stage or work behind the scenes in the Drama club. • Several Christian fellowship organizations and Bible study groups meet regularly.
• The Community Service Organization is active in helping others in need. • Off-campus trips occur periodically throughout the year, including field trips to historic locations, ski trips to Virginia’s mountain slopes, as well as concerts and special events. www.forkunion.com
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Clubs & Groups Robotics & STEM Club
Band
Choir
Judo Club
Debate Team
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Boy Scouts
Success Stories Success Stories
Woodworking Club Orienteering
Fishing Club
Cooking Club
Bicycle Club
Chess Club
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oung men at Fork Union Military Academy have a wide variety clubs, organizations, and activities with which to occupy their free time. Those who enjoy community service can be part of the Interact Club and work with local community organiztions to provide services and support for people in our local area. Boys who want to learn more about our world and the people in it may enjoy the Global Citizens Club. The Fellowship of Christian Athletes is an active organization with chapters at many schools and colleges throughout the United States, including here at Fork Union. Other sports related clubs include volleyball, indoor soccer, tennis, and our popular SCUBA club in which cadets can learn and earn certifications as divers. The specific clubs offered each year can vary based on levels of interest, but there will always be engaging activities from which to choose! www.forkunion.com www.forkunion.com
These are just a sampling of the various clubs and activities available for cadets each year!
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Sunday Time Activity 0700
Reveille / Wake-up
0725 Breakfast 0805 Clean-up 0920
Morning Colors
0930 Chapel 1000
Reflection Activities
1015
Day Pass
1200 Lunch 1330-1700 Extra Duty (ED) 1330-1900 Free Time 1700 Dinner 1930 Retreat 2000-2130 Call to Quarters (CQ) (Study Hall) 2130-2150 Recall 2155
Lights out
2200 TAPS
Monday
T
he daily life of a cadet at Fork Union Military Academy is pretty structured and busy. Cadets learn to be accountable, to be on time for commitments, and to be well-prepared for all of their responsibilities in their life here, and their life beyond FUMA. The daily schedules shown here are typical of a cadet’s weekly schedule, although the schedule does change from time to time. For example, we have a certain number of Saturdays throughout the year that are class days, and on those weeks both the Friday & Saturday schedules are a bit different than what is shown here. On days cadets take mid-term and final exams in their classes, the schedule is modified slightly. With these few esceptions, however, we try to keep cadets on a consistent and predicatable schedule. Having structure in their daily life is so important for adolescent boys. Within this kind of predictable structure, boys can actually gain more freedom to grow and achieve.
Tuesday
Wednesday
Time Activity
Time Activity
Time Activity
0600
0600
0600
Reveille / Wake-up
Reveille / Wake-up
Reveille / Wake-up
0615-0635 Breakfast
0615-0635 Breakfast
0615-0635 Breakfast
0705-0730 Clean-up
0705-0730 Clean-up
0705-0730 Clean-up
0730
Morning Colors
0730
Morning Colors
0730
Morning Colors
0800
Classes Begin
0800
Classes Begin
0800
Classes Begin
1015
Seminar Period / Break
Seminar Period / Break
1015 Chapel
1015
1145-1230 Lunch
1145-1230 Lunch
1145-1230 Lunch
1400
1400
1400
Classes End
Classes End
Classes End
1410-1510 Drill
1410-1510 Drill
1410-1510 Drill
1515-1720 Athletics/Club Time
1515-1720 Athletics/PT Time
1515-1720 Athletics/Club Time
1700-1810 Dinner
1700-1810 Dinner
1700-1810 Dinner
1930 Retreat
1930 Retreat
1930 Retreat
2000-2130 Call to Quarters (CQ) (Study Hall)
2000-2130 Call to Quarters (CQ) (Study Hall)
2000-2130 Call to Quarters (CQ) (Study Hall)
2130-2150 Recall
2130-2150 Recall
2130-2150 Recall
2155
2155
2155
Lights out
2200 TAPS
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Typical Daily Schedules
Lights out
2200 TAPS
Lights out
2200 TAPS
Success Stories
Military Time FUMA’s schedule operates on “military time” based on a 24-hour clock instead of a 12-hour clock in which times must be specified as “AM” or “PM.” Military time starts at midnight, known as 0000 or “zero hundred hours.” Military time does not separate hours and minutes with a colon, so “0005 hours” would be 5 minutes after midnight (or 12:05 AM). “0630 hours” is 6 hours,30 minutes after midnight, or 6:30 AM. So “0000 hours” to “1159 hours” represents the morning hours. Noon is known as “1200 hours” (expressed as “twelve hundred hours.” From there, the afternoon and evening hours continue to be shown as the number of hours since midnight, so 1:00 PM would be “1300 hours.” One easy way to convert a time such as “2000 hours” (expressed as “twenty hundred hours”) is to remember that for any time after noon (1200 hours), you can subtract 12 from the first two digits to find the hour expressed in PM time. For example, “2000 hours” is the same as (20-12=8) 8:00 PM. Reveille The day starts early with the traditional bugle call announcing the start of a new day. Morning Colors The Corps of Cadets marches into formation around Fraley Circle for this flag-raising ceremony.
CQ The traditional bugle call named “Call to Quarters” signals all personnel to return to their quarters for the night. At FUMA, CQ, as it is known, is a key part of FUMA’s academic program. CQ is a “study hall” time as cadets work individually on their homework assignments to prepare for the next day’s class. Recall As with Reveille, Retreat, and Call to Quarters, the term Recall comes from the traditional bugle call signalling the end of drills and duties. At FUMA it indicates that the day is ending and cadets should prepare for bed. Taps The familiar bugle call “Taps” announces that all lights should be out and all cadets in their beds. The day is done. PAI Personal Appearance Inspection is when the cadets are reviewed and graded on the appearance of their uniform, their haircut, shoes, etc. SMI Saturday Morning Inspection is when the cadet’s barracks room is reviewed and graded for cleanliness and compliance with all regulations. Retreat
ED Cadets who receive demerits for not following the rules must perform Extra Duty (ED). This usually means marching (or performaing other duties) for 45 minutes per demerit received when they might otherwise be enjoying free time.
Personal Appearance Inspection
Retreat The Retreat Ceremony is when the Cadet Corps again marches into formation on Fraley Circle for the lowering of the flag.
Thursday
Friday
Time Activity
Time Activity
Time Activity
0600
0600
0700
Reveille / Wake-up
Saturday Reveille/ Wake-up
Reveille/ Wake-up
0615-0635 Breakfast
0615-0635 Breakfast
0710 Breakfast
0705-0730 Clean-up
0705-0730 Clean-up
0730
Morning Colors
0745
Morning Colors
0915
Morning Colors Personal Appearance Inspection
0800
Classes Begin
0800
Classes Begin
0950
Saturday Morning Inspection
1015 Chapel
1015
Commandant’s Call
1145-1230 Lunch
1230
Classes End
1400
1245 Lunch
Classes End
1410-1510 Drill
1330-1810 Free Time
1515-1720 Athletics/PT Time
1400-1700 Extra Duty (ED)
1700-1810 Dinner
1515-1720 Athletic practice
1930 Retreat
1700-1810 Dinner, Free Time
2000-2130 Call to Quarters (CQ) (Study Hall)
1830 Retreat
2130-2150 Recall
1900-1945 Clean up
2155
1945-2100 Free time if room is checked off
Lights out
2200 TAPS
2155
Lights out
2200 TAPS
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1100-2100 Day Pass 1200 Lunch 1330
Extra Day (ED)
1330-1810 Free Time 1400-1700 Library Open 1400-1700 Extra Duty (ED) 1700 Dinner 1830 Retreat 1845-2100 Free time 2100
All cadets in barracks
2255
Lights out
2300 TAPS
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Success Stories
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Jacobson Hall, the Academy’s state-of-the-art barracks facility, opened in August 2012.
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Academics Program O
ur Upper School (grades 9-12 and post-graduate program) utilizes a One-Subject Plan of Study. The school year is divided into five terms, with each term being approximately seven weeks in duration. Each student takes just one academic subject per term. One Carnegie unit of credit is earned for the successful completion of each academic subject. An array of electives is available, as well, with each offering academic credit. In our Middle School, seventh graders attend two integrated class sessions each day, one in STEM (Science and Mathematics) and one in Humanities (English and Social Studies), with additional seminar classes taken throughout the year in Bible, Fine Arts, Study Skills, and Digital Citizenship. Eighth graders are enrolled in an English and Social Studies block for two terms and then spend the next two terms in Science and Mathematics before ending the year in a One-Subject course. A Mathematics course or a Foreign Language course would typically be taken during this last term, with the possibility of earning a high school credit in this course. Eighth graders are also are enrolled in seminar classes during the first four terms.
Graduation Requirements
Graduation from the Academy with an Advanced Studies diploma requires each student to earn 21.5 units of credit. English Social Studies Mathematics Science Foreign Language Electives Health & PE Religion
4 units 3 units 4 units (through Advanced Algebra/Trigonometry) 3 units (must include Biology and Chemistry) 3 units of one language, or 2 units of two different languages 3 units 1 unit ½ unit
Students working toward a College Preparatory diploma are required to take 3 units of math and 2 units of foreign language. 26
Grading Procedures
Letter grades are used to report semester and final averages for each course. Grade point averages are cumulative and include credits earned from other schools. High school credits earned prior to grade 9 are counted toward graduation requirements but are not calculated in the cumulative GPA for grades 9-12. Class rank is based on a comparison of the cumulative weighted GPAs from grades 9-12. Grading Scale
A+ A A-
99-100 97-98 95-96
C+ C C-
86-87 83-85 81-82
B+ B B-
D+ D D- F
93-94 90-92 88-89
79-80 77-78 75-76 0-74
Regular Quality Points
Honors
3.5 3.0 3.0
4.5 4.0 4.0
4.0 4.0 4.0
2.5 2.0 2.0 1.5 1.0 1.0
0.0
Success Stories
5.0 5.0 5.0
3.5 3.0 3.0 2.5 2.0 2.0 0.0
T
he Academy offers opportunity for enriched learning experiences for all students. While the specific classes offered may vary from year to year, the following courses are typical of what is offered for advanced students. Honors Courses
Honors courses are higher-level high school classes that may cover more material and proceed as a more rapid pace than regular classes. The following courses are typically offered for Honors credit: English 9, 10, 11; Algebra l and II; Geometry; Environmental Science; Biology; Chemistry; Physics; Western Civilization; French l and II; and Spanish l, II, III, and IV. Advanced Placement
The Advanced Placement (or AP) curriculum includes courses that are reoughly equivalent to undergraduate college courses. After successfully completing the AP class, cadets may take the AP exam in that course, which can earn them college credits and advanced placement in college. The following courses are typically offered for Advanced Placement credit: English, Calculus AB and BC, Environmental Science, U.S. History, and U.S. Government.
Early College Scholars Program Dual Enrollment
Eleventh and twelfth graders who have a proven track record of academic success have the opportunity to enroll in dual enrollment college courses. Successful completion of these courses results in the assignment of both high school and college credit. Cadets can earn up to two years of college credit. Cadets may qualify to receive a General Studies Certificate upon completion of 30 credit hours of approved courses. The following courses are typically offered in the following subject areas for Dual Enrollment credit: Mathematics, English, Political Science, Physics, and Religion. www.forkunion.com
Accreditation Fork Union Military Academy is fully accredited by the Virginia Association of Independent Schools and is recognized as an accredited school through the Virginia Council for Private Education and the Virginia Department of Education. 27
4744 James Madison Highway Fork Union, VA 23055 | USA www.forkunion.com
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1-800-GO-2-FUMA (1-800-462-3862) 1-434-842-3212
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Hatcher Hall (Admissions Office / Classrooms) Perkins Technology Center Hoffman Supply Center (Quartermaster) Retan Flag Hall / Band Room John J. Wicker Chapel Yeatman Infirmary Jacobson Hall Vaughan Hall (Social Center) J. C. Wicker Science Hall & Planetarium (Lower Level)
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Moretz Learning Center (Upper Level) Fountain Veterans Memorial Marsh Alumni House and Museum Success Stories
A B C D E F G H
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Football Stadium / Parade Field Baseball Field Baseball Field Soccer Practice Field Athletic Field Tennis Courts Intramural Field Gus Lacy Outdoor Track and Rightmyer Athletic Field (Soccer, Lacrosse, Track & Field)
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MAIN GATE
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Chaplain’s House Guy E. Beatty Library Dorothy Thomasson Estes Dining Hall Faculty Row Fraley Circle www.forkunion.com
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Beatty Commons Sabre Shop (Snack Bar) M. C. Thomas Gymnasium Estes Athletic Center Aquatic Center / Pool Pruitt Pond and Pavilion Faculty Housing 29
The
One Subject
Plan
ForkMilitary UnionAcademy
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Stories SuccessSuccess stories begin here.
F
ork Union Military Academy follows a unique curriculum schedule in our Upper School (grades 9-12 and postgraduate). It is called the One Subject Plan. Instead of juggling 5 to 7 classes every day, or following a confusing “block schedule,” our students take just one subject at a time. The year is divided into five grading periods of about 7 weeks each. Each grading period, the student takes one class. He is with that one teacher all day, every day, for those 7 weeks. While this format may appear different at first, it is really much like the format used in summer programs, mini-mesters, or executive programs that are widely used. The Academy has used thisproven method for its regular curriculum for over 65 years.
1
COURSE
A TYPICAL SCHOOL
5–7
1
INSTRUCTOR
7
WEEKS
Fork Union Military Academy
1
THAT’S THE NUMBER OF COURSES THE TYPICAL HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT STUDIES EACH DAY
THAT’S THE NUMBER OF COURSES A FORK UNION CADET STUDIES EACH DAY
THAT MEANS LIMITED CLASS TIME WASTED TIME BETWEEN CLASSES REDUNDANT ADMINISTRATIVE TASKS AND MORE STRESS FOR EVERYONE
THAT MEANS THE SAME CONTENT THE SAME INSTRUCTOR THE SAME PEERS EACH CLASS DAY
80–120
7–12
THAT’S THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS THE TYPICAL HIGH SCHOOL TEACHER TRACKS DURING A TERM
THAT’S THE NUMBER OF CADETS A TEACHER AT FORK UNION TRACKS DURING A TERM
THAT’S A LOT
OUR TEACHERS GET TO KNOW EACH CADET OUT CADETS GET TO KNOW EACH TEACHER NO CONFLICTS WITH OTHER CLASSES MORE TIME FOR FIELD TRIPS MORE TIME FOR LAB WORK MORE TIME FOR GUEST SPEAKERS MORE TIME FOR LEARNING
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Frequently Asked Questions About the
One Subject Plan
Because the One Subject Plan, while simple, is so different from what most school systems follow, people express a lot of interest in the program. They frequently ask questions like these: Don’t the students get bored?
The short answer is no, not any more than normal. “Interest comes with mastery,” said the late E. H. “Gus” Lacy, a former teacher and administrator at Fork Union Military Academy, writing about the One Subject Plan in 1955. “This new plan has given us a method of doing a better job of teaching. The boys learn more, and, consequently, they devote their energies toward the subject because they understand more about the subject being taught.” This observation continues to be true more than sixty fifty years years later. later. Students Students get a lot of genuine satisfaction from really learning a subject instead of just coasting their way through a 50- or 90-minute class period. Those who doubt the concentration ability and attention span of a teenager have never seen a young man working to master something like Madden on his video game console. When it is something that engages and interests them, young people can stay amazingly focused. The One Subject Plan helps channel that kind of dedicated effort into the academic realm, helping a young man post his name on the Honor Roll instead of just climbing the leader board for Halo Call of3.Duty.
On a related note, most students have favorite subjects, and subjects they don’t enjoy. In those cases where a student finds a particular subject to be dull and tedious, the One Subject Plan offers the promise that with just seven weeks of effort, the course can be successfully completed. What about college, where students have to take multiple classes?
Academically, students who have followed the One Subject Plan are as prepared, or better
prepared than their peers to handle college level work. The college acceptance rate of Fork Union Military Academy graduates is 100%. Although not all graduates proceed directly on to college, the One Subject Plan successfully offers them the opportunity to make that choice – a fact that can’t be said for all high school programs.
Moving from high school to college is a major adjustment for any student. Students spend about half the time in class at college compared to the time spent in high school. More of the burden of learning is placed on the student rather than on the instructor. They are in class an average of 16 or 17 hours each week, instead of 30 to 35 hours a week in high school. The One Subject Plan helps the student develop the individual study skills to learn in a concentrated fashion and explore a subject in depth. This ability to focus and concentrate on a course of study will help the student accomplish the kind of independent study required by the college schedule. Students must learn to handle newfound freedoms in a responsible manner and manage their own time effectively for independent study, but this is a challenge that faces all college freshmen. Do students get better grades?
Within the first five years of implementing the One Subject Plan, Fork Union Military Academy saw its Honor Roll double in size. This kind of academic success continues today. The vast majority of students who transfer to Fork Union Military Academy from another school see their GPA improve, even though FUMA uses a grading scale (A = 95 and above, F = 75 and below) that may be tougher than their previous school. These increased grades are matched by improvements in scores on tests such as the PSAT and SAT.
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Success Stories
W Innovation
hen you think about innovation in high school education, the image of a traditional Virginia military school is not likely to pop into your head. Military schools are oldfashioned, traditional, and narrow-minded. Aren’t they?
In fact, one of the most innovative and effective ideas in secondary education can be found today in the unique curriculum schedule used at Fork Union Military Academy in Fork Union, Virginia. It’s called the One Subject Plan, and it has proven effective in increasing the academic achievement of young men for many years at this historic boys’ military school.
Punch Line or Problem?
A joke making the rounds in recent years suggests, “You know our education system has problems when Hallmark comes out with a new line of ‘Easy-To-Read’ graduation cards.”
Poking fun at the American school system is a national pastime nearly as popular as football but even older. Nineteenth-century humorist Mark Twain once wrote, “Many public-school children dates – 1492 and and 4th 4th of seem to know only two dates-1492 of July; and and as July, as aa rule rule they theydon’t don’tknow knowwhat whathaphappened on pened on either either occasion.” occasion.” It wasn’t a laughing matter in 1957, however, when the Soviet Union launched the Sputnik satellite into orbit. Suddenly, America found itself in a “Space Race” with the communists. Federal money began pouring into math and science education. Programs were set up to identify gifted students and put them into upper-level classes. Language labs and educational toys proliferated, as America tried to win this global competition through education.
The Soviet Union’s 1957 The Soviet Union’s launch of the firstfirst satellite, launch of the satelSputnik, inspired lite, Sputnik, in 1957new infunding andfunding innovation spired new and in the public innovation in education the public systemsystem of the United education of the States...seven years after United States...seven Fork Union years afterhad Forkalready Union its own hadimplemented already implementeducation ed itsinnovation-the own education One Subject innovation -- the Plan One Subject Plan.
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Reform...and more reform
In the half-century since Sputnik, America has seen its educational system reformed, reinvented, and reborn dozens of times. We’ve put our faith in various new acronyms, from the NDEA (National Defense Act of 1958), to the NAEP (National Assessment of Educational Progress, born in 1969), to NCLB (the No Child Left Behind initiative begun in 2002). We’ve tried merging small schools into larger schools to provide greater learning resources; now we’re breaking large schools into smaller schools. We’ve gone from holding back pupils who fail their grade, to social promotion, and then back again to retaining struggling students. We’ve tried phonics, then “whole language,” and then back once more to phonics. We’ve gone from traditional schedules to open scheduling to block scheduling. We’ve seen any number of new programs: magnet schools, open schools, charter schools, standards of learning, and national testing and assessment schemes. A Nation at Risk
America was deemed “a nation at risk” in a 1983 report by that name, written by the National Commission on Excellence in Education. This blue-ribbon panel of experts was commissioned by the Secretary of Education to address what he called “the widespread public perception that something is seriously remiss in our educational system. “The Theexperts expertsmade madetheir theirinvestigation investigation and found what they called “a rising tide of mediocrity.”
In its landmark report, the Commission said, “If an unfriendly foreign power had attempted to impose on America the mediocre educational performance that exists today, we might well have viewed it as an act of war. As it stands, we have allowed this to happen to ourselves. We have even squandered the gains in student achievement made in the wake of the Sputnik challenge. Moreover, we have dismantled essential support systems which helped make those gains possible. We have, in effect, been committing an act of unthinking, unilateral educational disarmament.”
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Findings on Course Content, Expectations, and Use of Time
The Commission warned that school curricula were not preparing students for college. “Secondary school curricula have been homogenized, diluted, and diffused to the point that they no longer have a central purpose,” the Commission reported. “In effect, we have a cafeteria style curriculum in which the appetizers and desserts can easily be mistaken for the main courses.” The report found that twenty-five percent of the credits earned by high school students were in areas such as “physical and health education, work experience outside the school, remedial English and mathematics, and personal service and development courses, such as training for adulthood and marriage.” The Commission found that expectations for student performance were declining, noting that “The amount of homework for high school seniors has decreased (two-thirds report less than 1 hour a night) and grades have risen as average student achievement has been declining.”
The use of time was another area the Commission examined, and the results were equally alarming: “(1) compared to other nations, American students spend much less time on school work; (2) time spent in the classroom and on homework is often used ineffectively; and (3) schools are not doing enough to help students develop either the study skills required to use time well or the willingness to spend more time on school work.” Prisoners of Time
A decade later, in 1994, another panel of experts known as the National Education Commission on Time and Learning took a look at what’s wrong with American education and concluded that “Learning in America is a prisoner of time.” “For the past 150 years,” their report notes, “American public schools have held time con-
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stant and let learning vary. The rule, only rarely voiced, is simple: learn what you can in the time we make available. It should surprise no one that some bright, hard-working students do reasonelse-from ably well. Everyone else -- fromthe thetypical typical dropout-runs student to the dropout -- runsinto intotrouble.” trouble.” Carnegie Unit
The Commission found that schools, on average, offered a six-period day with 5.6 hours of “instructional time.” They noted that, “No matter how complex or simple the school subject -literature, -literature,shop, shop,physics, physics,gym, gym,or or algebra-the algebra -- the schedule assigns each an impartial national average of 51 minutes per class period, no matter how well or poorly students comprehend the material.”
This adherence to a 51-minute period on average was based in part on the concept of the Carnegie Unit. The Carnegie Unit was developed in 1906 as a measurement of the time a high school student has spent studying a subject. According to the original definition, completing 120 hours (4 or 5 classes per week, 40 to 60 minutes per class, for 36 to 40 weeks per year) would earn the student one “unit” of high school credit; fourteen units of credit were deemed the minimum requirement for a four-year high school education. The Carnegie Unit measures only “seat time” and not “knowledge learned,” but the Commission noted that secondary school graduation requirements were universally based on Carnegie Units. “Instructional Time” vs. “Academic Time”
The Commission found that the American concept of instructional time was far different than that of other developed countries. In countries like Germany, Japan, and France, many more hours are spent on core academic subjects. The Commission discovered that the typical American school day, while originally intended for core academic learning, “must now fit in a
Success Stories
whole set of requirements for what has been “the new new work work of of the the schools’ schools”-education called ‘the -- education about personal safety, consumer affairs, AIDS, conservation and energy, family life, driver’s training-as training -- aswell wellasastraditional traditionalnonacademic nonacademic activities, such as counseling, gym, study halls, lunch,and and pep pep rallies.” rallies.” homeroom, lunch Not a New Concern
The Commission’s concern about the use of time was not new, however. A previous report from the past US U. S.Commissioner CommissionerofofEducation, Education, William Torrey Harris, made clear his concerns about “the constant tendency toward a reduction of time.”
“First, the Saturday morning session was discontinued; then the summer vacations were lengthened; the morning sessions were shortened; the afternoon sessions were curtailed; new holidays were introduced; provisions were made for a single session on stormy days, and for closing the schools.
US Commissioner of U. S. Commissioner Education, William of Education, William Torrey raised Torrey Harris, Harris raised concerns concerns about about the the use use of of time time in in schools schools as as early early as as 1894. 1894.
“The boy of today must attend school 11.1 years in order to receive as much instruction, quantitatively, as the boy of fifty years ago received in 8 years... It It isis scarcely necessary to look further than this for the explanation for the greater amount of work accomplished...in the German and French than in the American schools.”
Commissioner Harris’s remarkswere weremade madeininaa Harris’ remarks report published in 1894. He was criticizing the reduction of the school year from 193.5 days to 191 days. A century later, the 1994 Commission noted that the school year ranged, on average, from 175 to 180 days.
The National Education Commission on Time and Learning recommended that “new uses of time should ensure that schools rely much less on the 51-minute period, after which teachers and students drop everything to rush off to the next class.” Further, they noted that “greater flexibility in the schedule will also make it easier for schools to take advantage of instructional
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resources in the community-workplaces, libraries, community-workplaces, librarchurches, andand youth groups-and to work effectively ies, churches, community youth groups-and with emerging technologies.” to work effectively with emerging technologies.”
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Block Scheduling
n the past decade, the vast majority of public high schools have moved to a system known as block scheduling. In a typical block schedule, students attend 90-minute class periods, instead of 50-minute classes. In the 4x4 block system, students take four courses per semester for a total of eight courses in the year. In the A/B block system, students rotate eight courses throughout the year, four classes each on alternating days. The advantages offered by this block schedule include less time spent each day roaming the halls for class changes, less time lost to class administration (it takes less time to call the roll and collect homework for four classes per day than for six), and more time for instructional flexibility. Teachers can use a wider variety of instructional methods, hold longer discussions, encourage interactive learning, and engage in extended lab times in the 90-minute period. The benefits of the block schedule are lost, however, if the time is not used effectively. Block scheduling does not permit the same number of instructional hours as the traditional schedule (180 days x 50 minutes = 9,000 minutes; 90 days x 90 minutes = 8,100 minutes). Much of that difference is made up in fewer minutes lost to class administration, but the teacher must still make a careful use of time each day.
The block schedule provides for somewhat longer class periods, but adds complexity to a student’s daily and weekly schedule.
Lecture continues to be the most widely used instructional method in high schools today, even under the block schedule. With added pressures to improve test scores and meet mandated curriculum standards, many teachers resort to lecturing for the entire available time in order
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to “cover the curriculum” for state-mandated tests. While it is possible to lecture for most of a 90-minute period, zipping through the required content, it is not very effective for students to sit through four classes of 80-minute lectures. The promise of instructional flexibility offered by block scheduling is not becoming the reality in most American schools. Fifty Years after Sputnik
It is now more than fifty years after Sputnik, and twenty-five years after the publication of “A Nation at Risk.” So where do we stand today?
» In 1970, a greater percentage of American students finished high school than did their peers in any other country. By a decade ago, America had fallen behind Japan, Germany, Korea, France, Ireland, and others. » On the recent Third International Mathematics and Science Tests, American 17-year-olds ranked fourth from the bottom of the 38 countries participating, just above South Africa, Cyprus, and Lithuania. » Students Students do do no no more more homework homework today today 1982 – lessthan thanan an than they did in 1982-less hour a day on average. » Corrected for inflation, we are spending three times more per student than we did in 1960, but we are seeing less return on our public education investment.
As a report issued by the Koret Foundation concludes, “The tide of mediocrity remains high.” Schools in America simply have not found the right solution.
Perhaps they haven’t been looking in the right place for their answers! Maybe they should check out what’s been going on for more almostthan sixty years in the small village of Fork Union, Virginia.
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Colonel J. Caldwell Wicker (left), FUMA’s president from 1945-1968, and Harry M. Waldon, FUMA’s headmaster from 1948-1967, could be considered the fathers of FUMA’s famed One Subject Plan.
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One ’R ‘R at a Time
ong before Sputnik broke the grip of earth’s gravity, a new education innovation was brewing at Fork Union Military Academy. In the days after World War II, the campus was bustling with students and returning soldiers back to finish their education at the Academy. The school’s president, Colonel J. Caldwell Wicker, was always on the lookout for a good idea and spotted one that interested him in an article published in March,1949 1949 issue issue of of Reader’s Reader’sDigest. Digest. the March
’R at a Time,” the article by J. D. Titled “One ‘R Ratcliff (condensed and republished from Pageant in December December, 1948) 1948) described described aa curriculum plan that was tried briefly at two different schools: Hiram College in Hiram, Ohio, Ohio and the Kiskiminetas Springs School for Boys in Saltsburg, Pennsylvania. Each school was independently experimenting with a program where one subject was taught at a time. Instead of students going from class to class, taking courses like English, algebra, biology, and French all at the same time, students would spend up to eight weeks in a single course before moving on to the next.
Success Stories
Fork Union Military Academy was in quite good shape in 1949. Enrollment was good, students were doing well, and the school was financially sound. But Colonel Wicker was not one to let the status quo stand in the way of something that might make his school even better. He asked the school’s headmaster, Harry M. Waldron, to look into implementing this new One Subject Plan in the 1950-51 academic year.
Although this curriculum plan, like many other educational reforms, was tried and soon abandoned by at least ten schools, the idea took root at Fork Union. The first couple of years were difficult as faculty, students, and administration adbut,under under the the leadership leadership justed to the new plan, but of Colonel Wicker and Headmaster Waldron, the concept was patiently developed. The plan has undergone some minor tinkering since those first days, but the overall outline of the program has remained largely unchanged from that first concept. From September of 1950 until the present day, the One Subject Plan has been the cornerstone of Fork Union Military Academy’s Upper School academic program. The One Subject Plan
The academic year for students in grades 9 through 12 is divided into five grading periods of about seven weeks each. A student is assigned one course each grading period, for a total of five courses in the regular academic year.
The normal school day is divided into eight periods of 45 minutes each. Five of those periods mid-morningbreak break peare class periods, one is a midmorning riod forfor allall students, one period is for lunch, and period students, one period is for lunch, and one period during the day is a planning period. During planning period, students can receive additional help from their classroom teacher, or have free time to take care of other assignments. Classes meet every day, Monday through Friday, and some class periods are scheduled for Saturday mornings each grading period to provide additional academic instruction time. The academic school day lasts from 8:00 8am to a.m. to 2pm and is devoted to core academic studies. 2:00 p.m. and is devoted to core academic studies. Extracurricular activities such as band, choir, athletics, drama, and art classes meet before or after this academic school day.
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The student attends the same class, with the same group of fellow students and the same instructor, for a total of 3 hours and 45 minutes every school day, for the entire seven-week grading period. Class size is usually in the 12 to 15 student range, but never more than 20 in the largest class. The teacher is responsible for teaching only one class of students for that sevenweek grading period.
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Benefits of the One Subject Plan
ork Union Military Academy has found a number of specific benefits resulting from this unique program.
Focus Focus
Students are able to focus on a single subject, without the distractions inherent when shifting from class to class. They never have to mentally shift gears like they would when moving from English to physics. It becomes almost like a total immersion program in that one subject. This focus helps student and teacher both stay engaged with each other and in the learning. Students are freed from the obligation to meet the demands of several different teachers at the same time. They never have to prioritize homework assignments, deciding whether to spend more time studying math or do their history homework instead. They are able to focus their energy and attention in one direction, yielding more rapid progress and deeper understanding. Accountability
A typical high school teacher must track at least 80 to 120 students at a time, even with block scheduling. Under the One Subject Plan, the teacher is responsible for only 12 to 20 students at a maximum. Teachers can check homework every day if they wish. They can check student notebooks and journals on a regular basis. It’s nearly impossible for a student to “slip through the cracks” within the One Subject Plan.
In the same way, the One Subject Plan requires the teacher to be accountable to the students. Under a normal high school schedule, if an underprepared teacher has only 50 to 90 minutes to spend with four or five different classes, they might slip by with just a test and a video for that day. In the One Subject Plan, however, the
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teacher is responsible for nearly four hours of class time each day and this schedule, by its very nature, requires that teachers be fully prepared to teach each day when they enter the classroom. Individualized Instruction
With markedly fewer students to track, a teacher can really get to know each student as an individual. The teacher can determine what styles of learning work best for each student, and use different instructional methods to reach the tactile and various visual, auditory, tactile, and kinesthetic kinesthetic learners in the class. For example, a traditional lecture method might work for auditory learners, while hands on group activities might be needed to effectively teach the kinesthetic learners in the class.
Teachers don’t need to worry about coordinating their schedules with other classes. They have the whole school day to use as they need. This means that government classes can schedule field trips to the state capitol to witness the legislature in action. A chemistry teacher can use more time for a lab experiment if needed. A history teacher can take the entire class to the library to work on research for a term paper, supervising the process from start to finish. This flexibility in scheduling special activities means that the needs of the student can drive the learning process, not the need to be finished with class within 50 or 90 minutes. Learning is no longer held prisoner by time.
In fact, the nature of the One Subject Plan forces a teacher to use a variety of instructional methods throughout the class day. While a teacher might be able to simply lecture for 90 minutes every day under a block schedule, that kind of educational filibuster is nearly impossible to maintain for almost four hours a day. The teacher must use different techniques to keep students engaged throughout the course of the day. This naturally provides the kind of individualized instructional variety that proves effective for learning.
Class Scheduling
Mentoring
“It felt good when I started getting good grades,” said Andy Hodak, a recent graduate of Fork Union Military Academy. “I made Honor Roll twice and Dean’s List once this past year. I made Honor Roll twice last year. FUMA kind of brings out an inner strength that normal high school teachers don’t demand from you. FUMA teachers expect that to come out. They expect you to do your homework. They expect that extra 10% effort.”effort.” ten percent
The teacher spends hours each day with a small group of students. Student and teacher get to know each other very well, warts and all. This means they must work through any conflicts, learn how to deal with each other effectively and positively, and look beyond surface impressions to find points of connection and shared interests. A strong bond can develop between student and teacher in this environment.
This is how effective learning has developed for centuries, between mentor and protégé. Plato was a disciple of Socrates. Aristotle was a disciple of Plato. Learning from a respected teacher among a small group of students has a long, productive tradition. A teacher can be more than a mere functionary delivering 50-minute lectures; a teacher can become a role model, trusted and respected, helping develop a young person’s character in addition to his knowledge of algebra.
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Special Learning Activities
The One Subject Plan offers benefits in class scheduling as well. Students can take sequential courses like Algebra I and Algebra II consecutively within the same year. This is recommended as well for students taking a foreign language, so they might take Spanish I and Spanish II in back-to-back grading periods and gain the benefit of concentrated study in the language. Students can also repeat a course within the same year if needed to improve a low grade. Success Stories Begin Here
More than fifty sixty years years ago, ago,educational educational innovainnovation was nurtured in the small village of Fork Union, Virginia. Generations of students since 1950 have found this unique program to have a transformative effect on their academic lives. At Fork Union Military Academy, the One Subject Plan is one educational reform that’s here to stay.
Success Stories
Cadet LTC Zhi Tao of Jhangjiagang, China is congratulated by FUMA President, Col. David Coggins, on his promotion to Battalion Commander.
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Cross Country Course
Aquatic Center
Beatty Library Jacobson Hall Barracks
Indoor Track
Cardio/Aerobic Room
Indoor Raquetball & Volleyball Courts
Weight Room Thomas Gymnasium
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Success Stories
Great Facilities F
ork Union Military Academy’s campus spans over 1,600 acres (almost 6.5 square kilometers) of land, much of it woodlands, with most of the school’s buildings located within a central 20-acre area. The large size of the school’s overall campus provides ample space for athletics fields, a cross-country course for runners, hiking and camping areas for our Boy Scouts, and room for continued growth. The central campus houses facilities that in many ways seem more like a small college than a boy’s middle school and high school. With a variety of educational buildings, athletics facilities, recreational venues, as well as quiet spots for relaxation, reflection, and enjoying conversation with others, Fork Union Military Academy is like a sanctuary for learning placed in a beautiful rural environment.
Pruitt Lake
Carruthers Tennis Courts Childress Social Center
Fraley Circle
Yeatman Infirmary
Athletics Fields
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CQ
The Amazing Truth About
(It Really Works!) By COL Dennis Brown & COL Fred Hardy
Cadet Dylan McCormick studies in his Jacobson Hall barracks room during evening CQ.
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Success Stories
T
he success that FUMA has in producing successful alumni reflects its motto of “Body, Mind, and Spirit.” This motto dates back to the earliest days of the Academy and reflects the school’s emphasis on holistic education of “the whole boy” since the school’s founding in 1898. Growth in Body
Physical improvements are a result of not only FUMA’s nationally recognized athletic program but also the daily regimen and dining hall menu that stress and promote physical fitness. The Estes Athletic Center is a busy hub on campus, and its weight room and facilities are in constant use. Rarely does a student leave FUMA without having made significant physical improvements. FUMA students become stronger and healthier in this salubrious environment. Spiritual Development
Most FUMA students experience spiritual growth or awakening under the guidance of the chaplain and the faculty’s emphasis on Christian values. In the past couple of years, for example, more than a dozen students by their request were baptized during Sunday chapel services in the chapel’s baptismal, and hundreds of students have expressed the value of being exposed to the word of God in thrice weekly chapel attendance. Cadet Spencer Cavotti recently said, “At home, regular visits to church and Sunday School became difficult as I grew more attached to my sports teams and their weekend obligations. As a young Christian, it was hard to cultivate my faith having been unable to attend church, but with the regular chapel sessions at FUMA, I have been able to connect with my spiritual self more often and rediscover myself as a Christian.” Every class day begins with a short devotional. The Fellowship of Christian Athletes is a vital force on campus. Several other on-campus organizations require and encourage community service, and more than a few students spend summers doing mission work. Spiritual growth at FUMA is almost a given. Feeding the Mind
To achieve academic growth depends on multiple factors such as a student’s motivation, the dedication of faculty and staff, and a school-wide emphasis on the importance of academics.
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In public schools, high academic achievers are often looked down upon by their peers-A students are deemed nerds; at FUMA, they are looked up to by their peers and rewarded publicly by being inducted into the National Honor Society in front of the Corps, named to Dean’s List and Honor Roll every term, and recognized as Honor Graduates at the end of the school year.
Mr. Larry McIlnay, Director of Food Services at FUMA, heads up the Renaissance Program that also recognizes achievement. Attaining Honor Roll for two terms qualifies students for an extra leave. Academic achievers become student leaders and find value in learning. At FUMA, academics are of paramount importance, and the military and athletic departments complement and support the academic mission. The Importance of CQ
Cadet Dylan McCormick hard at work on his studies during CQ.
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Of the elements that contribute to academic success, however, none is more important than CQ, FUMA’s mandatory study time. The term “CQ” comes from the traditional military bugle
call, “Call to Quarters,” signaling that all personnel are to return to their quarters for the night. The CQ period is such a central and unique part of a student’s experience at the Academy that our magazine for alumni, families, and friends is named Call To Quarters. How CQ Works
In the Upper School, every Sunday through Thursday evening after Retreat (and Fridays preceding Saturday classes), the Corps is required to observe CQ from 7:15 p.m. until 9:00 p.m. Each student studies at his desk, and the CQ period is free of distractions, with no television, radio, iPods, talking, texting, tweeting, eating or drinking allowed. Reading for pleasure is allowed at the discretion of a cadet’s teacher only after completion of assigned homework or preparation for tests or exams. Laptop computers are allowed for use in completing specific assignments for which students receive written permission from their teachers. A violation of CQ policy can result in ten demerits and loss of leave, a serious penalty that indicates the importance FUMA attaches to students’ preparation for class.
Success Stories
Essentially, for five or six nights every week, every boarding student will be under faculty supervision to prepare for classes. The Academy is committed to providing a quiet, distractionfree, supervised environment as an effective means of assuring adequate at worst or thorough at best academic preparation, and most Academy personnel who teach or administer are assigned OC duties at night to supervise this vital program. These personnel are invested, not merely involved, in students’ academic progress. Staying on Task
Providing the environment does not, of course, guarantee that all students will take advantage of it. Realistically, no student utilizes every minute of every CQ in the pursuit of academic preparedness. On any given night, an officer in charge will see a few students struggling to concentrate because of homesickness or missing a girlfriend; fretting because they had received demerits that day and lost their leave; fighting to stay awake because of either fatigue or minor illness; or sometimes just trying to beat the system and get by with not studying. The officer in charge may either write up a CQ violation or make a correction without demerits attached. Regardless of the method of censure, the goal is to keep the student on task. The system does not claim to be a panacea, but it is highly successful for most students. Studying: A Daily Routine
Although no student, including valedictorians, salutatorians, and Honor Graduates, takes advantage of CQ every minute of study time, most students come to the realization that studying every night significantly improves grades, and once they have experienced earning high grades, most students strive to continue their academic success. To that end, they complete their homework and prepare for quizzes, tests, and exams during CQ; studying becomes almost habitual. It is as much a part of their daily routine as brushing their teeth or eating meals. So important does FUMA consider CQ that in honors and AP classes that often require extra study time, CQ can be extended with a teacher’s permission. In addition, all students who wish www.forkunion.com
to extend CQ on the nights before semester and final exams may do so.
Few students enter FUMA having studied under supervised conditions. It is the learned attitude that places value on learning that generates enthusiasm for learning. Tommy Noble, a recent FUMA graduate, exemplifies that attitude. “While I was in public school, my study habits were unsatisfactory, and my grades reflected inadequate practices. Coming to Fork Union Military Academy changed my study routine drastically. The one subject plan forced me to focus on one class at a time, and study CQ helped me achieve the grades that eluded me in public school. At home I did not spend half the time studying and reviewing class work that I do while at FUMA. Every night before class, I would participate in a mandatory CQ that allowed me to concentrate on my school work in a quiet environment. That, in addition to the extra help available after class, differentiated my public school experience from my experience at FUMA. The change in my study habits at Fork Union improved my grades and has given me more college options.” Tommy’s assessment is not atypical. Effecting change in attitude and learning practices is crucial to many FUMA cadets, and CQ is a powerful conductor of that change. Studying Makes Sense
Certainly there will be the occasional lapse, but contrasting the amount of time they spend on task during CQ with how they approached studying prior to enrolling at FUMA, it usually becomes clear to students that taking advantage of the time dedicated to studying makes sense; staring out a window, sneaking in a nap, surreptitiously watching television, or calling a friend on an illegal cell phone do not. An officer in charge cannot realistically prevent all infractions of the CQ rules. The students themselves must police themselves to derive maximum benefit from CQ.
Cadet LTC Dallas Bonner, a student at FUMA for five years, held a GPA of 4.4 and the position of Battalion Commander during his senior year. He graduated as the Valedictorian of his 45
class. He offers this perspective on CQ: “CQ is crucial to one’s success at Fork Union. If a cadet takes full advantage of it, then there are no limits to his success here. There simply is no reason for a cadet not to rack up all kinds of academic achievements during his time at FUMA. Every cadet is required to take part in almost two hours of mandatory study time every school night. During this time, he cannot get up from his seat, eat, drink, or talk to his roommate. If a cadet is not making noticeable improvements in his academics, it is probably because he is not trying hard enough or not taking advantage of the opportunities given to him. This is what separates Fork Union from the rest of the field of college preparatory schools.” Clearly, Dallas learned the importance of CQ early in his tenure at FUMA and, like most other successful cadets, tries to pass along that learned lesson to other cadets. Accepting the system leads to self-motivation and success; fighting it leads to continued lack of success.
Those FUMA graduates who take this practice with them to college soon find out that routinely setting aside study time almost always guarantees success at the postsecondary level, too.
It Really Works
Some years ago when FUMA was undergoing its ten-year evaluation and accreditation by the Virginia Association of Independent Schools, a visiting team charged with the task of determining whether the school’s mission and programs were being carried out was skeptical that CQ was actually what FUMA claimed it to be, and a few of the team voiced an opinion that perhaps the CQ that seemed so effective was staged for their benefit. To them, it seemed too good to be true.
To see if the CQ actually operated as stated, they came to campus unannounced one night and sneaked around during CQ, peering in windows and tiptoeing down halls. To their surprise and amazement, even when students were unaware of the presence of the visitors, they were quietly engaged in doing homework and studying. Naysayers became believers. Visiting college coaches have often made similar observations. The seemingly simple part of the FUMA system called CQ is carefully implemented and assiduously reinforced. It is difficult to overestimate its importance in building successful young men.
Remarkable Pattern of Improvement
Any faculty officer who has spent more than a few years at FUMA cannot help noticing the remarkable pattern of improvement that most cadets make.
While it is impossible-and inadvisable-to separate the influences of athletics or time in the weight room, learning to lead and follow in the military program, or growing spiritually and developing wholesome values, it is patently clear that every student benefits immensely from CQ. It is the foundation of his academic progress, and when a student makes progress in the classroom, he often improves how he lives outside the classroom. The cliché that success begets success is true. The successful student becomes a better person, a better athlete, a better father, son, brother, husband or friend, a better employee or boss.
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Earning a diploma from Fork Union Military Academy is not easy, it takes hard work, but it is an achievement of which you can be very proud.
Success Stories
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S T E M
math
science
engineering
technology
S
cience, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) are uniquely practical subjects that have gotten a lot of attention from educators in recent years. These subjects are also growing areas of interest for many young people today who want to work with computers, become engineers, or who just have a love of scientific discovery. STEM Program
Cadet Dalton Fowler is one of the first students at FUMA to participate in the STEM endorsement program.
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Recently, it was announced that the Academy would offer a STEM advanced concentration degree. As well, the Fork Union Robotics Team competed, last year, for the first time in an organized competition. These new programs at Fork Union offer cadets a stronger and more engaged approach to exploring the STEM subjects. To help facilitate and develop these new skills, the Academy has renovated Wicker Science Hall and created new laboratory spaces. Most importantly, the new STEM and Robotics programs allow young men to explore interests while learning and having fun, balancing education and enthusiasm. While science and math have always been core subjects at Fork Union Military Academy, as they are at many other public and private schools, the new programs provide “young men the opportunity to build competencies in other subjects beyond standard book learning,� accord-
ing to Academic Dean COL Todd Giszack. The newly-offered STEM advanced degree program will provide applied skills in subjects like programing, networking, web design, and data management. The Academy invited only a select group of sophomores with a GPA of 3.5 or better to participate in this special degree program. Of that group, over 20 students committed to working towards the degree. Graham Luongo and Dalton Fowler, both juniors, among several others, have already taken their first classes. Both of these young men had a desire to learn something new, and these classes provide them with the opportunity to explore new subjects and gain everyday experience. Cadet Luongo has taken the Creating Web Pages class and is planning to continue on the web design track. He knows that the skills he learned in the web design class will be useful as he hopes to work with computers in the future. Cadet Fowler is less sure of his interests and has taken both Introduction to Programing and Introduction to Networking, which he enjoyed more. While the classes take extra time to complete and are not part of the core classes required to graduate, the value in learning something new is exciting for these young men. Allowing these young men to focus on practical skills provides tangible learning experiences they might not get anywhere else. This program will offer a high school transcript that is part resume, and will give them an advantage when applying to colleges or when looking for work after they graduate. Success Stories
Robotics Team
The Robotics team provides cadets the opportunity to practice technical skills by designing, building, and programing robots to compete against other schools. Robotics teams are a newer addition to many school club rosters, and have grown like wildfire over the last several years. Virginia FIRST is a nonprofit regional chapter of the larger FIRST organization, whose acronym name represents the phrase For Inspiration & Recognition of Science & Technology.� The organization promotes and organizes local, regional, and national robotics competitions. Each year, FIRST releases a new challenge for which the robotics teams must build and program a robot capable of completing this
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specific challenge or set of challenges. The robot must be capable of completing the challenge while being remotely-controlled by team members, as well as while operating on its own, autonomously, without user control. The time and effort it takes to build a functioning robot is challenging, yet also tremendously rewarding. The young men who participate in the Robotics Club learn invaluable problem solving skills, as well as, skills such as 3D modeling, programing, wiring, and applied physics. The Fork Union Military Academy robotics team has performed well in state tournaments in recent years, usually competing at a high level. The team has won the Rockwell Collins Design and Innovation award in each of the past two years. This award in particular celebrates the team that does the best job of “thinking outside the box,� using ingenuity and inventiveness to make their designs come to life.
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My Life Beyond
By: Elias Evans
L
eft, right, left, right, left, right. As I was hiking the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage this summer I would frequently think about the cadence called during my high school years at Fork Union Military Academy. However, while on this journey I found more emphasis on right, right, right. During the 450-mile hike, I had many days to reflect on the “right” choices pertaining to a healthy body, mind, and spirit. Though this journey was extremely different from my regimen at Fork Union Military Academy, there were many similarities that mirrored my first months at FUMA. The Camino was part of the University of the South “Sewanee Summer in Spain” program. The semester started with a two-week prerequisite course at the University of Madrid Complutense. The Camino walk is also known as the Way of St. James, and is the religious route that King James took to the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela in northern Spain. I started the road to Santiago much like I started my time at FUMA…challenged. Completing the walk in a month was a challenge, but it gave me opportunities to improve my Spanish and provided long days for reflection on life. Neither the walk nor my three-plus years at FUMA were without struggles. However, both experiences made me appreciate the journey to achievement. The blisters on my feet after walking over 20 miles a day or the task of shining shoes for inspection gave me a sense of relief and
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FUMA
satisfaction when completed. As a cadet I thought that shining shoes was a waste of time, but I now realize the process helped me develop patience. Patience I would need as I faced the 12 hours of walking each day during my summer pilgrimage. My FUMA experience started during a 2011 summer session when I enrolled to improve my grade point average. This was to be my brief stint at a military boarding school before heading back to my hometown of Richmond, Virginia. By the end of the summer I started to realize that I could be successful in the environment provided by FUMA. The support of the faculty along with the structure of the school fostered success. At the close of summer school, I realized that the hard work had changed me and made me more confident and willing to accept other challenges. I felt a sense of accomplishment similar to getting sellas (stamps) for my Camino passport, given for each segment of the journey. The summer in Spain, similar to my days at FUMA, seemed to pass by much too quickly. While on the journey the miles seemed long, much like many of the days at FUMA. I now see how fast time goes by. The opportunity to write for The Leader gives me another chance to thank my fellow alumni for their support of the school, and the faculty for their interest, dedication, superb teaching, and even post-FUMA emails and meetings. I want to say with the past and present Corps of Cadets - “Go FUMA!”
Success Stories
Q A &
with
are elped prep h A M U F ink Do you th ? How? for college u o y It really prepared me for college. I learned time allocation and how to be organized. FUMA makes you set up your day and diversify your time—a time for preparation, time to study, time to work, time to play, etc.
Is your time at FUMA an exp erience you would credit your succes s to? 100% - FUMA gave me the skills necessary for success, and I learned that “I can do it” with hard work and being organized. Fork Union boosted my confidence in myself.
Which FUMA co re value did yo u learn the most at F ork Union—resp integrity, faith, ect, character, Or discipline? Right now, the discipline more that I learned at FUMA is s. I learned ces suc ege coll my to applicable ined, cipl -dis at Fork Union to be self d. har k wor motivated, and to
memory r favorite u o y is t a Wh A? from FUM
My favorite memory is of COL Miller’s reaction and facial expression when he received the Prep League Tennis Coach of the Year my junior year. I played tennis, and the Tennis Team shared in his excitement. Also, I remember a trip to Walmart with 1SGT Brice. We were going to buy canned goods to feed the poor, and his talk with me was inspiring. I had great mentors at Fork Union who showed me what a good man is.
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Elias Evans Class of 2014
time at on your k c a b about? u look When yo hat do you think My FUMA, w
relationships with the faculty and staff were fundamental and helped me believe in myself and my abilities. The faculty are charismatic and genuinely care about the cadets and their success. The love at Fork Union is more powerful than at any other school.
How did FUMA change you or develop you? Fork Union spirit, and encompasses body, mind, and s. I went ect asp ee thr all in w gre so, I man who is a to from a middle school boy traits of ter rac cha the striving to embody a good man.
ets rent cad r u c o t offer ce of can you importan can e e ic h t v d d a n What ersta UMA hem und s how F a ll e w s to help t , a uccess? ducation future s a good e ir e h t benefit Never give up, challenge yourself, max out AP classes, FUMA showed me that I could succeed, it motivated me, I learned to cope and overcome my failures and disappointments, it taught me delayed gratification, FUMA is a great place to be, green shirts have your best interest, you might think that getting stuck and marching tours isn’t fair but life is not fair…You get a clean slate when you come to FUMA – make the best of it. FUMA helps you become a better human being. People in Richmond have this idea of military school that is not accurate…Fork Union is an amazing school.
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Eddie Jones Class of 2010
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Success Stories
The Fork Union Experience is... “... a mountain that very few have climbed. You can choose to climb to the top and stand among an elite few, or you can bypass the opportunity because you are afraid of what you’ll endure on your way to the top.”
F
ork Union came into play for me in 2006 at the beginning of my high school career. My uncle was a graduate of the class of 1996, so I already knew a little about the school. My grandfather (who raised me) gave me the option to attend Fork Union Military Academy my freshman year, just to get the experience. My plan was to complete one year, and then enroll in high school back home. However, after that first year, I kept thinking about what could come of me continuing the “FUMA journey.” So, I told my grandfather that I wanted to go back and he made the arrangements. At the completion of my second year with zero demerits, I figured that I should finish and graduate from FUMA. So, I set a goal for myself to become Battalion Commander. Many people doubted that I could achieve my goal, but I was never worried because it was all a part of my plan. Every move I made was a step in that direction, and come senior year, I was named Battalion Commander under the direction of the Commandant. When you set the highest goals for yourself and you fall short, you have still lived up to your full potential (in most cases). If you set goals for yourself that you know you will achieve, then you have not lived up to your full potential; it’s as if you’re scared to test your capabilities. I have always been a person who tests the limits and does what people say I can’t do. FUMA taught me the value of hard work and dedication. I learned to follow the rules and made the best of my time while a FUMA cadet. I was confident that I would be able to make it through college because of the success that I had at FUMA. After graduating from FUMA in 2010, I went on to attend The Citadel Military College of South Carolina. While at The Citadel I competed as a varsity track athlete and currently hold the school outdoor long jump record. Between my freshman and sophomore year, I enlisted in
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the Army National Guard. Once I graduated from Basic Training and Advanced Individual Training, I went back to The Citadel for my remaining three years and graduated with the class of 2014 with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Administration. Since graduating from The Citadel, I have gone on to fulfill management roles in Fortune 500 companies like Cintas and Amazon. Currently, I am still serving in the South Carolina National Guard as a 1st Lieutenant Transportation Officer in the 122nd Engineer Battalion while working on building a valet business from the ground up and being 100% self-employed. My goal is to grow my company into a 7-figure business. I want to establish my own empire (so to speak) and pass it along to my future kids. I also plan to finish my masters so that I can educate youth about the importance of entrepreneurship. In today’s world, I believe one of the best things a person can do is learn to control the outcome of his/her professional career. As I grow my own business, I know the self-discipline learned from the military structure was an important lesson; I learned to do what was expected of me even when no one was standing over me. FUMA also taught me the importance of integrity, which prepared me for the world. I believe integrity to be an integral part of developing self-discipline. When I look back on my time spent at FUMA, I think about what I would have done differently. Although I was an honor graduate, I would have immersed myself even more into my academics. Moving from the one subject plan to the collegiate course load can be a challenge for many, and you have to be able to receive and retain a vast amount of information in order to be successful at the collegiate level. That being said, I know in my heart that FUMA is one of the main reasons that I have been able to achieve the success that I have.
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On the
Shoulders Giants
of
This magazine is dedicated to the memory and legacy of Red Pulliam and Duane Fender.
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