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It's Time to Schedule Senior & Cadet Portraits!
Schedule your senior and cadet portraits TODAY with Kristin Firewicz Studios!
Stories in this issue:
- Teacher of the Term for Term 4
- Term 4 Honor Roll Announced
- Save the Date: Alumni Weekend
- COL Hitchcock's Final Term
- Happy Birthday to the April Babies!
- This Week's College Acceptances
- Fork Union Hosts Exemplary Cadet Dinner
- Bravo Zulu Awards
- Upcoming Admissions Events
- Do you want to be a part of our Cadet Corps?
CPT Jacob Grabeel Recognized as Teacher of the Term for Term 4
Fork Union Military Academy congratulates CPT Jacob Grabeel for being named Teacher of the Term for Term 4 of the 2022-2023 academic year. Cadets submit nominations for the Teacher of the Term at the conclusion of each grading term. The cadet nominations are reviewed and evaluated by the Teacher of the Term/Year Committee, which is comprised of non-academic staff members. After considering cadet nominations, the Committee announces the Teacher of the Term.
This is Grabeel's first year at the Academy. He graduated from Bridgewater College in May 2022 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business. The Gordonsville, Virginia native is no stranger to FUMA, as Grabeel attended the Academy from grades 9th through 12th, graduating in 2017.
For Term 4, Grabeel taught Algebra I.
Outside of the classroom, Grabeel is the head coach of the Prep baseball team and assists with the football and wrestling programs.
CPT Grabeel received nominations that stated:
"CPT Grabeel has high expectations for the class. He motivates us every day with devotions. He is a nice and friendly teacher."
"Coach Grabeel is a great instructor and I have learned a lot and grasp all the material he has taught. He is funny and I can relate to his experiences that he tells us when he was a cadet. Coach Grabeel is a great mentor and even better teacher."
"Coach Grabeel is a leader, gives me daily motivation, and is an all around great teacher. He always tries to make me succeed in everything I do. He wants to release the best of our abilities."
Congratulations, CPT Grabeel!
Honor Roll for Term 4 of the 2022-2023 School Year
Cadets who perform well academically in their class studies each grading term, receiving grades of B- or better as their final grade for the term, are named to the Honor Roll by COL Mike Goad, the Academic Dean of Fork Union Military Academy.
Here is the Honor Roll for Term 4 of the 2022-2023 academic year:
Grade: 7
- Everett Amos
- Ever Castillo Vecino
- Domninic Jackson
- Brandon Parker
- Kebron Zulla
Grade: 8
- Jayden Anderson
- Riley Belden
- Nico Brown
- Kellen Colevas
- Luke Curry
- Samuel Duncan
- David Eaton
- Noah Foley
- Alex Gibson
- Adrian Gomez
- Cameron Gray
- Jeremy Herron
- Christian Lopez
- Jase McClung
- Joshua McGuire
- Ronan Montes
- Mouhamed Ndiongue
- José Romero Jimenez Jr.
- Kadin Stremlau
- Tristan Townley
- Johnathon Wootten Jr.
- Jordan Zerkle
Grade: 9
- Emmanuel Adeyinka
- Shane Balzano
- Eugene Belozerov
- Robert Callahan
- Christopher Chadwell
- Colton Childers
- Nicholas Coleman
- Francisco Duarte
- Haggai Dulo Jr.
- David Gawron
- Luc Havens
- Nathaniel Hopkins
- Selah Houston
- Val Kelestyn
- Braedan Kelly
- Isaiah McDaniel
- Yannick McLean
- Josue Mukendi
- Christian Mukhisa
- Emmanuel Neba
- Chrysander Rahardjo
- Bryant Ray
- Ellis Roberts
- Daveon Rosado
- Jimmy Sa Said
- Jackson Sereno
- Iker Serrano
- Caden Sibley
- Devin Snell
- Gabriel Sowunmi
- Travis Tran
- Godwin Vander Weide
Grade: 10
- Daley Adams
- Joseph Athey
- Shuliang (Alex) Cai
- Dreylan Creasy
- Antwan Dunmyer
- Leland Edwards
- Ian Egbert
- Josiah Goodwin-Hamlin
- Miles Graybill
- Joshua Greene
- Reno Griggs
- James Hu
- Sean Hurley
- William Jacoby
- Josiah Johnson
- Philippe Lianavwa Jr.
- Roman Molina
- Jake Nichols
- Samuel Okoturo
- Niv Patel
- Simon Price
- Moses Rattin
- Vu Tran
- Levi Wikoff
- Nicholas Willis
- William Willis
- Joaquin Yescas
Grade: 11
- Christopher Acosta-Serrano
- Jonie-Galton Ansah
- Ayden Bland
- Jaxon Brooks-Powell
- Lucian Brucker
- Benjamin Burtram
- Jacob Clodfelter
- John Cottey III
- William Cox
- Sebastian Espino Jimenez Jr.
- Jonathan Farmer
- Jayden Ginty
- William Girod
- Seth Groelz
- George Gurney
- Laith Haddad
- Ethan Hanley
- Benjamin Jones
- Juan Leyva Saavedra
- Tyler Manglicmot
- Nehemiah Mayuga
- Hunter McDonnell
- Ian McHarg
- Tucker Miller
- Everett Mitchell
- Harry Momolu
- Kelvin Montesinos
- Daouda Niang
- Cameron Oppenheim
- David Owen
- Thinh Pham
- Jaydn Pieron
- Pranav Puchakayala
- Jayden Robbins
- Clayton Rosen
- Dylan Rwagasana
- Tyler Sanders
- Ethan Schroyer
- Diego Serrano
- Emerson Smith
- Elijah Stanley
- Isaiah Stewart
- Jackson Stewart
- Kameron Taylor
- Emanuel Teklu
- Yonas Wilcox
- Anthony Wiseman
Grade: 12
- Laquan Almond
- Gene Anderson
- Jordan Anderson
- Jeremiah Baston
- George Boitano
- Charles Campbell
- James Clarke
- Kendall Coard
- Jace Corbett
- Maurizio D'Alessandro
- Minh Dao
- Dalton Davis
- Grant Demorro
- Ousmane Dieng
- Jackson Edwards
- Justin Fraser
- Sean Hall
- Chayse Hill
- Tzu-Heng Hung
- Jai Johnson
- Ashton King
- Dominic Lancey
- Wesley Lay
- Maddax Lee
- Michael Lenherr
- Thomas Manganiello
- Jack McCall
- Charles Moore
- Matthew Moore
- Jackson Pretus
- Isaac Rivera
- James Robinson
- Alibek Saurambayev
- Jacob Seymore
- Ahmad Shah
- Peter Signorino
- Tugsbilguun (Tug) Sodbaatar
- Copeland Spearman
- Ethan Stroh
- Francisco Toral-Munoz
- Matthew Vinso
- Lucas Yates
Grade: 13
- Cyrus Boggs
- Russell Branch
- Larry Bulluck
- Christopher Cochran
- Donald Douglass III
- Alessandro Gaudio
- Edixon Gomez Blanco
- Zane McCarty
- James Morrow Jr.
- Carmelo Pacheco
- Dominique Washington
Congratulations, gentlemen!
Save the Date for the 2023 Alumni Weekend!
Alumni Weekend is a great time to revisit, reflect and reconnect with Fork Union and other alumni.
The Academy will be hosting festivities throughout the weekend of May 5-7, 2023.
We hope to see as many of our alumni as possible!
COL Hitchcock Completes his Final Term at the Academy
COL Bill Hitchcock joined the faculty of Fork Union Military Academy in 1974. Last Friday, after five decades of teaching, he & his students in US History 121, a dual enrollment class, shared some doughnuts, then completed the FINAL final exam of Bill Hitchcock’s incredible teaching career.
We shared this momentous day on Facebook last Friday and received an overwhelming response from our alumni. Below are a few comments that were shared:
"One of my favorite teachers while at FUMA, I still remember reading the Wall Street journal and watching C-SPAN in his class. He was one of those teachers you could tell had a genuine passion for what he was teaching, he wasn't just going through the motions." -- Steven DeVane
"Congratulations and the best for your retirement. Awesome example of a teacher, example for young men and truly crafted his career to a place that it will be near impossible to replace. Paramount faculty member in the decades at FUMA." -- Marty Ledbetter
"I had Coach Hitchcock for two classes in 85-86 school year. Was in his class the day the shuttle blew up. Congratulations on influencing so many young men and thank you for your part in my academic career. Many blessings as you embark on your retirement." -- Tim Vorel
"Congratulations, Coach Hitchcock. One of the finest men I will have ever know in my lifetime. It was a privilege to have been taught by you. Moreover and more importantly, you saved a scared stupid kid from a lifetime of despair simply for believing I could be more than what I was at the time. May you enjoy your retirement. You have definitely earned it." -- A.J. Falbo
Congratulations, COL Hitchcock!
Happy Birthday to the April Babies!
Last week, Fork Union Military Academy celebrated all cadets, staff and faculty who have birthdays in April. A huge thank you to SAGE Dining who continues to surprise us with amazing desserts each month.
Happy Birthday to...
STAFF/FACULTY
- Alexander Welch
- Joshua Adams
- Regina Delman
- Steve McCoy
- Michael DeMatteo
- Liz Zito
- Stephen Davis
- Ben Jamison
- Sara Gurney
- Gary Leydig
- Miles Davis
- Deborah Banks
CADETS
- William Cox
- Isaiah Stewart
- Lucian Brucker
- Jackson Sereno
- Ethan Stroh
- Jimmy Sa Said
- Rauley Anderson
- Larry Bulluck
- Devin Snell
- Matthew Spiggle
- Luc Havens
- Benjamin Burtram
- LaQuan Almond
- Leland Edwards
- Jordan Zerkle
- Sebastian Sanchez
- Christopher Acosta-Serrano
- Bradley Ray
- Godwin Vander Weide
- Justin Fraser
- Joseph Athey
- Braedan Kelly
This Week's College Acceptances
It's that time of year again when our seniors get the exciting news of college acceptances!
Our goal each year is that 100% of our seniors gain college acceptance, and the Class of 2023 has already achieved that goal. Each year, our seniors work hard with the College Placement and Academic Services team under the leadership of the department's Director, Kelsey Hill, and the Assistant Director, Dr. James Benson.
Check out this week's acceptances!
The Academy Honors Cadets with Exemplary Cadet Dinner
Mrs. Jackie Montero-Sharpe, Director of Enrollment Management, resurrected the historic Exemplary Cadet Dinner that honors cadets who have zero demerits and are on the Dean's & President' Lists. Last Sunday, the Academy honored over 40 cadets who fit the criteria for Terms 3 & 4.
The Exemplary Cadet Dinner is designed for the staff and faculty to serve an exquisite meal to the cadets. The staff and faculty volunteers serve the cadets their meals, pour their drinks and clean up after them. The cadets are also automatically entered into a raffle drawing where they win prizes donated by the staff and faculty. The prizes ranged from gift cards to goodie baskets to FUMA swag and so on.
Congratulations to the following cadets who qualified for the Exemplary Cadet Dinner for Terms 3 & 4!
- Christopher Acosta-Serrano
- Daley Adams
- Emmanuel Adeyinka
- Everett Amos
- Jayden Anderson
- Jordan Anderson
- Joseph Athey
- Ayden Bland
- George Boitano
- Jaxon Brooks-Powell
- Nico Brown
- Benjamin Burtram
- Robert Callahan
- Colton Childers
- James Clarke
- Kendall Coard
- Nicholas Coleman
- Kellen Colevas
- Maurizio D'Alessandro
- Grant DeMorro
- Francisco Duarte
- Samuel Duncan
- Ian Egbert
- Sebastian Espino Jimenez, Jr.
- Justin Fraser
- Jayden Ginty
- Adrian Gomez
- Lance Gowans
- Cameron Gray
- Miles Graybill
- Reno Griggs
- Laith Haddad
- Selah Houston
- Tzu-Heng Hung
- Sean Hurley
- Domninic Jackson
- Jai Johnson
- Benjamin Jones
- Wesley Lay
- Maddax Lee
- Michael Lenherr
- Phillippe Lianavwa
- Christian Lopez
- Thomas Manganiello
- Tyler Manglicmot
- Trenton Maxwell
- Nehemiah Mayuga
- Jack McCall
- Aaron McDaniel
- Isaiah McDaniel
- Hunter McDonnell
- Joshua McGuire
- Tucker Miller
- Ronan Montes
- Kelvin Montesinos
- Charles Moore
- Matthias Moyer
- Christian Mukhisa
- Daouda Niang
- Jake Nichols
- David Owen
- Niv Patel
- Thinh Pham
- Jaydn Pieron
- Jackson Pretus
- Pranav Puchakayala
- Chrysander Rahardjo
- Isaac Rivera
- Ellis Roberts
- James Robinson
- Dylan Rwagasana
- Jimmy Sa Said
- Ethan Schroyer
- Jacob Seymore
- Tugsbilguun Sodbaatar
- Copeland Spearman
- Ethan Stroh
- Travis Tran
- Matthew Vinso
- Levi Wikoff
- Nicholas Willis
- Trenton Willis
- Johnathon Wooten, Jr.
- Lucas Yates
Bravo Zulu Award Winners
Every Friday the Fork Union Military Faculty and Staff meet to nominate a few who have exceeded the standards and demonstrated superlative performance. Whilst we have various awards and recognitions - a simple "Well Done!" we hope, is also appreciated. The combination of the Bravo and Zulu nautical signal flags, i.e., Bravo Zulu, also referred to as "BZ," is a naval signal, typically conveyed by flag hoist or voice radio, meaning "Well Done" with regard to actions, operations or performance.
The following are the Bravo Zulu awards for this week:
Cadet Jacob Clodfelter is a junior and third-year cadet in Alpha Company. He is a boarding student from Mickleton, NJ. Cadet Clodfelter has taken the initiative to train an entire Company in order to get them prepared for drill and leadership. He has been doing a stellar job. Bravo Zulu, Cadet Clodfelter!
Cadet Matthew Snyder is a junior and second-year cadet in Bravo Company. He is a boarding student from Stafford, VA. Cadet Snyder recently earned his pool management certification and volunteered his time to teach a fellow cadet how to swim. He is working to complete his life saving course certification in the coming weeks. Bravo Zulu, Cadet Snyder!
Cadet Ever Castillo Vecino is a seventh grader and first-year cadet in Charlie Company. He is a boarding student from Fulton, MD. Cadet Castillo Vecino volunteered to mentor a fellow cadet who needed extra help in drill and with his uniform. Bravo Zulu, Cadet Castillo Vecino!
Cadet James Robinson is a senior and fourth-year cadet in HSC Company. He is a boarding student from Falls Church, VA. He has been one of the top musicians in our band for the past 2 years. He serves in the Honors Band and the Marching Band. He is also our faithful and lead bugler for the Corps of Cadets. Cadet Robinson is the founder of the Saxophone Quartet, who all played at the Governor’s Mansion. Bravo Zulu, Cadet Robinson!
Cadets Jose Romero Jimenez & Braden Arenella Cadet Romero Jimenez and Cadet Arenella are both eighth graders and first-year cadets in Charlie Company. Cadet Romero Jimenez is a boarding student from Guadalajara, MX and Cadet Arenella is a boarding student from Jamaica, NY. They volunteered to assist with the Prep lacrosse game. Cadet Romero served with the color guard and helped with the team hydration management. Cadet Arenella managed the game book and kept the statistics. Bravo Zulu, Cadets Romero Jimenez & Arenella!
LTC Alex Grant & The Tennis Team Congratulations to the Tennis team for defeating Carmel School, 7-2, on Monday for the first win of the season, giving Coach Grant his first career win as head tennis coach. Bravo Zulu, LTC Grant & The Tennis Team!
Go FUMA! | Colonel David L. Coggins, USMC (Ret.) | President | Fork Union Military Academy
Upcoming Admissions Events
The best way to learn about Fork Union Military Academy is to schedule an appointment with our Admissions Office and come for a family visit and receive your own individual tour of the campus.
We also schedule a number of Admissions Fairs in various cities and regions throughout the year.
Tuesday, April 25 | Admissions Event in Virginia Beach, VA
- Interested in learning more about Fork Union Military Academy? Our admissions team will be in Virginia Beach, VA on Tuesday, April 25th, from 9 AM to 1 PM, for an Admissions Event held at Black Rifle Coffee (5480 Virginia Beach Blvd, Virginia Beach, VA 23462). Registration for this event is required. Just click the link to register.
Do you want to be a part of our Cadet Corps?
Are you a young man in the 7th to 12th grade? Do you want to be a man known for integrity, respect for yourself and others, faith, character, and discipline?
We encourage you to fill out an application for enrollment and join our cadets here at Fork Union Military Academy.
Thank you!
Credits:
Photos by: Kelly Barnette, Kristin Firewicz James Benson, and Steve Macek.