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Stories in this issue:
- Fork Union Announces Retirement of Colonel David L. Coggins as President and Names CAPT Mark E. Black as Successor
- Happy Birthday to the March Babies!
- Fork Union Earns Four AMCSUS Awards
- Cadets Spend Seven Days in Italy over Spring Break
- This Week's College Acceptances
- The Next Stop - March Newsletter
- Phonathon Team Raises Second Highest Total in History
- Bravo Zulu Awards
- Upcoming Admissions Events
- Do you want to be a part of our Cadet Corps?
Fork Union Announces Retirement of Colonel David L. Coggins as President and Names CAPT Mark E. Black as Successor
Colonel David L. Coggins, USMC (Ret.), Fork Union Military Academy's 11th President, has announced his intent to retire later this year. The Academy will celebrate Colonel Coggins' tenure in connection with Fork Union Military Academy's 125th Anniversary, which will be held on October 13-15, 2023. Colonel Coggins and his wife Kelli look forward to retiring to Florida and being able to spend more time with their family.
"The Academy appreciates Colonel Coggins' faithful leadership, particularly through the COVID pandemic," said Paige L. Pruett, Chairman of the Fork Union Military Academy Board of Trustees. "The Academy is blessed to have had the Colonel's vision and leadership, and we all are excited for him as he embarks on this next chapter of his life with Kelli."
"The Academy is a special place," Colonel Coggins adds, "and Kelli and I are glad to have been a part of it."
CAPT Mark E. Black, USN (ret.), has been named the 12th President of Fork Union Military Academy. CAPT Black will be designated as President-elect immediately and assume the role as President upon Colonel Coggins' retirement in the fall. CAPT Black is a current faculty member and coach and fully appreciates the Academy's dedication to "Body, Mind & Spirit". He currently serves as a teacher of US Military and War History, Leadership & Ethics, and U. S. Government in the Academy's unique One Subject Plan. In addition, CAPT Black also coaches lacrosse and football.
CAPT Black graduated from Virginia Military Institute with distinction. He was commissioned in the US Navy in 1986 and was designated as a Naval Flight Officer and is a graduate of the famed Navy Fighter Weapons School (TOPGUN). During his Navy career, he was selected to serve as a squadron commander and a wing commander before being assigned to lead all Naval personnel in Afghanistan as the NAVCENT Forward Afghanistan Officer in Charge. He was Commanding Officer and Professor of Naval Science at the University of Virginia's Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps (NROTC) Unit and came to the Academy from Fishburne Military School, where he served as Superintendent.
"Our world needs Fork Union Military Academy-now more than ever-and I am honored to have the opportunity to lead the Academy's in its mission of educating, developing and inspiring young men in a Christian, college prep, military environment," CAPT Black emphasized.
Paige Lester Pruett, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Fork Union Military Academy, extolled the elevation of CAPT Black to the position of President, saying, "CAPT Black is already a respected and admired teacher and coach-the Board is confident that he is uniquely suited to lead the Academy forward from its 125th Anniversary while preserving the Academy's traditional, Christian values."
Fork Union Military Academy is a leading Christian, college preparatory boarding school which utilizes the structure and discipline of a military academy system in order to maximize the potential and achievement of our young men. The Academy serves young men in grades 7-12 and postgraduates in the wonderful village of Fork Union in the heart of central Virginia. The Academy offers high-quality academics and athletics built on a foundation of traditional core values that helps build character development, self-discipline, responsibility, and leadership development skills.
Happy Birthday to the March Babies!
Yesterday, Fork Union Military Academy celebrated all cadets, staff and faculty who have birthdays in March. A huge thank you to SAGE Dining who continues to surprise us with amazing desserts each month.
Happy Birthday to...
STAFF/FACULTY
- Tim Redden
- Elizabeth (Liz) Patrick
- Samson Miller
- Becky Gorman
- Steve Macek
- Samuel Amos
- James Rooney
- Vashon Hubert
- Tony Moss
- Jackie Montero-Sharpe
CADETS
- Timothy Costa
- Roman Molina
- Charlie Bost
- Ousmane Dieng
- Travis Tran
- Nico Brown
- Iker Serrano
- Jayden Robbins
- Christopher Cochran
- Damarre Joseph
- Cayden Oliver
- Jeremy Herron
- Christian Taylor
- Cameron Oppenheim
Fork Union Wins Four AMCSUS Awards
Fork Union Military Academy collected four impressive AMCSUS awards this Association of Military Colleges and Schools of the United States announced prior to Spring Break. The Academy won the Leadership Award, placed second in the Middle School Drill Competition, third in the Middle School PT Challenge and third in the Writing Competition.
“I am extremely proud of what our cadets have accomplished in competing against cadets from top-ranked military school from across the nation,” said Commandant of Cadets LTC Tony Moss. “I fully believe competition within AMCSUS leads to excellence, fosters motivation, self-confidence and brings satisfaction in achievements. Competition teaches our boys to become tough at a young age and how to handle disappointments which they will face throughout their lives.”
AMCSUS Leadership Award
Each year, AMCSUS colleges and schools compete for four leadership scholarships, including two at the college prep level and two at the college level. Prep School Leadership Award nominations are scored by a college panel. The cadet who excels in the areas of leadership, character, service, academics and athletics receives a certificate, engraved award and a check for $1,000.
We are proud to announce that junior Ethan Schroyer is the recipient of the AMCSUS Leadership Award. He is the first cadet of Fork Union Military Academy to earn this award.
Middle School Drill Competition
The Drill Competition consisted of 31 performance movements. As part of the competition, military high schools submit performance videos to be evaluated based on the formation commander’s command voice and presence, drill sequence timing, the formation’s ability to execute drill commands, the difficulty of commands and the pacing, sequencing, military bearing, personal appearance, and energy of cadets.
Congratulations to the following cadets who helped earn the Academy a second-place finish.
- Chrysander Rahardjo
- Caden Sibley
- Nico Brown
- Alex Gibson
- Jimmy Sa Said
- Isaiah McDaniel
- Nicholas Coleman
- Kellen Colevas
- Iker Serrano
- Ronan Montes
- Jackson Sereno
- Val Kelestyn
- Rhys Lawrence
- Jeremy Herron
- Tristan Townley
- Christian Taylor
- Theo Aberra
- Colton Childers
- Selah Houston
Middle School PT Challenge
The Physical Training Challenge is based on a timed 1.5-mile run and the maximum number of pushups and sit-ups cadets can perform in one minute for each exercise. All three events are to be completed by a five-cadet team within a one-hour window.
Congratulations to the following cadets who helped the Academy place third overall.
- Nico Brown
- Val Kelestyn
- Nicholas Coleman
- Kellen Colevas
- Jimmy Sa Said
Writing Competition
The objective of the Writing Competition is to reflect on their experience(s) and take-aways of the benefits of a military education model and its impact on cadets, our nation, and the world.
Congratulations to senior Jackson Pretus who placed third overall.
Cadets Spend Seven Days in Italy over Spring Break
Fork Union Military Academy’s staff and Explorica teamed up again this year and organized a seven-day trip to Italy over Spring Break. Ms. Regina Delman and CPT Michael Head supervised a group of nine cadets on a tour of Milan, Venice, Verona, Florence and Rome all between March 10-March 17, 2023.
"Being given the opportunity to immerse myself within Italian culture and rich history was a once in the lifetime experience,” said senior James Clarke. “From the Colosseum in Rome to the Renaissance architecture and art in Florence, the trip proved invaluable in serving us cadets with a world class educational and social experience in a beautiful country. What stood out as one of the most memorable visits on the trip would be visiting St. Peter's Basilica (the largest church in the world) within the Vatican City. We were able to see the tombs of several past popes, all of whom are buried within the church. Furthermore, the mere ability of being able to explore the several cities we visited with peers, eat incredible food, and enjoy a beautiful scene was a privilege in it of itself. Overall, the Italy trip was a key highlight of my FUMA experience and is one that I would highly recommend to anyone else!"
The group started its travels Milan, prior to departing to Venice for a guided walking tour of St. Mark’s Square, St. Mark’s Basilica, Doge’s Palace and a glass-blowing demonstration.
Day four consisted of travel from Venice to Florence, a Verona tour highlighted by the Romeo and Juliet balcony, Verona Arena and a traditional Italian pizza dinner.
On day five, the group toured Florence landmarks, including the Palazzo Vecchio, Piazza della Signoria, Chiesa di Santa Croce, Ponte Vecchio, Duomo visit, a leather workshop, Gates of Paradise, Giotto’s Bell Tower, Dante's House and the Leaning Tower.
From Florence, the group traveled to Rome and toured Ancient Rome, visiting the Colosseum, Forum Romanum, Piazza Venezia and enjoyed gelato.
On the final day prior to returning home, the group ended in the Vatican City, visiting Vatican Museums, the Sistine Chapel, St. Peter’s Basilica, Spanish Steps, Trevi Fountain, Pantheon, Piazza Navona.
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!
This Month's Edition of The Next Stop
Mrs. Kelsey Hill, Director of College Placement and Academic Services, is proud to announce the department's first audio newsletter, The Next Stop. Each month, Mrs. Hill will release an audio newsletter to detailing important information for you cadet's next stop after Fork Union Military Academy.
Check out this month's edition of The Next Stop:
Phonathon Team Raises Second Highest Total in History
The 2023 Phonathon Team worked the phones for the past two weeks and raised over $172,000 for The Academy Fund, greatly exceeding their goal of $125,000. Twenty-two cadets participated on the team that worked each evening making a total of over 3,500 phone calls from February 27th through March 9th contacting parents, alumni, and other supporters of Fork Union Military Academy, to raise donations to the school's Academy Fund.
The total of $172,000 raised by the Phonathon so far this year is the second highest total raised by the annual Phonathon in the more than three decades the fundraising event has been held. The record for the highest amount of gifts received in the annual Phonathon is $188,000.
The first and greatest need of the Academy is to fund the school's operations each year: paying staff salaries and benefits, covering the costs of electricity and other utilities, gas and transportation costs, educational supplies and expenses, and financial aid. Tuition only provides part of the costs to operate the school, and only a small percentage of families are paying the full tuition amount to begin with. The rest of the money required to operate the school much come from donors. Each year, part of the Academy's annual budget must be provided by annual giving to The Academy Fund. To meet expenses, the Academy must raise $500,000 for The Academy Fund between July 1, 2022 and June 20, 2023. The annual Phonathon is one of the important fundraising activities that raises about 25% of the donations required for The Academy Fund each year.
Although the active schedule of phone calls has ended, the 2023 Phonathon will continue accepting gifts online and the cadets on this year's team are hopeful that a new fundraising record will be set this year.
You may make your gift to the 2023 Phonathon at https://www.forkunion.com/phonathon.
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 Lucas Yates is a senior and sixth-year cadet in Alpha Company. He is a day student from Goochland, VA. Cadet Yates placed 3rd in the VISAA State Wrestling Tournament and qualified for the National Prep Wrestling Tournament. Recently, he led his team to their first lacrosse win of the season against Fluvanna County. Cadet Yates scored an amazing 5 goals, to include the game-winning goal. Bravo Zulu, Cadet Yates!
Cadet Ahmad Shah is a senior and fourth-year cadet in Bravo Company. He is a boarding student from Chapel Hill, NC. During drill this week, he took initiative and led his fellow cadets in their marching and rifle drills. While this is not typically his role, he took action as a leader. Bravo Zulu, Cadet Shah!
Cadet Isaiah McDaniel is a freshman and first-year cadet in Charlie Company. He is a boarding student from Norfolk, VA. Since joining the Corps, McDaniel has maintained a clean and orderly room consistently above the standards set forth by the Commandant. His leadership capabilities and superb discipline resulted in a promotion to Squad Leader. Bravo Zulu, Cadet McDaniel!
Cadets who assisted with Phonathon! Due to their hard work, we crushed our $125,000 goal with more than $172,000 received in gifts/pledges! The majority of the funds raised will go to our Academy Fund, supporting our various programs. Bravo Zulu, Cadets Nico Brown, Nicholas Coleman, Thinh Truong Pham, Matthew Moore, Jackson Pretus, Theophilus Aberra, Daley Adams, Peter Signorino, Ousmane Dieng, Jonie Ansah, Kameron Taylor, Emanuel Teklu, Ahmad Shah, James Clarke, Laith Haddad, Travis Tran, Benjamin Burtram, Daouda Niang, and Michael Marandure!
Mr. William (BJ) York, Activities Director, seamlessly scheduled cadet transportation needs for spring break. In addition, he hosted cadets whose spring break plans changed. His dedication to our Corps of Cadets is unsurpassed. Bravo Zulu, Mr. York!
CPT Michael Head, Mrs. Regina Delman, and Mrs. Julie Wing led a group of cadets in Italy for spring break (Milan, Venice, Florence, Pisa, and Rome). Their commitment to our cadets’ extracurricular educational experience is greatly appreciated. Bravo Zulu, CPT Head, Mrs. Delman, and Mrs. Wing! Bravo, ottimo lavoro!
Mr. Charlie Martin is an alumnus and member of the Alumni Board. Mr. Martin took the initiative to come to FUMA’s Open House for recruiting potential cadets. He added a valuable perspective and key insights. His dedication, commitment, and outstanding service is appreciated. Bravo Zulu, Mr. Martin!
Mr. Alex Grant, Special Projects, painted the athletic fields with our new Turf Tank robot. He also painted the FUMA logo on the baseball infield which saved us many hours of labor. Bravo Zulu, Mr. Grant!
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.
Monday, April 3 | Admissions Open House
- We would like to invite you to our Admissions Open House on the campus of Fork Union Military Academy on Monday, April 3rd, from 8:45AM to 12:30PM. You will be able to go on a cadet-led tour of our campus, participate in an information session to learn more about the Academy, speak directly with members of our admissions team to get answers to all of your questions, and enjoy lunch in our dining facility.
Saturday, April 15 | Admissions Event in Fairfax, VA
- Come meet us in Fairfax, Virginia on Saturday, April 15th, from 9 AM to 1 PM, for an Admissions Event held at Fairfax Marriott Hotel at Fair Oaks located at Fairfax Marriott at Fair Oaks (11787 Lee Jackson Memorial Highway, Fairfax, VA 22033). Registration for this event is required. Just click the link to register.
Sunday, April 16 | Admissions Event in New Jersey
- Interested in learning more about Fork Union Military Academy? An Admissions Team representative will be in Paramus, NJ on Sunday, April 16th, from 12 PM to 4 PM, for an Admissions Event held at Panera Bread (700 Paramus Park, Paramus, NJ 07652). Registration for this event is required. Just click the link to register.
Monday, April 17 | Admissions Event in Pennsylvania
- Interested in learning more about Fork Union Military Academy? An Admissions Team representative will be in King of Prussia, PA on Monday, April 17th, from 9 AM to 12 PM, for an Admissions Event held at SpringHill Suites by Marriott Philadelphia Valley Forge/King of Prussia Hotel (875 Mancill Mill Road, King of Prussia, PA 19406). Registration for this event is required. Just click the link to register.
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, John Warren, and Steve Macek.