We are fast approaching the end of Mid-term Three and the beginning of Spring
Break. In fact there is a countdown on the Parents’ Website for it…three
days and some hours, and the minutes and seconds keep ticking away. The Candidates
are anxiously looking forward to Spring Break, and it is well deserved. I
have heard plans of going on cruises, spending time on a beach somewhere,
but mostly just spending time at home and “hanging out”.
More importantly though, we are rapidly approaching Graduation. I hope that
you are making plans to attend. There are invitation letters on the website
and suggestions for what to bring and what to wear. If you don’t know,
we will have a Pass-in-Review on Thursday, the 15th of May followed by the
Graduation Ball at Rosecliff, a mansion in historic Newport, and then on the
16th of May, we will have our graduation ceremony. Parents are certainly invited
to all the events. Candidates will be allowed to spend the evening with their
parents on Thursday as long as they make the muster for preparation for graduation
on Friday morning. As we get close to the “big” event, we will
have more details.
Graduation from NAPS is less than 60 days away, and that means a little more
than 100 days until our Candidates report to the Naval Academy (June 30th)
and will be inducted on July 2nd. Upon graduation, your candidates will receive
orders directing them to report to the Academy no later than 4 PM on the 30th,
and from there they will be assigned their rooms.
On July 1st, they will start their check-in process – initial issue,
turn-in of personal gear (clothes, cell phones, etc.), medical examinations,
etc. Our candidates report early so that the Academy personnel can get a head
start on checking in nearly 1300 young men and women that will make up the
Plebe Class and the Class of 2012. July 2nd will be Induction Day, and hopefully
our candidates will be involved in helping expedite the process of checking
in their new classmates because they will have already been checked in the
day before. The Induction Ceremony itself will be in Tecumseh Court, in front
of Bancroft Hall, at 5 PM (1700), and that will be the first time you will
be able to see your son or daughter – as they march by to their seats
– since you drop them off on June 30th. After the induction ceremony,
there will be time to spend with your son or daughter – the new midshipman
– before they have to form for their first formation into dinner that
evening which will start their Plebe Summer.
The dates and procedures for the Coast Guard Academy are about the same, but
we don’t have the particulars just yet. As soon as we do, we will pass
on the specifics for when and how our Cadet Candidates will begin their Swab
Summer.
However, we still have to finish the year, and while it may seem like it is
flying by to some, there is still a great deal yet to accomplish. We still
have six weeks of academics before the celebrations can begin in earnest.
One of our concerns is that some of our candidates might be coasting –
not finishing as strongly as they could because they have the requisite grades
to graduate. It’s important that you continue to encourage your son
or daughter to keep working hard all the way through until the end of the
academic year. They all will take subject validation and placement tests during
Plebe Summer, and much of the academics we cover at the end of the year will
be included on those tests. The better your Midshipman does on those tests,
the better off he/she will be during the course of Plebe Year and beyond.
To help maintain their focus, we have implemented some incentives for best
test grades through the end of the year, and the most improved grades in each
subject area. The incentives range from some gift cards, to barbecues for
whole platoons, and even a potential trip to the Academy to hear the Secretary
of Defense speak. Hopefully, we can keep our Candidates engaged and working
hard.
Our winter sports season wrapped up with a terrific showing by our wrestlers
at the National Wrestling Collegiate Association’s National Tournament
in Lakeland, Florida. Our guys finished fourth out of more than 80 collegiate,
junior college and prep school teams, and were only beaten by three four year
colleges that have superb wrestling programs. M/C’s Aaron Kalil and
Luke Rebertus finished first in their weight classes and Mr. Rebertus was
named the tournament’s Outstanding Wrestler. M/C’s Dustin Haislip
finished a strong second in his weight class, Prescott Garner and Colin Leadbetter
won their consolation matches to finish third and Cory Vernon finished fourth.
M/C’s Ryan Schuelke, Bernie Crandley, and Lucas Culver each qualified
for the National tournament and wrestled hard throughout the season. Coaches
Leroy Gardner and Isaac Sullivan, and our wrestlers, can be justifiably proud
of their tremendous season and their showing at Nationals.
Our Lacrosse season is off to a roaring start as well, having already defeated
Bridgton Academy, Essex Community College and Anne Arundel Community College.
Essex and Anne Arundel were both played in Annapolis in heavy weather, but
our team persevered to pull out victories in both contests.
The outdoor Track season has started, but we have not yet competed in any
meets. Our team continues to brave the fickle Newport late winter, early spring
weather and get better and better.
The Battalion continues to do great things, and you, as parents can be very
proud of your son or daughter’s accomplishments. They continue to need
your encouragement and support all the way through the end of the year. If
they continue to work hard and put forth their best effort, in just over 100
days they will realize their goal of attending the Naval Academy or the Coast
Guard Academy…and the “real” adventure will begin.
If you have any questions or concerns, do not hesitate to write or call me
or Senior Chief Morrison. Thank you for your continued support.
Visitors since 