The Naval Academy Parents' Club of North Carolina extends a very warm welcome to all incoming and continuing Midshipmen and their families and friends. We also welcome all those who might be interested in becoming Midshipmen. This club was formed by a group of parents who recognized the need for a support system for USNA families. That same camaraderie that keeps our Mids surviving at the Academy works well for parents who are trying to understand "the system."
Why the Need for Parents Clubs?
Sending a son or daughter to the Naval Academy or to any Service Academy is quite different from sending them off to a regular college or university. Those phone calls parents receive from a new Plebe are not the same kind of phone call that parents of other college students receive. New midshipmen can be very discouraged and afraid that they are not able to live up to the demands placed upon them at the Naval Academy.
Parents' Clubs offer a wonderful source of support and encouragement -- particularly for the parents of a new Plebe. After their son or daughter has survived Plebe Summer, parents feel more comfortable about their midshipman and can begin to enjoy the pride they feel at having a son or daughter at the Naval Academy. What better way to share these experiences than with other parents who feel the same way.
History of Parent Clubs
Many years ago, the Candidate Guidance Office at the Naval Academy recognized that the right kind of parental guidance could greatly help to ensure the success of a Midshipman. They felt that the development of this guidance could be best accomplished by uniting parents of Midshipmen to form a Parents' Club in each area. The main purpose of a Parents' Club would be for informational guidance and support with a lesser emphasis on social activities. This concept was approved by the Naval Academy, the Alumni Association and the Midshipmen themselves. In April of 1973, under the guidance of Tom Teshara, West Coast Regional Director of the Blue and Gold Program at the Naval Academy, the first Parents' Club was formed in the San Francisco Bay Area. Since then, the concept of Parents' Clubs has spread across the country. There are now a total of 75 Clubs, some of which are joint service academy clubs, across the continental US, Hawaii and Puerto Rico. At the request of the Superintendent, Parents' Clubs are administered by the Naval Academy Alumni Association.
