Admiral Farragut Academy

Admiral Farragut Academy
Admiral Farragut Academy
Address
	501 Park Street North; St. Petersburg, (Pinellas), Florida 33710; United States
Information
School type	Private, College Preparatory boarding school, and day school
Motto	Success is Never Accidental
Established	1933; 91 years ago
Headmaster	Dr. Adam Holden
Faculty	approx. 100
Grades	Lower school: Kindergarten–7; Upper school: 8–12; Boarding school: 8–12
Gender	Coeducational
Number of students	approx. 500
Student to teacher ratio	17∶1
Campus	35 acres (140,000 m2)
Color(s)	Blue; Yellow
Mascot	BlueJacket
Website	www.farragut.org
	Last updated: February 16, 2019; 5 years ago

Admiral Farragut Academy, established in 1933, is an international boarding school and college preparatory school serving students in grades K-12 and offering a gap year / post-grad year. Farragut is located in St. Petersburg, Florida in Pinellas County and is surrounded by the communities of Treasure Island, Gulfport, Pasadena, Tierra Verde, and Seminole. Farragut also serves North Pinellas County, which includes the communities of Clearwater, Belleair, and Palm Harbor.

Steeped in history, with alumni in the White House, on the surface of the moon, professional athletes, and in key leadership positions around the world, Admiral Farragut Academy is an international university preparatory boarding school offering elite academics and outstanding global leadership development.

AFA's prep school global headquarters is located on the waterfront in tropical St. Petersburg, Florida, close to perfect beaches, a vibrant downtown, and close to the best parks and culture that Tampa and Orlando have to offer. AFA offers unique signature programs including Aviation, Scuba, Marine Science, Engineering, Sailing, College Credit, and a Post Grad offering.

We offer personalized attention, small class sizes, a committed, caring faculty, and a world-class curriculum that one would expect from a college prep school. We educate students from more than 33 nations and maintain 100% university acceptance to the very best universities globally. Above all, we develop character and leadership in our students in a diverse and nurturing setting.

History

Founded in 1933 on the banks of the Toms River in Pine Beach, New Jersey, Admiral Farragut Academy is an international boarding school and a university prep school named after Admiral David Glasgow Farragut, the first American naval officer to rise to that rank.^[1] Over Farragut's first 12 years, the international prep school became so popular that a second campus was purchased in 1945 on the shores of Boca Ciega Bay in St. Petersburg, Florida. Since then, the school has undergone many changes, such as accepting day students, becoming co-ed, and adding an elementary school.

The school's New Jersey campus in Pine Beach closed at the end of the 1994 school year due to financial difficulties.

Notable alumni

Two of the 12 men who walked on the Moon graduated from Admiral Farragut:

Rear Admiral Alan Shepard, USN, was the first American in space and in 1971 became the fifth person to walk on the Moon as part of the Apollo 14 mission. Shepard graduated in 1941 from the New Jersey campus.
Brigadier General Charles Duke, USAF, was a 1953 graduate of the St. Petersburg campus, and in 1972 became the tenth person to walk on the Moon as part of the Apollo 16 mission. In the spring of 2006, NASA presented a moon rock to General Duke, who then donated it to the school. It is displayed in a showcase in front of the Quarter-Deck at the entrance to the main building, Farragut Hall.

Other famous alumni:

William Colepaugh, who defected to the Nazis during World War II, and returned to spy for Germany in the United States.
Actor Lorenzo Lamas graduated in 1975 from the New Jersey Campus.
Actor Casper Van Dien graduated from the St. Petersburg, FL campus and later performed in many films of which Starship Troopers is the most notable.
Chef Spike Mendelsohn, class of 2000, contested on both Top Chef and Top Chef: All Stars. Spike is the owner of "Good Stuff Eatery," a restaurant with locations on Capitol Hill and in Georgetown in The District of Columbia, as well as in the Crystal City business neighborhood of Northern Virginia.
Major Megan McClung, the first female United States Marine Corps officer killed in combat during the Iraq War
Animator/Producer Andy Luckey attended from 1980-'81 at St. Petersburg but transferred before graduation.
Lieutenant General Sidney "Tom" Weinstein, ‘52N, was the Army deputy chief of staff for intelligence during the 1980s. He is recognized as the principal architect of the modern service intelligence corps, and was the crucial player in its expansion and professionalization.
Richard W. Fisher '67N, President of the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas since 2005
William N. Small, New Jersey campus; United States Navy Admiral, former Vice Chief of Naval Operations
Stephen Stills attended as child, before he left for Woodrow Wilson Junior High in nearby Tampa.^[2]
Tom Thompson '68S, NCAA Football record holder.
Paul F. Gleason, served as Grand Master of Masons in Massachusetts 2017 through 2019.
Robert A. Jensen, a 1983 graduate is an American writer and crisis management expert.

Naval Heritage

Eighth-grade students in the Upper School take Naval Science I, an in-depth study of the history, operation and core concepts of the United States Navy. Students in grades 9-12 may take advanced Naval Science courses as electives.

Accreditation

Admiral Farragut Academy is accredited by:

Florida Council of Independent Schools]** (FCIS) Assures that each school maintains high standards and independence of character without political, financial, or bureaucratic pressures.

Florida Kindergarten Council** (FKC) Validates and supports exemplary early childhood schools.

Southern Association of Independent Schools (SAIS) Provides leadership, accreditation services, and professional development resources.

Southern Association of Colleges and Schools** (SACS)

National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS) Values and works to maintain the independent nature of each member school by promoting high standards of educational quality and ethical behavior.

The Association of Boarding Schools (TABS) This organization of nearly 300 boarding schools serves the professional development needs of boarding schools and provides information to potential students and their families.

Small Boarding Schools Association (SBSA) Promotes personal and professional dialogue among small boarding school educators and educational consultants.

Tampa Bay Independent Secondary Schools (TSS)

Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA) Promotes, directs supervises, and regulates interscholastic athletic programs in which high school students, whose schools are members, compete.

Southern Association of Independent Schools (SAIS) Meet quality standards, receive peer evaluation, and implement a school plan focused on strategic improvement.

St. Petersburg Chamber of Commerce Long and distinguished history of promoting economic development, as well as broad community goals, which are important to the quality of life of those who live in and visit the beautiful St. Petersburg, Florida, area.

Student body

There are approximately 500 students in K-12th grade with a 3:1 ratio of boys to girls. There are 330 students in the Upper School and approximately 50% of the Upper School students are boarding students.

References

^ "Admiral Farragut Academy History".
^ Zimmer, Dave (2008). Crosby, Stills & Nash: The Biography. Da Capo Press. p. 8. ISBN 978-0786726110. Retrieved 2018-12-12.

External links

27°46′39″N 82°44′44″W / 27.777543°N 82.745501°W / 27.777543; -82.745501

[1] "Admiral Farragut Academy History".

[2] Zimmer, Dave (2008). Crosby, Stills & Nash: The Biography. Da Capo Press. p. 8. ISBN 978-0786726110. Retrieved 2018-12-12.

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