Cadets, Debutantes Shine at Old Dominion Cotillion Ball

Fishburne cadets acted as  escorts for the Old Dominion Cotillion’s Debutante Ball.

Fifteen Fishburne Military School cadets traveled to Chantilly, Virginia this past weekend to participate in the Old Dominion Cotillion’s 2015 Debutante Ball. Seven Fishburne cadets were chosen to act as official escorts for the 2015 debutante class. The Debutante Ball is the culmination of what is often years of work on the part of the young ladies involved in Cotillion, and it is the highlight of a week of activities leading up to the formal occasion.

According to the Old Dominion Cotillion (ODC), participation in the ODC “teaches young ladies to find balance in their lives with sophistication and grace, and to meet every challenge the with poise and confidence necessary to succeed in our contemporary and demanding world.”

Debutantes appeared through a sword arch of Fishburne cadets.

Fishburne has been honored for the past three years to be invited to be a part of the Debutante Ball, with cadets acting as assistants and escorts for the young ladies making their debut. Training for this event involves lessons in etiquette, dance, and proper interaction with both young women and adults in a formal setting. The ball itself requires hours of practice in choreography and in the fine details involved in being a gentleman escort.

“At Fishburne, we strive to educate the whole man, and participation in the ODC Debutante Ball is part of that education,” noted Fishburne Superintendent COL Gary Morrison (VA). “It is a true privilege for our cadets to have this opportunity to practice what it means to be a gentleman in every sense of the word.”

Cadets met the debutantes and their families at a fun-filled dance on Thursday night.

In addition to practicing dance steps and the sword arch for the big event, cadets were treated to a dance and social event on Thursday night, where they had a chance to get to know ODC members and debutantes. Cadets were also granted exclusive tours of the Pentagon and the U.S. Capitol. At the Pentagon, they met with Sergeant Major of the Army, CSM Daniel A. Daily, the highest ranking NCO in the U.S. Army. At the Capitol, they had a chance to meet Senate Chaplain, Rear Admiral Barry C. Black (Ret.) and visit Virginia Senator Mark Warner’s office.

Cadets and debutantes toured the Pentagon and U.S. Capitol.

Participating cadets were Joseph Baker, Timothy Betoni, Thomas Cantwell, Cody Chappel, Luciano Dolfi, Brian Draper, Thomas Fosdick, Evan Laquaglia, Howard Marsh, Johnathan Martell, James Monroe, Larkin Petrelles, Juan Salazar, Alex Ralston, and Garrett Venn. Escorts were Cadets Cantwell, Dolfi, Draper, Fosdick, Marsh, Petrelles, and Venn.

Fishburne would like to thank the Old Dominion Cotillion for continuing to invite us to be a part of the Debutante Ball. The pageantry and traditions represented and upheld by ODC make this weekend a truly special part of our cadets’ education and experience.

Fishburne Military School is the oldest and smallest of all military schools in Virginia. Its college-prep curriculum is built upon the structure of an Army JROTC program. Boasting a 100% college-acceptance rate for the past 10 consecutive years, FMS has also been designated as a JROTC Honor Unit with Distinction and may nominate qualified candidates to the United States Service Academics. Fishburne hosts one of only four Summer JROTC programs in the nation, accredited by US Army Cadet Command.