Fishburne Military School Takes 1st Place at George Washington Birthday Parade
Fishburne Military School named Best Military Unit and Drill Team and Best Youth Band
Old Town Alexandria, VA — Fishburne Military School earned top honors yesterday as the best Military Unit and Drill Team as well as for best Youth Band during Old Town Alexandria’s annual
George Washington Birthday Parade.
With nearly 3,500 participants, the parade is not only the oldest celebration of Washington’s Birthday, but also the largest parade honoring America’s first President. The unseasonably warm and sunny day made for a perfect parade day and large crowds lined the one-mile parade route which stretches throughout Old Town Alexandria.
The parade detail from Fishburne Military School consisted of the Fishburne Battalion Staff, Color Guard, Band, Regulation and Hudgins Rifles drill teams. Periodically throughout the route the Caissons would pause and allow their Hudgins Rifles to perform for the cheering onlookers. Current FMS parents, Alumni and supporters were prominently on hand throughout the parade route and a number of well-wishers, including members of the United States Army Old Guard Honor Unit visited with the Caissons in the staging area just prior to stepping off.
Dating back to 1799, the George Washington Birthday Parade is the oldest community parade in Alexandria. According to Joseph S. Shumard, Chair of the Alexandria George Washington Birthday Celebration Committee, “217 years ago our citizens celebrated the birth of the Father of Our Country with the first George Washington Birthday Parade through the streets of Alexandria. During the previous two years, in 1797 and 1798, George Washington was the guest of honor at birthnight balls held at Gadsby’s Tavern. Since that time we have celebrated annually with reenactments, ceremonies, and symposia remembering with pride the contributions Washington made to our city and to our nation.”
Fishburne Military School is the oldest and smallest of all military schools for boys in Virginia. Its college-prep curriculum is built upon the structure of an Army JROTC program. FMS is designated as a JROTC Honor Unit with Distinction and may nominate qualified candidates to the United States Service Academies. Fishburne hosts one of only four Summer JROTC programs in the nation, accredited by US Army Cadet Command. For more information visit www.fishburne.org.
