Fishburne Military School (VA) Announces Summer Awards

Waynesboro, VA – 100 young men at Fishburne Military School graduated this weekend from a five-week summer session that is unlike any Summer School they’ve attended before.

The Fishburne Summer Session is one of only four programs in the United States that offers Army JROTC credit. FMS Superintendent, COL Gary Morrison (VA), himself a 1981 graduate, explains “Some of our Summer Cadets come in order to get ahead, or catch up in their Leadership Training with JROTC. It’s not like your ordinary summer school where everyone has their head down because they’ve failed something and are now missing out on vacation. Sure, some young men are here doing remedial work, but this program, as a whole, is something entirely different. Fishburne’s Summer Session is a place where young men come to get ahead, to sharpen their leadership skills and rise through the JROTC ranks.”

Even those who came to do academic “repair work” participated in JROTC training and activities such as rappelling, orienteering and more. Drill and Ceremony come standard with the military program at FMS and the gaggle of mop-topped boys who reported five weeks ago were marching sharply as a unit on Saturday and reveling in their new-found self-discipline.

During the Summer Session Commencement Review Parade, top Cadet performers in Academics, JROTC, Athletics and Daily Leadership were recognized and presented with awards and ribbons. Ryan Curran, of Carthage, NC, was recognized as Outsstanding Cadet of the Session. Bryce Burrell, of Warrrenton, VA, was named Outstanding NCO and Alexander Ralston, of Nellysford, VA, was honored as Outstanding Officer. The full list of award winners is below.

In addition to a full slate of academics and JROTC, Fishburne’s Summer Session offers students a slate of sports like soccer, basketball, golf, football, tennis, wrestling, martial arts, marksmanship and strength & conditioning. On Wednesday afternoons, cadets participated in an adventure or confidence building activity such as rappelling, orienteering, or building a one-rope bridge.

Representing 17 different states and four foreign nations, the Cadets at Summer Session 2015 were as diverse a group as one is likely to see in any program. While a great many of the young men hailed from Virginia, the Commonwealth accounted for less than 50% of the student population. Following behind Virginia’s 42 cadets, Maryland contributed the second highest number of students (18) followed by New York (6) and Florida (5). Of those reporting to Summer Session 2015, just thirty-four are returning Cadets.

Morrison noted, “It is gratifying for us to see young men from all around the world who recognize the importance and appeal of a program as robust as this. These young men give us all a brighter vision of what tomorrow’s leaders will look like.”

Summer Session 2015 Award Winners

Commandant’s Awards:

Outstanding Cadet — Ryan Curran (Carthage, NC)

Outstanding NCO —  Bryce Burrell (Warrenton, VA)

Outstanding Officer —  Alexander Ralston (Nellysford, VA)

Headmaster’s Awards: (Top Cadet in Subject)

Biology — Josh Sutton  (Houlton, ME)

Earth and Physical Science — Will Sanderson (Lexington, SC)

Chemistry — Luciano Dolfi (Stuarts Draft, VA) and Nicholas Green (Charlottesville, VA)

Pre-Algebra — Torian Irons (Alexandria, VA)

Geometry –Shane McAndrew (Bowie, MD)

Algebra I — Bryce Proffer (Norfolk, VA)

Algebra II — Sean Harrison (Crozet, VA)

English Composition — Joseph Faudale (Mechanicsville, VA)

English 9 — Justin Payne (Waynesboro, VA)

English 10 — John Hendler (Olney, MD)

English 11 — Joseph Baker (New York)

SAT Prep — Bryce Burrell (Warrenton, VA)

Study Skills — Jacob O’Neil (Jefferson, MD)

Spanish — Clayton Berry (Wentzeville, MO)

US History — Mike VanWie (Reston, VA)

World History — Garrett Venn (Staunton, VA)

JROTC Awards:

ONE MILE RIBBON (N-2-5)

Mohammed Aljabri (Oman)
Brendan Bennett (Austin, TX)
Sean Brenneisen (Waynesboro, VA)
Benjamin Darbie (Stevensville, MD)
Michael Diaz (Providence, RI)
Brian Draper (Washington, DC)
Seth Hembree (Cordova, MD)
Ian Homan (Fairfax Station, VA)
Isaiah Martin (Manheim, PA)
Alexander Moye (Gainesville, VA)
Alexander Ralston (Nellysford, VA)
Peter Sherman (Rockville, MD)

CADET CHALLENGE NATIONAL HONORS
(RED PATCH, CC TAB AND N-2-3)

Sean Brenneisen (Waynesboro, VA)
Benjamin Darbie (Stevensville, MD)
Michael Diaz (Providence, RI)
Brian Draper (Washington, DC)
Ian Homan (Fairfax Station, VA)
Alexander Moye (Gainesville, VA) 

CADET CHALLENGE PRESIDENTIAL HONORS
(BLUE PATCH,PT EXCEL TAB AND (N-2-2)

Brendan Bennett (Austin, TX)
Alexander Ralston (Nellysford, VA)
Peter Sherman (Rockville, MD)

TOP CADET FOR CADET CHALLENGE(N-2-4)

Brendan Bennett (460 points out of 500 which included a 5:37 one mile run)

JROTC ACADEMIC WREATH (TOP Cadets Summer School JROTC)

Alexander Moye (Gainesville, VA)
Brendan Bennett (Austin, TX)

Athletics Awards:

Aviation — Ryan Curran (Carthage, NC)

Wrestling — Clayton Berry (Wentzeville, MO)

Soccer — Baboucar Sallah-Mohammed (Namibia)

Football –Zachary Moss (Culpeper, VA)

Golf — Theodore Barger (Crozet, VA) & Morgan Lilly (Chesterfield, VA)

Basketball — John Hendler (Olney, MD)

Tennis — Matthew Sim (Henrico, VA)

Combatives — Jonathan Martell (Parrish, FL)

Rifle — Sean Harrison (Crozet, VA)

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Founded in 1879, Fishburne Military School is a private all boys’ boarding school for grades 8 through 12 that overlooks the town of Waynesboro, VA in the picturesque Shenandoah Valley. Distinguished as the oldest and smallest of Virginia’s Military Schools, FMS offers individualized attention in a caring, family-oriented environment. FMS strives to provide the Corps of Cadets with a sound academic foundation, a healthy mental and physical environment, as well as military training for better understanding of the obligations of honor, citizenship, and self-discipline. For more information visit: www.fishburne.org