16 Things That May Surprise You About Today's Admiral Farragut Academy: A lesson in perception

My two children started at Admiral Farragut Academy’s Elementary School this August, so I am a new parent and--full disclosure--a new administrator at the school this year. To prep my kiddos for this transition, I dug deep to learn every detail I could about this school. Though I’ve been a resident of St. Petersburg for 10 years, I will admit that--like many locals--my knowledge about the school was limited, and my perceptions were skewed. What I learned is that the Admiral Farragut of today is far from the rigid military school I imagined it to be, so I feel obligated to shout from the rooftops a list of my findings, and share some unexpected facts about St. Pete’s best kept secret.

1. TRUE DIVERSITY
Many local private and independent schools claim to have diversity within their student body. Farragut truly does. Even the Marine Corps can’t do the Farragut student body justice, because “from the halls of Montezuma to the shores of Tripoli” doesn’t begin to cover it. Farragut students hail from more than 24 countries and 17 U.S. states which means your child could learn with, and from, students from (among other locales) China, Germany, Russia, Hungary, Spain, Greece, Bermuda, Colombia, and even . . . Ohio.

2. YES, THEY HAVE GIRLS
The Academy became a co-ed institution in 1990. The current student body is approximately 40% female, 60% male, and evens out more each year, much to the delight of the male population, I’m sure.

3. ALAN SHEPARD, CLASS OF 1941, AND CHARLIE DUKE, CLASS OF 1953
Two of the twelve U.S. men who have walked on the moon are graduates of Farragut. Alan Shepard was the first American in space in 1961 on Apollo 14. Eleven years later, Charlie Duke walked on the moon with Apollo 16. Duke is famous for saying, “During my time at Farragut, I gained leadership qualities, social maturity, and received an outstanding education that was vital to my success. Even though the word astronaut did not exist at that time, Farragut prepared me for whatever my future held, and instilled determination in me to shoot for the stars.”

4. HERE, STUDENTS DO THEIR OWN DISHES
Beginning in 2nd grade, students are asked to clear their own dishes in the mess hall (a.k.a. the cafeteria), taking them to the kitchen sink and scraping the plates into the garbage, to which Farragut moms around the world give a mighty fist pump. 

5. SHARK WEEK IN ST. PETE
Every year students in 6th and 7th grade Marine Science classes dissect a dogfish shark. Many of the Elementary School classes take a “field trip” to watch and participate in this annual event. It’s a chance for Middle School students to model academic maturity to the “littles,” and a chance for the “littles” to wipe the tears of weak-stomach’ed Middle School students.

6. WATERFRONT CAMPUS = MARINE SCIENCE MECCA
Farragut is the only private school in Pinellas County that can boast a waterfront campus. So if Marine Science and conservation is of interest to your PreK-12th grade child, this school offers more seine-netting, marsh-grass-planting, feet-in-the-water, kids-on-a-sailboat/pontoon/kayak marine instruction than any other. To further challenge your student’s inner Nemo, every Farragut graduate learns to sail and earns a Qualified Boat Handler’s license.

7. NOT A SNOW DAY IN SIGHT
If you’re looking for a boarding school, why not choose one that’s walking distance from beautiful St. Pete Beach as well as all the theme parks and natural springs in the surrounding areas? Who needs “snow days”?

8. “MILITARY LIGHT”
Though at one time Farragut was a traditional military school, “Today it is more akin to ‘military light’,” says the school’s Headmaster Robert Fine, Jr. Farragut high school students are automatically enrolled in the Naval Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps Program (NJROTC) which means students here wear military-like uniforms four days a week and are required to complete three years of Naval Science study during their high school career. Beyond the uniform and additional Naval Science courses, Farragut student life is pretty much like that at any other middle or high school where students join the football team or the Filmmakers Club, attend Prom, and pose for Instagram.

9. LADIES & GENTLEMEN . . .
The best part about sending your kids to a school that is “military light” is that your children become some of the best groomed and best mannered ladies and gentlemen in St. Petersburg. “Yes Ma’am” and “No Sir” are de rigueur here. Young men and women are expected to be respectful to adults, offering eye contact and a firm handshake to all. Shirt tails are always tucked in, hair is always neatly cut and styled, and shoes are always shined. Neatness, punctuality, and respect count. Who wouldn’t want these life lessons instilled and reinforced in school each day?

10. THERE’S NO PLACE LIKE HOME
Since more than half of Farragut’s high school students are either 5-day or 7-day boarders, the school is literally home to many students, meaning the faculty and staff are like family. Likewise, the faculty and staff consider Farragut a home, a large percentage of them staying 15-35 years. They are compassionate educators and experts in their fields who love what they do and the community in which they do it.

11. MI CASA ES SU CASA
Many boarding students go home on weekends and spend holidays with their day student friends. In return, many boarding families invite day students to stay at their home over the summer in states and countries abroad. At Farragut, your child gains true multi-cultural experiences and lifelong friendships.

12. DON’T SPILL THE GLITTER!
Farragut opened its Elementary School in 1999 to students in prekindergarten (3-year-olds) through fifth grade. Elementary students wear typical private school uniforms of khaki shorts and polo shirts. “Other than the character education, there is no military aspect at all in the Elementary School. As long as they don’t spill the glitter we don’t make them march or do push-ups or anything,” joked first grade teacher Mrs. Reynolds.

 
13. HOLISTIC ADMISSIONS POLICY
When considering prospective students, Farragut looks at the whole person. They don’t just want to know a student can succeed academically--they want some idea of what each student will bring to all the other students. It’s one of the ways the school maintains a “we’re all in this together” vibe.

14. LEADERSHIP LIFE LESSONS
Most schools offer leadership opportunities in the form of Student Government or athletic team captains. At Farragut, however, there are many opportunities to gain positions of peer leadership in class as well as in the dorms. Student Battalion Commander Staff--the top tier of leadership--do so much more than any Class President or Student Council member at other schools. Faculty, staff, and their peers rely on them to keep students and their schedules running smoothly. This type of accountability leads to a maturity that speaks loudly to college admissions representatives, and prepares young men and women to be valuable team members, leaders and managers in the workforce. 

15. ON-CAMPUS GHOST TOURS
Farragut Hall was originally built in 1925 as the Jungle Country Club Hotel. The hotel rooms on the second and third floors were converted into dorm rooms, and the first floor was converted into administrative offices. In 1992, the City Council of St. Petersburg passed a resolution designating Admiral Farragut Academy’s Farragut Hall building as a local historic landmark. Come by anytime for a tour of the campus and a great St. Pete history lesson about the Hall’s 1920s clientele including Babe Ruth and many of Al Capone’s henchmen.

16. IF IT’S GOOD ENOUGH FOR MORGAN FREEMAN AND ASHLEY JUDD . . .
Admiral Farragut Academy’s campus was selected as the location for the Veteran’s Hospital scenes in the Warner Brother's film, Dolphin Tale. Students, faculty, and staff watched the campus transform and the filming begin. Some were even hired as extras! 
 
Next week. . . 17 MORE things you may not know about St. Petersburg's best kept secret, Admiral Farragut Academy.