It seems as if it is hard to fit everything into the schedule of a motivated student. AP and honors courses, sports, physical education, fine arts…it is easy to see how elective classes can fall by the wayside as today’s students struggle to create that perfect resume to earn admission to their dream college. Sometimes these students look longingly at the course choices, and with a sigh, continue on with the AP courses, giving up short-term interests for long-term goals.

Is this fair to them? Maybe, maybe not. We all have to make choices in life and sometimes we have to sacrifice for our long-term goals. However at this age, when students are often still exploring and discovering their own talents and interests, perhaps the question should not center around whether it is fair, but what can be done about it? Believe it or not, summer school can provide an answer.

That’s right. Summer school is not just for those who performed poorly during the school year. It is also for motivated students who want to explore during the summer or clear up their schedule for the regular school year.

Many schools and colleges offer “new” summer courses—classes the student takes for the first time, in which he or she can earn a half or even full high school credit.  At Randolph-Macon Academy, our students do this in four weeks.

For rising 9th-12th grade students interested in exploring some interests or building their skills this summer, R-MA is offering the following, each one a half-day course earning them a half-credit over the four weeks:

• Design Concepts for Engineering
• Programming Fundamentals/JAVA
• Personal Finance
• Pottery and Sculpture
• Public Speaking
• Studio Art
• Computer Literacy
• Study Skills
• SAT Prep

Other students may desire to take an elective during the regular school year, but just cannot fit it into their schedule. They may want to try one of these core courses, each of which is a full-day and earns a full high school credit over the four weeks:

• English 10
• English 11
• Biology
• Chemistry
• Spanish I
• Spanish II
• World History II
• U.S. History
• Comparative Religions

The schedule is intense during the four weeks; that is how the credits are earned in such a short time. However, there is fun squeezed into every day and weekend as well.  Evenings are reserved for activities; students either play sports on campus or go bowling or to the movies. Weekends include trips to major theme parks and off-campus shopping.

This year’s summer school runs July 1 – July 27, 2012. Want to learn more? Visit our web site at www.rma.edu/summer-school.

I find that a lot of parents shy away from sending their honor roll kids to a summer academic camp. They figure these kids are doing well academically all year, so why “punish” them by sending them to an academic camp—a.k.a. school, in their minds—during the summer?

Herein lays the fallacy of our thinking—and I say “our” thinking because I used to be in that same camp. Spend a summer learning? No way. Not for me, and not for my kids, I thought. So anyway, here’s what I didn’t know: there exist academic camps that are actually fun, where the kids do more than just attend a class and [watch the kids shudder when they hear this word] learn.

You want to know what an academic summer camp is like? Take a look at the daily schedule. I’m going to use the R-MA Summer Academic Camp, located in Virtinia, as the example here. Keep in mind that every academic camp will have its own flavor and style. This is just a sample.

In the morning, we wake up at 6:45 am. After breakfast and a flag-raising ceremony, we head off to “classes” at 8:30 am. Each class is one hour and 15 minutes. The classes themselves range from science, digital media, and history to math, reading and writing, and study skills. You take what you like, up to three classes. The teachers do their best to make it fun.

Classes are over for the day by 12:25 pm, and we head to lunch. After lunch there is a 45-minute mentoring session, where the students meet with adults in small groups. They talk about academics, work on team building, and even participate in community service projects.

At 2:10 pm there is an activities period/homework lab. Wait! Don’t get scared by that word “homework.” There is a study hall period later in the day that is only 40 minutes, and the idea is for the students to complete their assignments during that time. However, we know that some students may struggle with concepts, especially if they are taking a math class. This homework lab gives them time to catch up if they are starting to fall behind in class, or get a little help if they need it. If they’re already caught up, they can play basketball, soccer, tennis, Frisbee, or some other sport. They could also be painting, sculpting, drawing, hiking, or working on a recycling project during this period.

After the activity period there’s an hour of free time, then that 40-minute study hall I mentioned earlier. Dinner is at 5:30 pm. At 6:15 pm we move onto some more fun—in addition to the activities mentioned earlier, campers might be swimming, going to the movies, bowling, mini-golfing, roller-skating or roasting marshmallows and listening to spooky legends of the Shenandoah Valley.

Recreation activities typically finish up by 9:30 pm. Students then get about 15 minutes to prepare for bed; lights-out is at 9:45 pm.

Now there’s one more thing about our academic camp you should know: we go on field trips almost every week. It might be going to a musical at Shenandoah University, exploring the Udvar-Hazy Air and Space Museum, the Marine Corps Museum, or Mount Vernon, or visiting monuments in the DC-area and Virginia.

Hey, it’s summer. It should be fun!

I grew up in New York State, and the term “military school” was not familiar to me. By the time I came to R-MA as an admission counselor in 1999, I had a very high opinion of the Air Force because my husband was just finishing up seven years of service, and I had worked at an Air Force base as a civilian for two years.  However, I didn’t understand much about Air Force Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps, and how a school with that type of program might differ from a military school without it. So for those who might be as clueless as I was, I’m going to attempt to clarify things a bit….

With a JROTC program, there is an accreditation process and operating policies to which schools must adhere, overseen by the military branch with which they are associated. The mission, the purpose of these programs is primarily to help our teenagers grow into good citizens and leaders of sound moral character.  (That’s a major paraphrase, but you get the idea.) It is NOT intended to recruit students into the military, although some students certainly do take that route. These military schools are normally college-prep schools. In fact, at R-MA, our junior year curriculum heavily involves college preparation—writing the personal statement, creating an activity resume, and researching colleges are a few of the things covered.

A couple of side benefits: If a student does enlist directly into the military after four years of JROTC, he or she may receive an extra “stripe” or rank at the end of Basic Training. Also, these JROTC units have nomination authority for military service academy appointment, a privilege normally reserved for US Senators and Congressmen. 

Military schools that do not have a JROTC program have their own agenda—by that I mean their missions vary greatly. They may be college-prep schools, or they could be more of a reform school. The military program in this type of school exists as an independent entity, without answering to an accrediting agency or the government.

A way to put the difference into your mind might be like this:

A military school with a JROTC program is to an independent military school

as a United Methodist Church is to an independent Christian church.

It’s not that one is necessarily right or wrong, good or bad, they are just different, and it serves you well to look carefully at those differences and figure out which one is best for you.

For a full list of military schools, visit the Association of Military Colleges and Schools of the United States.

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It takes guts to stand up in front of a crowd and sing or speak or act…actually, for some of us it takes guts just to stand there! I have to give credit to high school students who can do that—which at R-MA, happens a lot. The cadre officers have to be able to command their flights and squadrons. There are mandatory speech contests in Middle School and again in sophomore year. The chorus director frequently singles out a student for a solo performance at concerts or at chapel services on Monday mornings. There are a lot of opportunities for our students to be in front of the crowd.

However, at Monday night’s “Poetry Slam,” I saw a new level of courage.

Our poetry slam is the equivalent of a talent contest. It is wide open to singers, musicians, poets, rappers, comedians—keep it clean and the floor is yours. On Monday, there was a list of performers, most of whom had performed before—and there were clearly crowd favorites greeted by enthusiastic cheers. After completing the list of students who had signed up before the event, MC Logan Usmani ’12 opened up the floor to anyone else.

In walked Won Joo “Jake” Ko ’14 from South Korea. Now there’s something you should know about Jake: he enrolled at R-MA on Monday.

Can you imagine enrolling at a brand new boarding school in a foreign country in the middle of the year, and going up to perform for about 100 of your peers the same day you arrive? I daresay not many of us would do that. But Jake did.

The students were extra supportive. They respected his courage and applauded and cheered wildly to encourage this newcomer. After all, they had all been new to boarding school at one time as well, so they knew what kind of courage he was showing. By the end of Jake’s performance, they were not cheering to be supportive. They were cheering because he was amazing.

Check out his performance:

Jake won one of the top prizes for his outstanding performance, and maybe for his courage as well. The rest of our courageous winners were Regina Song ’14 and Carly Cramer ’12 and Louisa Stanwich ’14, and I decided to post their videos here as well, because they also did a fantastic job:

Regina:

Carly & Louisa:

What do you think? Pretty talented teenagers, aren't they?

by Robert Davies, English Department Chair at Randolph-Macon Academy 

English instruction at Randolph-Macon Academy encompasses two classes for students in grades 6-10.  Each student takes a Literature and Vocabulary course and a Grammar and Composition course (with an increased focus on rhetoric at the 10th grade level). We introduced this program the same year that the SAT test increased the focus on language-arts skills by adding the Writing section to the Critical Reading and Mathematics sections.  There was a national recognition that composition skills, in addition to reading comprehension levels, were lagging.  Our program of Double English has allowed us to address and develop the reading and writing levels of our students at the younger levels.  Our program obviously has a cross-curricular impact in support of reading and composition skills in every department since language skills are essential to history, science, and other disciplines.  In addition, the two sections of English are available at the Upper School in honors-level courses.

This program allows an expansive development of college-preparatory and cross-curricular skills in reading, composition, vocabulary, grammar, rhetoric, public speaking, creative writing, and research.  Students read ten novels and plays each year from the finest classical and contemporary literature. They explore poetry, short fiction, essays, and journalism.  College-preparatory vocabulary is reinforced with cumulative testing that emphasizes retention.  Students study grammar in depth to develop their understanding of the structure of language and their facility as writers.  Students learn to develop and support a thesis; they develop the skills of the critical thinker. Creative writing is developed through exploring the techniques of great authors.  Students learn and apply the methodology of MLA research. 

Our program develops the language skills needed for success in high school, college, and beyond.  The literature opens their minds to the larger world; the composition develops their reasoning and voice.  Students find Double English to be a valuable and enjoyable experience in their intellectual growth.

Chances are you’ve used the phrase “private school” or “independent school” in an online search for your child’s educational opportunities.  Each term brings up different results. A look at search term stats shows that the phrase “private school” is significantly more popular than “independent school.” So is there a difference, or are these just different terms for the same thing?  I did a little research into it, and here’s what I’ve learned:

Independent School

An independent school, by definition, is a non-profit institution governed by a board of trustees. It receives no financial support from the government, as public schools do, or from a church. It is the term most often used within the education world, yet is not familiar to most families.

Private School

Private school is the term most people use and are familiar with. The difference is that the term private school is a larger umbrella. An independent school is a private school, but a private school is not necessarily an independent school—sort of like all Labrador Retrievers are dogs, but not all dogs are Labrador Retrievers! A private school could be a parochial or religious school, a Montessori school, or even a for-profit school. In other words, any school that is not a public school is considered to be a private school.

Where does R-MA fall?

R-MA is both a private school and an independent school. Although we are affiliated with the United Methodist Church, the funds provided go specifically to fund a chapel program on campus and to provide scholarships for United Methodist students. R-MA was founded by Methodists, and the Church visits every ten years to ensure our campus culture and teachings are acceptable, but it does not dictate what we teach or do at R-MA. In fact, R-MA is actually a private independent school, and as such is accredited by the Virginia Association of Independent Schools, a rigorous accreditation process that takes place every ten years (with a five-year review in between).  

For more information about independent schools and to access a list of the 1,400 schools that are members of the National Association of Independent Schools, visit http://www.nais.org/admission/index.cfm?ItemNumber=145854.

By Miss’e Odoom ’13

Alpha Reader’s 1st Annual Christmas Dinner, held on December 13th at the residence of R-MA English teacher Lynne Schoonover, was a festive night full of fun and fantastic food, contributed by Mr. and Mrs. Lyle Alexander P’14, ESL teacher Jennifer Mustain, and math teacher Eric Barr. There was quite a large turnout, drawing students and teachers alike, but it was still a cozy and comfortable Christmas get-together of literary friends. There were roast beef sandwiches, macaroni and cheese, fresh fruit, as well as cupcakes, candies, and cookies galore.

For entertainment, there was The Grinch Who Stole Christmas, lively Christmas music, and piano playing by Li Deng ’12 and another senior (name withheld by request) who performed “Smile” by Charlie Chaplin.

Robin Penn ’13, a new Alpha member, said that  her favorite part of the Christmas dinner was watching and listening to Austin [Hayes ’12] and one of the sophomores [name withheld by request] read “The Night Before Christmas” to all those gathered.

“Playing with Gracie [the Schoonover’s dog] was my favorite part,” said Rebel Hafner ’15, another member. Alpha Readers President Miss’e “Santa” Odoom ’13 gave out gifts of pop-up toys, candy canes, and 3-D light glasses. Overall, the night was a success, and everyone is already looking forward to next year’s Alpha Readers Book Club Christmas Dinner.

With midterm exams falling into this week, it would have been easy to overlook Martin Luther King, Jr. Day today. Students are busy studying and fretting, teachers are busy preparing and grading, and the schedule is different than a normal week. However, R-MA's administration and faculty were determined not to let the day go by completely unnoted. The social studies department at the Upper School was asked to give a short presentation to honor and remember the gallant efforts of this noble leader, and the teachers did so during the lunch formation today.  

The speakers, in order of their appearance, were Andrew Harriman, Patricia Strother, and Brian Barbour. Here is the tribute:

History fans and those of us who had to memorize the Gettysburg Address might notice Ms. Strother used a few familiar phrases. She did indeed borrow them from the Gettysburg Address, feeling that they were both powerful and symbolic. 

Let’s face it. Going to a boarding school is exciting, but there is a lot of nervousness for first-time students. It doesn’t take any stretch of the imagination to think how much harder it can be for students enrolling mid-year. You’re entering into a school year that’s already in-swing; it’s like entering a dance where you know the music, but not necessarily the exact moves. We’ve told you how some schools strive to make the transition easier in last week’s blog. But what can you do?

Here are a few tips from our boarding school president, our commandant, and a few of our teachers:

1. Relax…don't try to over-think it.

2. Don't worry that you:

• Don't know anyone--neither did anyone else when they first got here!
• Don't know the dorm hall from the Halls of Montezuma. People will be glad to help you find your way.
• That you don't  know anything about all the military stuff (in the case of a military boarding school like R-MA)—we will teach you that and we don’t expect you to know it all the first day.

3. Ask questions. Use your Big Brother/Big Sister, your teachers, your mentor and your dorm counselor. We're all here to help you succeed. There is no such thing as a stupid question.

4. Be yourself. This is a fresh start. No one has any preconceived notions of you. Here, you can be the person you've always known in your heart you could be.

5. Get involved. The faster you get involved, the faster you will find your niche and make friends.

6. Take ownership of your learning. At R-MA, we have a period called tutorial where students can seek help or make up assignments. Other schools may have office hours for their teachers. All boarding schools are going to make sure their teachers are accessible in some way. Take advantage of that time to introduce yourself to your teachers and have them show you what they've done that year that is different to your old school. Be honest about what you’ve learned at your former school and what you have not.

7. Be prepared to work hard to catch up. You will likely find that in some classes you are behind or your teacher at your former school covered things in a different order. You and the teachers at your new boarding school will have to do a little extra to make sure you are on track with the rest of your class.

8. Be on time for everything.

9. Do not go home for at least two weeks...three is better. You need time to adjust to being away from home and solidify the friendships you make here. Going home the first or even the second weekend can actually make homesickness worse.

10. Call your mom and dad at least every other day.

11. Have fun!

Boarding school is an adventure. Go in with a positive attitude, and you're halfway to success!

Still haven't applied? You're running out of time, but you can get the process going at R-MA by applying online.

Randolph-Macon Academy offers a unique flight training program: the planes are owned by the Academy and the flight training instructors are part of the Academy faculty. You might wonder how a sane person might be willing to teach teens to fly. (I certainly did!) Here's a quick Q&A session with the flight training director, Laura Abraham:

1. Tell me a little bit about your background at R-MA.  
I started working at R-MA as a flight instructor in June of 2002.  I became the flight training director in January 2006.  I am originally from Pittsburgh, PA.  When I became a certified flight instructor, instructor jobs were scarce.  I was so happy to find a nice place to instruct like R-MA!
 
2. How did you first become interested in flying?
I always liked airplanes and airports.  I loved going to airports and watching planes take off and land when I was little.  When I was sixteen, I went hang gliding down in Kill Devil Hills, NC.  I was hooked!

3. What do you enjoy most about your job as a flight training director?
I really like working with teenagers.  My undergraduate degree is in education.  I also really like being a mentor to the nine teens in my mentoring group.  I like talking to them about their weekend plans and about the good things that happened to them during the week.  I also like helping them figure out problems in their lives and watching them succeed.

4. Teaching teenagers to drive seems like a daunting task to many of us. How do you have the courage to teach high school students to fly?
It would be strange for me to teach adults.  I've never taught an adult how to fly.  It has always been teenagers.  I like teaching high school students because they are very receptive and learn quickly.  

5. During your time as flight director, you've managed to upgrade the entire fleet of R-MA planes. Tell me why that was so important.
It's important to keep aircraft current for many reasons.  Safety is our number one priority in the flight training program.  Planes, like cars, need to be updated.  Also, we want our students to be exposed to the benefits of modern aircraft.  Both of our planes have a GPS and autopilot. Having modern equipment also keeps us competitive with other flight training schools. 

6. What's next for the R-MA flight training program?
I want to start a safety program in our department.  Being proactive rather than reactive is the only safe way to run a flight program.  I also want to start introducing our students to the changes taking place in our national airspace system.  The changes are referred to as the Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen).  A lot of changes will be occurring between now and 2025, including changes to general aviation.  NextGen is the biggest national airspace overhaul in the history of aviation.  I want our students to be ready.

For more information on R-MA's flight program, visit our web site.

How many times have you said, “Gee, I wish I’d done that sooner?” Well, if you’ve been considering college-prep boarding schools because:

• You feel you need more of a challenge.
• You need a more structured environment.
• You want to be in a college-prep school where the teachers know who you are.
• You’ve been considering going to boarding school and becoming more independent.
• You want to go to a military school.
• You want to play a sport and the smaller environment will give you that chance.

WHY WAIT? This is the time of New Year’s resolutions. Some schools accept students mid-year, so you have a chance to change your environment now, but time is running out. For example, Randolph-Macon Academy is now accepting second semester applications, but students who are interested must be accepted before the registration date of January 23rd. This is a time when we will be welcoming new students who want to change schools and know it is smarter to do it right now rather than put it off another six months until next fall.

Not all schools accept new students at mid-year, but since R-MA does this regularly we know how to make the transition smooth for each new student. How do we do that? Here are a few of the ways:

• Peer Assistance: All new students are assigned an attentive “Big Brother” or “Big Sister” who help with the adjustment.
• Personal Attention in the Dorm: Since the number of new students is a smaller group than at the beginning of the school year the dorm staff are able to focus on making the transition as comfortable as possible.
• Personal Attention in the Classroom: Teachers are able to work with each new student to determine their academic strengths and challenges in order to help them reach their greatest potential as they prepare for college.

If you have been struggling with applying yourself at the level needed to achieve, you will find that many boarding schools provide a structured environment that sets aside designated study time; this may be just the boost you need.

If you always wanted to play sports, but are not sure you’ll make the team, you may find there are more opportunities at boarding schools with sports programs. At R-MA, for example, we field 20 varsity sports, which requires a good deal of participation from the 300 students enrolled in grades 9-12. As a result, there are few cuts, so even if you're new to the school, you can still try out for a spring sports team and have a very good chance of making the team. You never know what you can do until you try!

Give some serious consideration to applying for second semester admission at a college-prep boarding school. For college applications, the longer you are in one school the better. The sooner you make the switch the more success you will have. If you're interested in checking out the second semester opportunities at R-MA, visit our web site. For a list of other schools that might still be accepting students second semester, visit AdmissionsQuest.

Academic summer camps? Seriously? It is important to keep a child’s mind engaged over the summer, but at the same time, summer should be fun, right?

Actually, at R-MA, we happen to agree. That’s why we developed a summer academic camp that will provide both engagement and fun.

This year, we’re changing things up a bit. Those of you familiar with the program know that we offer four enrichment courses—History in Action, Reading and Writing, Science Explorer, and Digital Media--and three skills courses—Basic Math, Pre-Algebra, and Study Skills. This year, three of the enrichment courses will all center around one main theme: the Civil War.

So what does that mean, exactly? Well, it means that the three enrichment courses of History in Action, Reading and Writing, and Science Explorer will each use that theme when creating their projects. Admission time for me: I am NOT a history buff. If you’d suggested any summer academic camps like this to me as a child, I would have run from you to keep from discussing it. And boy, would I have missed out.

Let me tell you how this works. Of course incorporating the Civil War into History in Action is pretty simple. There are tons of battlefields and museums in this area, and this wouldn’t be the first year that we created a re-enactment of Gettysburg with water balloons. Even Reading and Writing isn’t too much of a stretch—there are many fiction and nonfiction books about the Civil War, and the possibilities of reports and creative writing stories you can write about the Civil War are positively endless.

I have to admit, though…when I heard about this "theme idea" my first thought was, “Science? How do you incorporate a Civil War theme into science?” It turns out that even then, battles involved a lot of technology and physics. How far will that cannon reach? How large of an impact will it make? Then there’s the anatomy and medicine of the time period. Injuries that we could survive today were fatal in 1862. How did they handle those injuries? How did anyone survive anything out there with such limited medical knowledge and hardly any supplies? And the geology of the region had major impacts on the battles that took place.

I was impressed with what is planned. All of this, plus sports, swimming, trips to amusement parks, a field trip almost every week. Maybe I’m biased, but I wish I was young enough to attend!

For more information about the R-MA Summer Academic Camp, visit our web site.

Have you attended the Middle School summer academic camp before? If so, leave a comment and let us know!

The following blog was written by Stephen Latham, German instructor at Randolph-Macon Academy, a boarding school in Virginia.

Where would you like to travel if you could go anywhere in the world? Nearly everyone I ask says they would love to go to Europe with its rich history reflected in old castles and cathedrals, elaborate festivals and traditions, and the amazing food and drink. When I ask where in Europe they would most like to visit, once again the overwhelming response is Germany. Germany has many of the oldest and most impressive castles, cathedrals and old towns that look like they come directly from a picture book of fairy tales. Germany is, after all, the land of fairy tales, such as Cinderella or Hansel and Gretel, as immortalized by the Brothers Grimm. You can visit cathedrals that are over 1000 years old and contain the remains of the German emperors of the Holy Roman Empire. What greater festival can there be than the world-famous Oktoberfest in Munich with its incredible selection of spit-roasted oxen, suckling pigs, chicken, sausages and of course some of the best beer in the world brewed in accordance with Germany’s age-old purity laws.

There is the German-speaking neighbor of Austria with its cosmopolitan world city of Vienna that is once again regaining its place as the meeting point between Western and Eastern Europe for culture and business. Then there is Salzburg, the home of Mozart, voted the top composer of the last millennium.  Of course there is also Germany’s other German-speaking neighbor, Switzerland, with some of the most elite ski resorts in the world such as St. Moritz where the British Royal Family skis. Add to that mix the most expensive and fashionable watches in the world, not to mention the amazing food such as the highest quality chocolate, Swiss cheeses and fondue, and you have the vacation of a lifetime.

So many students or parents tell me how they went on a trip to Europe and loved the German-speaking countries more than anywhere else, but they wished they had learned at least a little German before they went. Although many Germans can speak English, especially in tourist areas, you always remain a tourist without being able to speak the language. It is like peering through the windows into a wonderful gingerbread house. If you speak even a few words of German you become more of a guest and the Germans, who are renowned for the pride they have in showing off their country, open up the door to that house and you are invited inside. Instead of reading the fairy tale, you actually get to step inside it and live it.

As well as being a top tourist destination, Germany remains one of the top exporters in the world, renowned for its engineering and cars such as Porsche and Mercedes. Switzerland has long led the world in international banking. Germany is politically and economically the engine room of Europe, playing a leading role in the European Union. Do you really need any more reasons to study German?

The following blog was written by Miss'e Odoom, a junior at Randolph-Macon Academy. Miss'e is a member of the Alpha Readers Book Club at this military school.

Beguiling books, compelling conversation, an enjoyable evening, and fantastic fare… this is none other than Alpha Readers book club, now in its sixth year. Mouthwatering meals and lively literature engaged every student at the book club meeting on Monday, November 14th, 2011. This month’s book was The Most of P.G. Wodehouse, an anthology of works by the English author and humorist, P.G. Wodehouse. Specifically, Alpha Readers students read “The Drones Club” and “Stanley Featherstonehaugh Ukridge.”

The meeting boasted more faculty and student attendees than ever before and a very lively conversation. The group decided that the best collection was “The Drones Club” and the best story from the collection was “Goodbye to All Cats,” a story about one of Freddie Widgeon’s numerous attempts to finally snag the girl that holds his heart. He tries to impress the family of his sweetheart, Dahlia Prenderby, but makes his share of silly mistakes, including throwing a cat on her father twice and sitting on another cat. When the family infers that Freddie does not like animals as much as they do, he is scorned by them and he does not get his girl--again.  Wodehouse turns out to be one of the most popular authors in the Alpha Readers extensive reading log.  

You might have seen this already if you're on the R-MA admission or alumni e-newsletter list, but I had to post it here anyway, because some of the kids were excited about being in it. The video says it all.

I love working at a boarding school like R-MA, with a Christian foundation. (R-MA is affiliated with the United Methodist Church--you can read about our roots in this blog post.)  I love being able to listen to Christmas music whenever I want and being able to say “Merry Christmas” without a fear of being reprimanded or fired. I love that we have a Christmas Concert (check our YouTube channel to hear some of it), not a Winter Concert. I just love being able to freely celebrate a holiday that means so much to me.

We have a tremendously diverse student population here, and as you can imagine, not everyone is Christian. One of the things I love about R-MA is that we do celebrate Christmas as a community, but we also respect the religions and beliefs of others. Our students, faculty, and staff listen to each other and try to understand each other. They do not belittle each other’s beliefs, and I think that makes this a very special community.

During the school year, our students hear from their peers about Ramadan, Chanukah, Passover, and other holidays and solemn observances of various faiths.  These presentations vary year to year depending on whether we have students who are willing to share their beliefs with (and talk in front of) their peers. However, there is one lesson that never changes—it has been a tradition for years at Randolph-Macon Academy, and as long as R-MA is a Christian boarding school, I certainly hope it continues.

The day after the students put on their Christmas Concert for their families, fellow students, and the R-MA staff and faculty, we hold “Lessons & Carols” during our chapel service. This is an annual event that takes the students through some key readings in the Bible that reference Jesus and his birth.  

Lessons & Carols doesn’t just give a lesson, of course. As the name implies, it also gives a couple of our staff and faculty members the opportunity to perform for the students.  No matter what religion the students practice, they seem to appreciate these performances.

This year we had Chorus Director Michael DeMato and his wife in a beautiful duet:

I had hoped to upload another video, but FlipShare and our YouTube account are not cooperating right now. Maybe I can post it later.

Oh, one more thing…as I was writing this, I saw that Chanukah begins tonight! So from all of us at R-MA to our Jewish friends, we wish you a very blessed and happy Chanukah.

I LOVE the R-MA Christmas Concert. It’s a concert put on every year by the military school where I work, Randolph-Macon Academy. Every year I get to enjoy the band, chorus and handbell choir. The students all attend, parents attend, and even members of the community are invited.

It got me thinking this year. I guess that a band is not unusual for a military school, but I wonder how military bands many travel from New York City to Florida regularly, and get invited to perform concerts for audiences of thousands. I also wonder how many can boast that they have a chorus (which has also been invited to perform a concert for a national convention three consecutive years) and a handbell choir. Then I wondered how many had all of those plus studio art and a drama department that puts on two fantastic plays every year.

Well, I guess I won’t know unless I someday have enough time to go look through the web sites of the 30 or so military schools listed with the Association of Military Colleges and Schools of the United States. (That’s not likely to happen any time soon!) But just thinking about it, I have a deep appreciation for the talent of our students and our instructors.
I’m slowly adding clips from our Christmas concert to YouTube, so you’ll see the chorus and band in the coming days if you check our channel. In the meantime, here are a couple of pieces our handbell choir performed Sunday night:

I’m new! Come join me! Having started work at Randolph-Macon Academy on Labor Day of 2011, I just hit my three month mark.  I’d like to tell you why I enjoy coming to work at this Virginia boarding school each day, and why you should consider joining me at R-MA.

I have experience as an independent day school parent, staff member, and board member, and I had attended a boarding school in Virginia for my own high school years, but this world of a military boarding school was new to me. What I found is that at R-MA there is the excitement of working with others who are committed to bringing out the best in each student. The leadership has a strong faith in the goodness of children and sets the example for how to treat the students. The faculty offer opportunities for the students to reach a higher level while having some fun along the way. How many schools let you study a classic novel by going to a performance at the Kennedy Center or learn math and science by building robots?

Already, in just a few months, I have experienced a full dress military parade, a wonderful dramatic/musical production that took advantage of every inch of the stage at “The Little Theatre,” met a colonel from the South Korean Air Force and escorted a group of students from the Korean Air Force High School around our campus, attended some football games, eaten plenty of great food, and worked with awesome adults and students.

I was not sure what to expect from one of Virginia’s renowned military boarding schools, but I found a school that encourages students to reach beyond what they believed to be their own capabilities, to be independent, to think for themselves. One of the things I am most impressed with at R-MA is the atmosphere which promotes self-examination and growth. This starts at the top with the leadership. The vision set forth by General Hobgood is that R-MA will continually strive to be the best college preparatory military school in the country.  This means that not only do we set high standards for our students and support them in reaching for those goals; we set high standards for ourselves and strive constantly to improve the quality of the education and the experience at R-MA.

Whether you are considering an independent education for the challenges available through small classes and faculty attention; a boarding school for the independence and self-reliance living away from home can give you; or a college preparatory school so that you can achieve the right college match, Randolph Macon Academy can accommodate all your requirements. 

So, come join me at R-MA near the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains in northern Virginia. Give the admissions office a call, come visit, and spend some time in our classes and with our students. I know you’ll discover more than you expect, just as I have.

As part of the Air Force Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps program at our school, cadets learn the three core values of the Air Force. I’ve seen examples of these being taught in our school this year, and it makes me proud.  

Integrity First

Whether they are part of the Junior ROTC or not, this is a value that will serve students their entire lives. And I think it may be the hardest value to teach to today’s students. This generation has grown up watching unsavory CEOs steal people’s retirements and families lose their homes to unscrupulous banks. If you asked what they have learned, the answer would not be “integrity first.” It would be “greed first.”

At R-MA, we do not leave the teaching of this ideal to only the Air Force Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps instructors.  The Honor Code at R-MA states, “I will not lie, cheat or steal, nor tolerate those who do.” Students who do not adhere to that honor code are brought before a peer review committee called the Honor Council. It is one of the ways in which we teach them the Air Force core value of “Integrity First.”

I was in a classroom earlier this year when a teacher discovered that one of the new students was about to copy someone else’s homework. The student had no idea that was cheating. She thought it was acceptable so that she did not get assigned to Friday Night Study Hall. The teacher quickly corrected that notion. That is teaching Integrity First.

Excellence In All We Do

I saw this one just this morning. We’ve had a great year so far with our student leaders, but the idea of attention to detail, to strive for excellence in every little area, was driven home today. I was in one of the Junior ROTC classrooms this morning and one of the cadre, the student leaders, did not have a tie, which was a required uniform item for the photos being taken. The Air Force Junior ROTC instructor quickly pointed out that as a student leader, he had to set the example. A missing uniform item may seem unimportant to a teenager, but it is part of being excellent in all we do, not just the things we think are important.

Service Before Self

The people of the Air Force take this to heart. They serve on boards, they donate funds, they do “grunt work,” they put others first consistently—it was part of the reason I loved being married to an Air Force man. When my husband separated from the military and we came here in 1999, I was happy to find that same focus on community service.  It has since grown. Our students served more than 12,000 hours last year. And as Mama Bear of the Berenstain Bears figured out, kids learn by doing. If we want our children to learn to serve others, they need to do it.  

Integrity first. Excellence in all we do. Service before self. They are good values to live by, and I am very grateful that my son has learned them during his time in Air Force Junior ROTC.

My son Michael plans to apply to eight colleges altogether. He has only applied to three so far, but he is over halfway there. And no, my math is not messed up. Read on. I’ll prove it.

When Michael told me last year he wanted to apply to the Air Force Academy, I was surprised, but I figured there was no better place than R-MA for him to be if that’s what he was considering. It is a fantastic college-prep school, and there is no better military academy prep school, in my admittedly biased opinion.

Now I knew any service academy application process was cumbersome, but I had no idea how bad it truly was. Not that the good folks at R-MA didn’t try to warn us—the college counselor and Michael’s mentor as well as others all made sure we knew what was involved. Michael was accepted into R-MA’s military academy prep track called High Flight last year, so he has received careful guidance and knew what needed to be done. It’s just that going through it is different than being told what needs to be done, like the difference between being told how to drive a car and actually doing it, or thinking about having a party vs actually planning it.

This is what I learned: doing a military academy application is as labor-intensive as applying to five different colleges.

You may know that to get an academy appointment, you first have to get a nomination from the senator or congressman in your area—or obtain one from the Vice President. You have to submit an application, letters of recommendation, transcripts, and SAT/ACT scores, to each senator, the congressman, and the Vice President, as well as to the academy itself. Every application is different and has different essays and deadlines. Then you have interviews for some of them, and the physical fitness test for the military academy—oh, and the medical exam and eye exam as well.

I am SO glad that part is done.

Since finishing his Air Force Academy application, Michael has managed to complete two more college applications. He missed the early action deadline on both of them, but I couldn’t find it in my heart to get on his case about it. By my count, he’s done the equivalent of seven applications. On the bright side, he’s almost an expert at it. Hopefully the next five college applications will be a snap.