167th Corps of Cadets OAK RIDGE MILITARY ACADEMY NEWSLETTER 166 Years of Developing Leaders

17 December 2018 Volume 2, Issue 1

News From The Ridge

ORMA Inducts Nation’s Best! The ORMA chapter of the National Honor Society (NHS) was established in 1975, later

adding the National Junior Honor Society (NJHS). Cadets in the 10th, 11th, and 12th

grades are eligible for membership in the Academy’s NHS Chapter. Cadets in grades 8

and 9 are eligible for membership in the Academy’s NJHS Chapter. Each Cadet pro-

posed for membership must have been an Academy Cadet the equivalent of at least

one semester and carry a cumulative unweighted GPA of at least 3.5 in courses taken

at the Academy and cannot have a failing course grade. Cadets who have exceptional

performance in the areas of scholarship, leadership, citizenship, and service are re-

viewed and affirmed by a five-member ORMA Faculty Council. On Friday, November

16th, the following Cadets who have earned this honor were inducted:

C/CPT Joseph D’Ausilio (NHS) C/2LT Holden Strickland (NHS)

C/CPL Dasha Fons (NHS) C/ MSG Braley Stocks (NHS)

Inside this issue

Featured Cadets ......................... 1

Cadets Upward bound ................ 2

The ORMA Advantage ................ 3

Commandant's Corner ............... 4

In the Spot Light ......................... 5

News from the President ........... 6

Special point of interest

University Early Acceptance Cadet Second Lieutenant Holden Strickland started at ORMA in Fall 2015

as a freshman. At that time, he was a young man in need of guidance,

and the tailored, focused learning environment provided by ORMA. The

enhanced academic setting and Cadet-led structure inspired him to

perform at his highest potential, academically and militarily. Over the

years, he did just that. He took on increasingly difficult responsibilities

and classes, including two AP history courses. Holden joined the cross-

country team as a freshman and earned the position of co-captain in the

Fall 2017. After completing Cadre training, and later OCS training, Hold-

en moved through the ranks of leadership to serve as Company Com-

mander this year. In his spare time, Holden worked diligently to be-

come a small aircraft pilot.

Cadet Strickland's hard work and achievements reflected on his ORMA

resume have already earned him admission to several colleges including

Florida Institute of Technology, Jacksonville University, Kent State Uni-

versity, Lewis University, Ohio Wesleyan University, Roanoke College,

Saint Louis University and Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, and

that’s only the beginning.

Cadets sign NHS Registry

ORMA Basketball on the Rise!

Advancement! … Not Given, It’s Earned

The Corps of Cadets is organized as a battalion that is comprised of two companies: Alpha and Bravo Companies. The Commandant of Cadets places

Cadets in companies based on age, grade, and leadership abilities. Each company consists of Cadets from all classes. A Cadet’s rank and position within

the Corps are determined by academic and military performance, participation in ORMA activities, and demonstrated leadership potential. The inten-

tion of the ORMA Promotions and Assignment is to promote Cadets who are performing satisfactorily in accordance with ORMA standards into their

leadership potential while providing a rewarding opportunity to improve their leadership through increasingly challenging position assignment.

The following cadets, effective November 2018, are promoted to the rank as indicated below.

2

Name Promoted to:

C/PVT Nguyen, Liam C/PV2

C/SFC Noimanee, Jiraphorn C/MSG

C/PVT Piazza, Daniel C/PV2

C/PFC Snow, Brandon C/CPL

C/PVT Szott, Matthew C/PV2

C/PFC Hurst, Ethan C/CPL

Name Promoted to:

C/PVT Bush, Corey C/PV2

C/PVT Dafoe, Reyna C/PV2

C/PVT Dan Jumbo, Samuel C/CPL

C/PVT Hennis, Will C/PV2

C/PVT Keller, Diane C/CPL

C/PFC Lake, Nimi C/CPL

C/PVT Lemus, Bryan C/PV2

Name Reassigned to:

C/SFC Noimanee, Jiraphorn S-3 C/SGM Color Guard Commander

The ORMA Basketball season is off and running! Both the Boys and Girls

teams have come flying out of the gate. The Boys are currently standing

atop the Greater Piedmont Athletic Conference (GPAC) standings with a

league record of 3 – 0. They are 5 – 1 overall. Leading the charge in the

early part of the season have been Cadet Elijah Lewis and Cadet Jona-

than Shamine. Cadet Lewis is the 2nd leading scorer in the conference,

and he has made his mark by being much more than a scorer. He cur-

rently leads the conference in both assists and steals, the mark of a true

point guard. Cadet Shamine is also one of the leading scorers and top

rebounders in the conference, as well as an academic scholar (within a

4.3 GPA) and a proven Cadet leader. The Cadets close out the first half

of their schedule next week with 3 games. The girls’ team is also 5 – 1

overall and they are 2 – 1 in the conference. Leading the charge for

ORMA is Cadet Alexis Spung. Cadet Spung’s athleticism, combined with

her scholastic dominance and demonstrated leadership abilities, has

wreaked havoc on opposing teams. There are a lot of girls who are

playing organized basketball for the first time, but their improvement

thus far has been amazing. If they continue to grow and improve, they

will be a force to reckon with come postseason play in February!

Day Date Home Team

Away Team

Game Times

Saturday December

15 Paul R Brown

ORMA 2pm (Boys

Only)

Monday December

17 ORMA Oak Level

7pm (Boys Only)

Monday January 7 Shining

Light ORMA

6pm (Girls Only)

Tuesday January 8 ORMA Noble 7pm (Boys

Only)

Thursday January 10 QEA ORMA 5:30pm &

7pm

Tuesday January 15 ORMA Tri-SDAS 5:30pm &

7pm

Thursday January 17 Bradford ORMA 5:30pm &

7pm

Tuesday January 29 Hayworth ORMA 7pm (Boys

Only)

Tuesday January 29 ORMA Woodson 6pm (Girls

Only)

Wednesday January 30 NCLA ORMA 6pm & 7:30pm

Thursday January 31 Paul R Brown

ORMA 5:30pm

(Boys Only)

Monday February 4 Triad Bap-

tist ORMA

5pm & 7pm

February

11-15 GPAC

Tourna-ment

TBA

3

At ORMA, our academic team evaluates our processes to ensure Cadets have ample opportunities

for success both in their academics and in the college admission process. Cadets are served

by the academic faculty in a number of ways such as:

Help Class – Monday thru Thursday, Cadets are afforded a free tutoring session with their teach-

ers. At the end of the normal academic day, teachers encourage and welcome Cadets to

their classrooms for additional instruction or to boost success with homework or other class-

room-based assignments.

Closed Quarters (CQs) – Monday thru Thursday, an established window of time insures that Ca-

dets are allowed an uninterrupted focus on their studies. Cadets are assured that nothing

else is allowed to interfere with this study time from 7:30 until 9:00 PM each evening.

Sustained rigor and reasonable expectations are part of each teacher’s classroom practic-

es. Standards for text-driven courses such as Language Arts, History, and Math that benefit

from repetitive practices, are in place to assure that Cadets are not overloaded while still

pushing them to achieve at a high level. In the event that Cadets become overwhelmed, help

classes and the CQ’s afford them opportunities to develop their understandings.

Standardized test preparation. This academic year (2018-19), we implemented the use of Meth-

od Test Prep, a software program with an established track record, to help Cadets and re-

cruits prepare for the SAT and ACT. Utilizing proven practices and effective instruction, MTP

is capable of raising SAT scores by up to 150 points and ACT scores by three (3) points. Cadets

are given a username and password that allows them to access the software from any wifi

connected device (e.g. laptop, desktop or tablet). (continued on page 6)

ORMA Strong! Proud Sponsors

Order of the Oak Leaf ($5,000+) Kenneth R. Hartman

Oak Ridge Society Foundation President’s Cup Club ($3,000 - $4,999)

Robin Wilkins Battalion Commander Club ($1,500-$2,999)

John A. Richmond Mist Island Foundation

Martha C. Wright Clarence A. York

Honorable Mentions: Ardmore Barber Shop

Barbour & Williams Attorneys & Counselors at Law

beachBUB USA Bloomday Granite & Marble Inc.

Samuel C. Cook Brian & Tonya Fons Anton & Ana Frunza Carmen M. Freeman Jeffrey Mendenhall

Tom Szott Casondra & Stephen Washington

1SG Sallie McCullough Ann Schneider Kyle Wemett

Lori & Paul Piazza Susan Greeson

Angela & Fred Hopson Walton Stamper Suzanne Richey Erika Strickland

Thomas S. Wilson Kamillia White

LTC Dave Reardon

ACT

2019 Test

Dates

Feb

9

Apr

13

Jun

8

Jul

13

Registra-

tion Dead-

line

Jan

11

Mar

8

May

3

Jun

14

Late Regis-

tration

Deadline

Jan

18

Mar

25

May

20

Jun

24

SAT

2019 Test

Dates

Mar

9

May

4

Jun

1

Registration

Deadline

Feb 8 Apr 5 May

3

Late Registra-

tion Deadline

Feb

27

Apr

24

May

22

** Test Schedules **

The ORMA Advantage

Home For The Holidays - Commandant’s Corner With the upcoming Christmas break a few weeks

away, we want to clarify our leave policy, and

explain travel arrangements for your Cadet when

returning home for the holidays. Cadets are

released for holiday leave December 21th at 4 PM

after passing room inspection. They are expected

to return to campus by 6 PM on January 2,

2019. CLASSES RESUME JANUARY 3, 2019.

Parents or guardians are responsible for schedul-

ing all transportation arrangements to and from

the Academy at the beginning of each session and

during vacation periods. Parents are also respon-

sible for notifying the Commandant in writing of

these arrangements no less than seven days prior

to the travel date. The Academy provides, or

coordinates transportation, to and from the air-

port, bus station, and Amtrak Station in Greens-

boro for Cadets. All other transportation requests

may not be honored. Tickets, passports, and

travel documents must be presented by the Cadet

or parent in person, mailed via Federal Express, or

delivered by a service or designated individual, to

the Office of the Commandant. Itineraries and

other travel correspondence should be emailed or

faxed to the Commandant’s Office.

Please note: Cadets departing for leave early or

returning late will not be excused from class and

will be ineligible for promotion for ninety days.

Parents and Cadets are not authorized to coordi-

nate for UBER, taxis, or other modes of transpor-

tation to pick a Cadet up from the Academy with-

out getting prior approval from the Comman-

dant. Where pickup of a Cadet has been previous-

ly coordinated, Cadets returning to the Academy,

upon arriving at the airport, should report to the

"Baggage Claim" area of their respective airline to

await pickup. It is understood that Cadets will

travel to their home during this period unless they

have an invitation elsewhere with written paren-

tal permission provided ahead of time to the

Commandant. If one Cadet desires to go home

with another Cadet during leave or a break, the

parents of BOTH Cadets must provide written

parental permission ahead of time to the Com-

mandant.

If you have any questions, please contact us at

336-643-4131 or email Commandant Lewis direct-

ly at commandant@ormila.com. We look forward

to the Cadets return to campus on January 2,

2019.

4

Then & Now – Alumni Spotlight - Fred McKinney Oak Ridge Military Academy has undergone many changes over the years, from the grounds themselves to the responsibilities and expectations of being a Cadet.

The men and women who have attended the school have a special place in history, and in their heart, for the positive impact that ORMA had on their developing

lives and their ability to lead global improvements. The ORMA “Then and Now Corner” is dedicated to highlighting a few of the many heroic alumni stories.

Fred McKinney attended ORMA in the early ‘60s when Oak Ridge Township had little more than one gas station and stands of tall pine trees. The driveway out-

side of Alumni Hall was gravel and grass. McKinney shared that, in those days, spit-shining your shoes was required and one couldn’t take 5 steps onto the gravel

without covering up the shine in dust. Keeping their shoes shined was a daunting task. McKinney lived in Brooks Hall and distinctly remembers the Cadet store,

which served fountain drinks and offered nabs and candy bars for sale to the Cadets. The Cadet Store was located to the right of the Barber Shop and Quarter

Master, enabling a Cadet to get a haircut, buy a root beer float, and replace lost pins on his uniform, in within a few steps. In the ‘60s, women were not allowed in

the Corps of Cadets and all the guys looked forward to Saturday night leave to visit girlfriends and have some time off campus. The armory was in the basement

of Alumni Hall and the Cadets spent Friday evenings getting ready for inspection and cleaning M1 riffles, which most Cadets carried for parades. Friday night was

filled with detailed cleaning and preparation for personnel, rifle, and dorm inspections by the Cadet officers on Saturday morning. McKinney fondly remembered

buffing the wooden floors with a lightweight Cadet on a mattress. McKinney was a member of the Band Company headed up by Cadet Captain Webster, the

Executive officer was Whit Ruark. McKinney indicated that he is still friends with many former Cadets including Bill Northrop and Jim Savage, who back then had

plenty of demerits to give out.

After graduating from ORMA, McKinney attended North Carolina State during the Vietnam Era. After college, McKinney enlisted in the US Navy Seabees in May of

1966. Inside of 48 hours, McKinney went from his last exam at NC State to Davisville, Rhode Island for boot camp. He found basic training was a breeze compared

to his years at ORMA. McKinney was assigned to Mobile Construction Battalion 62nd at Gulfport, MS, before being shipped out to Phu Bai, Vietnam, assigned to

the 3rd Marine Division, as a Squad leader in the security platoon. After leaving the Navy, he was recruited by the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation as a

firearms technician but in the SBI Academy. He was reassigned as a field agent stationed in Davidson County. He was later stationed in Fayetteville and Wilming-

ton, as a General Field Agent of the anti-smuggling division, where he met up with another ORMA Alumni, James Whit Ruark. Both work in law enforcement in

different departments and purchased houses within a mile of each other.

One of the most well-known investigations he worked was captured in a book called Sea of Greed: The True Story of the Investigation and Prosecution of Manuel

Antonio Noriega.

Early in his career, McKinney was selected to write the SBI report writing manual, and the SBI interviewing manual; for many years he presented these topics in

the SBI Basic Agents Academy. When he began making reports in 1969 all agents had dictation machines to note their observations. The law enforcement agents

are now issued laptops to fill out their reports. According to McKinney, the job may be the same, but the equipment used to get the job done has improved tre-

mendously since he started.

As the SBI grew, McKinney was promoted to Field Supervisor in the counties surrounding New Hanover. In 1994, he was promoted to Special Agent in charge of

the Southeastern portion of the state. McKinney elected to retire in 1999 after 30 years of service.

After retirement, McKinney served on the ORMA Board of Trustees. Now he lives in Wilmington where he makes sure the sun comes up each morning, devotes

part of this “busy schedule” to his hobby of sport car racing and time with old friends on the Intracoastal waterway.

Mr. Blackburn teaches courses in Introductory, British, and American Liter-ature. "The Ridge" was his first opportunity to work as a high school teach-er, and since day one he has exhibited a strong commitment to the Cadets and their success. Mr. Blackburn received his Bachelor of Arts from Pen-sacola Christian College, where he completed a double-major in History and Political Science followed by a Master of Science in Curriculum & In-struction from the same institution. He is currently working on a Master of Divinity from Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. His wife, Michelle, also teaches at ORMA; they are happily working for the success of the school and see all their efforts as a reflection of a commitment to the greater Good. Fun Facts:

• Is very involved in his church

• Enjoys swing dancing with his wife

• Favorite hobby is genealogical research

• Collects and sells celebrity autographs

Cadet C/2Lt Alexis Spung arrived on the ORMA campus as a sophomore

in Spring 2017, focused and committed to aspiring toward great

heights. She jumped right into cadet life and excelled in all pursuits.

She rose through the ranks to become this year’s Battalion Executive

Officer, the second highest ranking Cadet. Alexis’s dedication in the

classroom earned her the opportunity to join other Cadets at Guilford

Technical Community College’s Career and College Promise program,

where she is completing college coursework for credit, as a scholarship

recipient. She is also a talented multi-year leader of several girls’ sports

teams at ORMA. As student-athlete scholar, playing volleyball, basket-

ball, and soccer, she has earned numerous conference awards. Alexis’s

accomplishments have demonstrated that she is among the Nation’s

best, as

demon-

strated in

her pend-

ing ac-

ceptance

to several

South

Carolina

colleges,

including

Clemson

University

and the

University

of South

Carolina.

5

C/2Lt. Alexis Spung

1SGT McCullough

Mr. Rex Blackburn

C/Cpl. Ethan Hurst

First Sergeant Sallie McCullough is

an advocate who works relentlessly

towards the Oak Ridge Military

Academy mission, with a passion

for Cadets that is second to none. She served in the United States Army for 24 years

and has had very impressive career, including teaching at the Academy of Health

Science (AHS) in San Antonio, Texas. Her mission was to educate, develop, and train

personnel to provide superior healthcare. While teaching at AHS, she earned the role of

Subject Matter Expert, which included rewriting the Army manual for the Dental Assis-

tant Program and the Army Dental Service Administration sub-course. She earned an

Associate of Art Degree from the University of Maryland and a Bachelor of General

Studies Degree, with a Concentration in Teaching, from Fort Hays State University in

Kansas.

After retiring from the military, she fulfilled her strong urge to become a mentor for

children, choosing to dedicate her second career as an instructor at ORMA. 1SGT has

been an Army Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (JRTOC) Instructor at Oak Ridge

Military Academy for 21 years teaching students, in grades 9th through 12th, the value

of citizenship, leadership, physical fitness, Service Learning and Community Service, and

personal responsibility. Her efforts have consistently focused on instilling self-esteem,

teamwork, and self-discipline.

Fun Facts:

• Loves and enjoys spending time with her family

• Passionate about helping others, especially kids, through Service Learning Activi-ties and Community Service

• Hobbies: Crocheting, Cooking, and Reading

Cadet C/CPL Ethan Hurst started at ORMA this Fall as a sophomore.

Though a young man of few words, he has already proven himself

resoundingly, as an academically strong leader among his fellow

Cadets. Ethan traveled to Canada’s Robert Land Academy in Octo-

ber, with another Cadet and two ORMA staff members, to compete

in a rigorously demanding 96-kilometer ruck-march spread out over

three days. Through cold, rain, and mud on extremely difficult

terrain, Ethan persevered without complaint. Though he returned

with a limp and many blisters, now healed, it is clear that he earned

the respect of his peers and the ORMA staff and faculty. ORMA

looks forward to remaining a key component of many wonderful

things that Ethan will accomplish next!

ORMA drives Toys for TotsORMA is proud to again partner with the U.S. Marine Corps Toys for Tots Program to help less fortunate children share in the magic of the holiday. In less than 8 hours, on November 3rd 2018, ORMA Cadets collected over $5,000 in cash and over 6 crates of toys! ORMA will seek to help even more children during our next Service Learning on December 8, 2018 from 8:15AM-4:15PM. Donations can be sent to the ORMA Campus, in care of Toys for Tots. Please support our Cadets as they model leadership and selfless service.

Donations are being accepted on the ORMA camps untilnoon December 21, 2018.

THANK YOU for you support!

6

Core Values - Selfless Service. It’s

what we do!

7

Dear Parents and Friends of the Academy,

With both the first quarter and calendar year coming to a close, it is fitting to reflect on the past

year. During the quarter, our Cadets were recognized for numerous academic, athletic, and

community achievements. While these accomplishments are certainly a reflection of the hard

work of the Cadets, they are also a reflection of the dedication of our parents, faculty, staff, and

critical supporters. I would be remiss if I did not acknowledge the tireless efforts of these Oak

Ridge Military Academy professionals and community who go above and beyond to provide our

Cadets with a quality education and experience.

Let’s continue in to this New Year with and absolute resolve towards working together to ad-

vance our shared objectives and support Cadet success. On behalf of the staff and the many

people who support our mission, I wish you a peaceful, safe and joyous holiday season. I look

forward to everyone returning from the holiday break, refreshed, invigorated and focused to

finish the school year strong. Season Greetings!

From The Office of The President

ORMA PAC Wants You!

The new Parent Advisory Com-

mittee invites you to join us in

supporting and encouraging Oak

Ridge Military cadets. The PAC

has been formed to facilitate

exchange of information and ideas

between the school and families

and to improve the welfare of

Cadets. All families (parents,

grandparents, guardians) are

eligible to serve on the PAC.

The PAC has been busy recruiting

members, providing Cadets with

healthy treats, inspiring study tips

and messages, in addition to

coordinating the GivingTuesday

campaign. We strive to provide

the best Cadet experience possi-

ble for the students. Stay tune for

an announcement of our first

teleconference after Christmas

break.

Being a PAC member, as with the

joy of the holiday season, often

the best gift is the joy of giving.

PLEASE PLACE STAMP HERE

Oak Ridge Military Academy

2317 Oak Ridge Road

Oak Ridge, NC 27310

Phone: 336-643-4131

E-mail: ORMAOutreach@ormila.com

Oak Ridge Military Academy

2317 Oak Ridge Road

Oak Ridge, NC 27310

Success In College

Begins Here!

...where future

leaders are forged.

(continued from page 3)

It goes without saying that Oak Ridge Military Academy is a college preparatory school,

identifiable by small class sizes, individualized attention and established rigor that cre-

ates long-term opportunities for Cadets. Our scholastic profile is filled with stories of

Cadets that have gone onto distinguished regional colleges, nationally-ranked universi-

ties, service with the Armed Forces, and prestigious appointments to our nation’s Mili-

tary Academies. Oak Ridge provides great opportunities and success for all who walk

through her doors.