Record Number of Cadets Graduate Fork Union Military Academy with Honors This Year
Fork Union, Virginia (PRWEB) May 28, 2014 -- On a bright and beautiful morning, seventy-six seniors from fifteen states and five foreign countries crossed the stage at Fork Union Military Academy to receive their high school diplomas at the conclusion of the school's 116th academic session. The Class of 2014 produced a record number of honor graduates with nineteen seniors earning honors by having attended at least two full years, earning a cumulative grade point average of 3.5 or better, and receiving fewer than forty demerits. This equals twenty-five percent of the senior class graduating with honors, double the average in the past ten years. Thirty-two percent of the senior class, twenty-four students, graduated as members of the National Honor Society, another record achievement.
The seventy-six seniors in Fork Union Military Academy's Class of 2014 earned a total of more than $6,500,000 in college scholarships to attend many of the nation's top universities.
The commencement address was given by 2LT Brian Zitterkopf, a graduate of Fork Union Military Academy's Class of 2008. 2LT Zitterkopf attended the Academy for five years and was the Salutatorian of his graduating class. He was accepted to both the United States Military Academy at West Point and the United States Naval Academy. He chose to attend the Naval Academy at Annapolis, where he lettered all four years in track and field, graduating in May, 2012. He chose a commission as a second lieutenant in the United States Marine Corps and is currently stationed with the Second Battalion, Ninth Marines in Camp Lejeune, North Carolina.
"What makes a Fork Union cadet unique?" 2LT Zitterkopf asked in his address. "In a world dead set on convincing our youth that nothing is ever their fault, Fork Union holds fast to the truth that your failures and your triumphs are equally your responsibility. In a generation of men raised to blame their lack of discipline on ADHD, their struggling grades on a lack of positive reinforcement, or any other of the myriad of reasons our society has created to shift blame away from the individual, Fork Union has held the young men in front of you personally responsible for all of their actions. They have been equally rewarded for their successes and punished for their mistakes; and through this dedicated level of accountability they have developed the sense of pride and self-worth that marks a mature man."
Cadet Juchan David Kim, the son of Dr. and Mrs. Seungwon Kim of Fairfax, Virginia, was named Valedictorian of the Class of 2014, having accumulated a grade point average of 4.379. He plans to attend Williams College this fall. Cadet Coleman Arthur Hoyt, the son of Dr. and Mrs. Kurt Herold of Richmond, Virginia, was named the class Salutatorian, earning a grade point average of 4.230. He will be attending the Colorado School of Mines in the fall.
Two seniors were accepted to our nation's service academies, among the most selective of all colleges. Cadet Robert Cavotti of Red Hook, New York, will attend the United States Military Academy at West Point, and Cadet Matthew Carmine of Gloucester, Virginia, will attend the United States Coast Guard Academy. In the past ten years, Fork Union Military Academy has sent nearly forty cadets to United States service academies.
2014 Honor Graduates from Fork Union Military Academy:
Juchan David Kim is the son of Dr. and Mrs. Seungwon Kim of Fairfax, VA. Juchan has been in attendance for 3 years and has accumulated a grade point average of 4.379. He plans to attend Williams College this fall.
Coleman Arthur Hoyt is the son of Dr. and Mrs. Kurt Herold of Richmond, VA. Coleman has been in attendance for 3 years and has accumulated a Grade Point Average of 4.230. He plans to attend The Colorado School of Mines this fall.
Lingding Xu is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Xu of Nanjing, China. Lingding has been in attendance for 4 years and has accumulated a grade point average of 4.179. He plans to attend University of California @Davis this fall.
Karim Ashraf Elsayed is the son of Mr. Ashraf Elsayed of Giza, Egypt. Karim has been in attendance for 2 years and has accumulated a Grade Point Average of 4.178. He plans to attend Worcester Polytechnical Institute this fall.
Robert Spence Bancroft Cavotti is the son of David and Kate Cavotti of Red Hook, NY. Robert has been in attendance for 2 years and has accumulated a Grade Point Average of 4.021. He plans to attend the United States Military Academy at West Point this fall.
Yidan Nie is the son of Mr. Zhuo Nie of Dalian City, China. Yidan has been in attendance for 3 years and has accumulated a Grade Point Average of 3.990. College plans for this fall are undecided.
Junjie Wang is the son of Baoze Wang and Tingbo Cong of Shenyang, China. Junjie has been in attendance for 2 years and has accumulated a Grade Point Average of 3.988. He plans to attend University of Minnesota this fall.
Elias Samuel Evens is the son of Steven Evens and Bonita Makdad of Richmond, VA. Elias has been in attendance for 3 years and has accumulated a Grade Point Average of 3.869. He plans to attend Sewanee University of the South this fall.
Matthew Walden Carmine is the son of Steven and Margaret Carmine of Gloucester, VA. Matthew has been in attendance for 4 years and has accumulated a Grade Point Average of 3.854. He plans to attend the United States Coast Guard Academy this fall.
David Hunter Akowski is the son of David and Charlene Akowski of Marshall, VA. David has been in attendance for 4 years and has accumulated a Grade Point Average of 3.849. He plans to attend Colorado Christian University this fall.
Alexander O’Neal Collins is the son of Samuel and Beth Collins of Louisville, KY. Alexander has been in attendance for 4 years and has accumulated a Grade Point Average of3.775. He plans to attend The Citadel this fall.
Luke William Justice is the son of Major and Mrs. John Justice of Lewes, DE. Luke has been in attendance for 4 years and has accumulated a Grade Point Average of 3.738. He plans for this fall are undecided.
Chenxu Peter Wang is the son of Mr. Guangshan Wang of Linhai, China. Chenxu has been in attendance for 2 years and has accumulated a Grade Point Average of 3.724. He plans to attend Indiana University this fall.
Dong Hyeuk Kang is the son of Ms. Jennifer Yang of Auckland, New Zealand. Dong has been in attendance of 3 years and has accumulated a Grade Point Average of 3.663. He plans to attend Cornell College this fall.
Ali Ahmed Khalafalla is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Ahmed Khalafalla of Cairo, Egypt. Ali has been in attendance for 3 years and has accumulated a Grade Point Average of 3.663. He plans to attend Indiana University @ Bloomington this fall.
Ian Charles Milburn is the son of Ms. Juliana Milburn of Palmyra, VA. Ian has been in attendance for 2 years and has accumulated a Grade Point Average of 3.663. He plans to attend the University of Delaware this fall.
Conrad Ellis Shewalter is the son of William and Wendy Shewalter of Apopka, FL. Conrad has been in attendance for 4 years and has accumulated a Grade Point Average of 3.618. He plans to attend San Diego State University this fall.
Mi Zhou is the son of Gunjun Zhou and Liu Xiaoqun of Hefei City, China. Mi has been in attendance for 2 years and has accumulated a Grade Point Average of 3.520. He plans to attend the University of New Hampshire this fall.
Scott Russell Bradley is the son of Glen and Judy Bradley of Grand Rapids, MI. Scott has been in attendance for 2 years and has accumulated a Grade Point Average of 3.508. He plans to attend Grand Valley State University this fall.
Fork Union Military Academy's Class of 2014:
David Hunter Akowski of Marshall, VA
Daniel Ayim Amponsah of Greensboro, NC
Taylor Lee Arnold of Palmyra, VA
Justice Pierce Banks of East Orange, NJ
Dante Aldo William Bartolotta of Monongahela, PA
Alexander Wells Bessette of Esmont, VA
Spenser Michael Blanton of Mechanicsville, VA
Jaimiee Payton Bowe of Ft. Lauderdale, FL
Scott Russell Bradley of Grand Rapids, MI
Adam David Bryan of Lillington, NC
Yumeng Cao of Shanghai, China
Matthew Walden Carmine of Gloucester, VA
Alec Dominic Cassano of Asheville, NC
Robert Spencer Bancroft Cavotti of Red Hook, NY
Bradley Frank Chiovaro of Palmyra, VA
Charles Wesley Clardy, III of Silver Spring, MD
Antonio Miguel Clement of Greenbelt, MD
Paolo Andres Coen of Key Biscayne, FL
Troy Thomas Coleman of Troy, VA
Alexander O'Neal Collins of Louisville, KY
Christian Alexander Davis of Savannah, GA
John Connor Davis of Lake Wylie, SC
Jonathan Edward Dittmar of Charlottesville, VA
Hunter Christian Doucette of Hanover, PA
Jajuan Larae Eady of Upper Marlboro, MD
Karim Ashraf Elsayed of Giza, Egypt
James Walter England of Richlands, VA
Elias Samuel Evens of Richmond, VA
Sean Patrick Falvey of Cary, NC
Ayinde Dia Gittens-Smith of Laurel, MD
Leonardo Christopher Guevara of Miami Springs, FL
Tyler James Gumprecht of McHenry, IL
Joshua Daniel Hines of Palmyra, VA
Coleman Arthur Hoyt of Richmond, VA
Andrew John Hyers of Greensboro, NC
Zachary Alexander Jackson of Dillwyn, VA
Nathan Payne Jensen of Fork Union, VA
Colin Grafton Jones of Clifton, VA
Luke William Justice of Lewes, DE
Dong Hyeuk Kang of Auckland, New Zealand
Ali Ahmed Khalafalla of Cairo, Egypt
Faraz Akhtar Khan of Palmyra, VA
Juchan David Kim of Fairfax, VA
Mitchell Adrien Lawhorn of Fairfax Station, VA
Cheukyan Li of Hong Kong, China
Daniel Michael Luniewski, Jr. of Midlothian, VA
Regan Yevgeniy Malone of Leesburg, VA
Ian Charles Milburn of Palmyra, VA
Yidan Nie of Dalian City, China
Andrew Otieno Odenyo of Bristow, VA
Robert Ashton Olsen of Midlothian, VA
Gregory Chinedu Omoma of Laurelton, NY
Mustafa Engin Ozsoy of Izmir, Turkey
William Lawrence Phillips of Littleton, CO
Samuel Robert Posner of Chesterfield, VA
David Edwards Rawls of Norfolk, VA
Donald Christian Riojas of Riverside, CA
Zachary Thomas Romeo of Yorktown, VA
Conrad Ellis Shewalter of Apopka, FL
Anand Sodkhuu of Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
James Robertson Squatriglia of Huntersville, NC
Grant Edward Thrush of Gaithersburg, MD
Mark Steven Uptegraff, II of Charlotte, NC
Chenux Peter Wang of Linhai, China
Junjie Wang of Shenyang, China
Linfeng Wang of Zhengzhou City, China
Ruilun Wang of Shanghai, China
Shuo Wang of Hefei, China
Jeffrey Paul Webb of Bristow, VA
Charles Anatoly Westmoreland of Richmond, VA
Tristan Alan Whitehart of Clarksburg, MD
Robert Douglas Whitesell of Winchester, VA
David Manning Wilson of Palmyra, VA
DanQing Wu of Shanghai, China
Lingding Xu of Nanjing, China
Mi Zhou of Hefei, China
Fork Union Military Academy's Postgraduate Class of 2014:
Darren De'Ron Black of Concord, NC
Quentin Keith Chandler of Eva Beach, Hawaii
Logan Andrew Coats of Timberlake, NC
Roger Harvey Cooley, Jr. of Germantown, MD
Corwin Barnell Cutler of Virginia Beach, VA
Malik Jordan Fuller of Gainesville, VA
Sawyer Steven Jarvis of Concord, NC
Wolfgang Aaron Kerat of Springfield, VA
Junghum Kim of Seoul, South Korea
Griffin Patrick Kinney of Delaware, OH
La'brian Sedale Shiflet of Taylors, SC
Tavarius Damon Shine of Irving, TX
Marvin Smith, Jr. of Richmond, VA
Caleb Jeffrey Liam Stewart of Glenville, NY
About Fork Union Military Academy:
Fork Union Military Academy in Fork Union, Virginia, is a college preparatory military-style boarding school for young men in Grades 6 through 12 and postgraduates. Affiliated with the Baptist General Association of Virginia and open to those of all religious denominations, Fork Union was founded in 1898 and has a rich tradition promoting character, leadership, and scholarship.
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Contact: Dan Thompson, 434-842-4372 or 434-996-7772
Dan Thompson, Fork Union Military Academy, http://www.forkunion.com, +1 (434) 996-7772, [email protected]
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