Admiral Farragut Academy, established in 1933, is a private, college prep school serving students in grades PreK-12. Farragut is located in St. Petersburg, Florida in Pinellas County and is surrounded by the communities of Treasure Island, Gulfport, Pasadena, Tierra Verde, and Seminole. Farragut also serves North Pinellas County, which includes the communities of Clearwater, Belleair, and Palm Harbor.
History
Founded in 1933 on the banks of the Toms River in Pine Beach, New Jersey, Admiral Farragut Academy was a college prep military style school named after Admiral David Glasgow Farragut, the first American naval officer to rise to that rank. Over Farragut's first 12 years, the school became so popular that a second campus was purchased in 1945 on the shores of Boca Ciega Bay in St. Petersburg, Florida. Since then, the school has undergone many changes, such as accepting day students, becoming co-ed, and adding an elementary school. The school's New Jersey campus in Pine Beach closed at the end of the 1994 school year due to financial difficulties.
Notable alumni
Two of the 12 men who walked on the Moon graduated from Admiral Farragut:
Brigadier GeneralCharles Duke, USAF, was a 1953 graduate of the St. Petersburg campus, and in 1972 became the tenth person to walk on the Moon as part of the Apollo 16 mission. In the spring of 2006, NASA presented a moon rock to General Duke, who then donated it to the school. It is displayed in a showcase in front of the Quarter-Deck at the entrance to the main building, Farragut Hall.
Other famous alumni:
William Colepaugh, who defected to the Nazis during World War II, and returned to spy for Germany in the United States.
Actor Lorenzo Lamas graduated in 1975 from the New Jersey Campus.
Actor Casper Van Dien graduated from the St. Petersburg, FL campus and later performed in many films of which Starship Troopers is the most notable.
Animator/Producer Andy Luckey attended from 1980-'81 at St. Petersburg but transferred before graduation.
Lieutenant General Sidney "Tom" Weinstein, ‘52N, was the Army deputy chief of staff for intelligence during the 1980s. He is recognized as the principal architect of the modern military intelligence corps, and was the crucial player in its expansion and professionalization.
An integral part of an education at Admiral Farragut Academy is the required involvement in NJROTC. Every student in the Upper School takes three years of Naval Science, an in-depth study of the history, operation and core concepts of the United States Navy. The entire Upper School student body makes up a student-run NJROTC Regiment.
Accreditation
Admiral Farragut Academy is accredited by: Florida Council of Independent Schools]** Assures that each school maintains high standards and independence of character without political, financial, or bureaucratic pressures. Florida Kindergarten Council** Validates and supports exemplary early childhood schools. Southern Association of Independent Schools Provides leadership, accreditation services, and professional development resources. Southern Association of Colleges and Schools** National Association of Independent Schools Values and works to maintain the independent nature of each member school by promoting high standards of educational quality and ethical behavior. The Association of Boarding Schools This organization of nearly 300 boarding schools serves the professional development needs of boarding schools and provides information to potential students and their families. Small Boarding Schools Association Promotes personal and professional dialogue among small boarding school educators and educational consultants. Association of Military Colleges and Schools of the United States Tampa Bay Independent Secondary Schools Florida High School Athletic Association Promotes, directs supervises, and regulates interscholastic athletic programs in which high school students, whose schools are members, compete. Southern Association of Independent Schools Meet quality standards, receive peer evaluation, and implement a school plan focused on strategic improvement. St. Petersburg Chamber of Commerce Long and distinguished history of promoting economic development, as well as broad community goals, which are important to the quality of life of those who live in and visit the beautiful St. Petersburg, Florida, area.
Student body
There are approximately 500 students in PreK-12th grade with a 3:1 ratio of boys to girls. There are 330 students in the Upper School and approximately 50% of the Upper School students are boarding students.
