INDEX
- History and Location
- Campus Facilities and Safety
- Demographics
- Academics and Courses
- Boarding Life and Accommodations
- Military Aspects and Terminology
- Fun Facts
What is the history of the school?
Admiral Farragut Academy (AFA) was founded in 1933 in Tom's River New Jersey as an all boys, boarding military school. The school is named after Admiral David Glasgow Farragut, the first U.S. Naval officer to rise to that rank. The South campus was established in St. Petersburg, Florida in 1945 and the two campuses ran simultaneously until the North campus closed in 1994. It became co-educational in 1990. Today, AFA has an elementary school as well as a middle and high school. We are a college preparatory school with a military component that we use to teach leadership, self-discipline, respect and wellness. The academy has produced two lunar astronauts (Shepard and Duke), national leaders in the areas of finance, business, philanthropy, entertainment, as well as scores of military officers.
What is the history of the main building?
Farragut Hall was built as a hotel by Walter Fuller in the 1920's and was called the Jungle Prada Resort and Hotel. The resort comprised of 300 acres, including waterfront property and three golf courses. Today, the neighborhoods behind the school are known as Jungle Prada and the streets are named after golf terms. AFA currently owns 33 acres of property including the waterfront. The hotel rooms were converted into dorm rooms and each room has a bathroom and closet. This sets us apart from other boarding schools that have common bathrooms shared by many students.
Where is AFA located?
We are located on the west
coast of Florida, in the sunny city of St. Petersburg. The nearest
International Airport is Tampa International Airport located about 30
minutes from campus. The school is on beautiful Boca Ciega Bay near
Treasure Island offering students easy access to water activities and
sports.
501 Park Street North, St. Petersburg, Florida 33710
What is there to do in St. Petersburg?
We are 5 minutes
from several beaches and have movie theaters, malls and restaurants
nearby. St. Petersburg has several museums, aquariums and nature parks.
The Fort Desoto beaches are ranked as best in the world and are only 20
minutes away.
Busch Gardens and Ellenton shopping outlets are a
forty-five minute drive from AFA. We are also an hour and a half away
from Orlando with the following attractions: Walt Disney World, Sea
World, Universal Studios, Hollywood Studios, Adventure Island, Premium
shopping outlets and much more.
We are 45 minutes south of
Tarpon Springs which is famous for their Greek restaurants and sponge
docks. Also, the school is just 30 minutes south of Clearwater Beach
which has beautiful white sand beaches.
We are 30 minutes west
of Tampa, which is home to three professional sports teams: The Rays
(baseball, stadium located in St. Petersburg), The Buccaneers
(football), Lightning (hockey) and Rowdies (soccer). Ybor City and
Channelside are two popular Tampa attractions known for their
restaurants and entertainment.
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Tell me about school safety
AFA is a gated property
located in a nice, family oriented neighborhood. We have all-night
security staff and all gates are locked by 10:30 PM. The dormitory has
alarmed doors between the male and female dorms. There are
approximately 20 faculty and staff members living on campus that
supervise and monitor the dorms.
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How many students are in each division?
We have 80
students in the Elementary School which includes grades PreK to 5th
grade. We have 75 students in the Middle School which includes grades 6
to 8. The High School has 230 students from grades 9 to 12.
What is the boy to girl ratio?
Admiral Farragut Academy went coed in 1990. Our boy to girl ratio is 3:1 and we hope to increase our female population. Girls adapt very well to the time management skills we teach and the structure that we have to offer.
What is the average class size?High School -- 16 to 20 per class, honor classes can have more students
Middle School -- 15 to 18 per class
Elementary School -- class limit is 18
How many students live in the dorms? How many are day students?
We have approximately 140 boarding students living in the dorms from 12 states and 14 countries. Our total enrollment is 385 students from Pre-K to grade 12.
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Does AFA offer Advanced Placement (AP) or Dual Enrollment classes?
Yes, we offer 8 Advanced Placement classes and 29 Dual Enrollment credits as well as virtual on-line classes. Advanced Placement and Dual Enrollment classes give high school students the opportunity to complete college credits.
Click here to learn about Advanced Placement (AP) classes
Click here to learn about Dual Enrollment
How many sports does AFA offer?
We have three seasons: fall, winter and spring.
Fall sports: swimming & diving, cross country, golf, football, volleyball and cheerleading.
Winter sports: basketball, soccer, wrestling and cheerleading.
Spring sports: baseball, track & field, tennis, and softball.
We also offer sailing, aviation, riflery, SCUBA and paintball throughout the year.
What type of student is AFA looking for?
We look for academic achievement and promise, as shown by a student's transcripts, test scores, evaluations, interview and teacher recommendations. We pay close attention to personal qualities, which we measure through motivation, character, extracurricular interests and the ability to adapt to the Farragut community. Most importantly, students should see Admiral Farragut Academy as an opportunity. We want students that are self motivated, well-rounded and that will participate in extracurricular activities and sports.
What type of student is NOT right for AFA?
A student
with any behavior problems: defiant disorder, mental problems, low IQ
scores and major learning differences. We are not a reform school and
can't "fix" students with bad attitudes and behavior issues. We offer a
certain level of discipline and structure but a student that continues
to push the limits will have serious consequences.
What universities do the students matriculate to?
View the Academic Profile
What type of standardized testing does AFA use?
- CAT (California Achievement Test)
We also prepare students for College Standardized Testing, such as:
- SAT (Standford Achievement Test)
- ACT (American College Testing)
Does AFA accept students with learning differences?
We do accept students with learning differences on a case by case basis. We have a Center of Academic Success that will offer customized learning. We cannot accept students with any behavior issues. We require all psychological educational testing as part of the Admissions requirements. A decision regarding admission is made after reviewing this paperwork. If we feel the need for more testing, we will let parents know.
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Click here to read the Boarding Guidelines
What are the boarding options?
We offer a five day
boarding program where students live on campus from Sunday night to
Thursday night and are picked up on Fridays after school. The seven day
boarding program has students living on campus all week long. Families
are always allowed to visit. In both cases, the dormitories close for
Thanksgiving, Winter Holiday and Spring Break and all students must
leave campus.
How are the dorms organized?
We
separate the dormitories by gender as well as separate the high school
from the middle school students. We try to pair International students
with domestic students or those with common interests, such as sports
or career aspirations.
How many students per dorm room?
Each
dorm room is private and accommodates 2 to 4 students. Every room
includes it's own personal bathroom and is shared by 4 students or
less. Each student has a bed, dresser, desk and chair.
What if a student didn't like their roommate, could they move to a different dorm room?
Residential
Life staff does their best to accomodate each student. Students do have
the opportunity to move rooms up to 2 times per semester, but only if
rooms are available and if the Residential Life approves of the new
match.
Can students choose who they want to room with?
No,
students are matched by grade and compatibility. Residential Life staff
works with all parties involved to ensure a pleasant roommate situation.
How many faculty members live on campus?
Around 20
faculty and staff members live on campus. Faculty and staff that live
on campus are also responsible for coaching, teaching and after school
activities. Campus housing includes: two houses, private apartments and
apartments in the dormitories.
What is a typical day for a boarding student?
6:25 -- (Reveille) Wake up & room inspection
6:30 -- Morning formation (TBD)
6:45 -- Breakfast (attendance and full uniform of the day is required)
7:30 -- Morning tutorial
8:00 - 3:00 -- Classes (each class is 45 minutes with 5 minute breaks between each class)
3:00 - 3:30 -- Afternoon tutorial
3:30 - 5:00 -- Athletics
5:00 - 5:30 -- Free time
5:30 - 6:30 -- Dinner
6:30 - 7:00 -- Free time
7:00 - 9:00 -- Study hall
9:25 -- (C.Q.) Call to Quarters (students must be back in their rooms)
9:35 -- Wing Leaders check to ensure everyone is in their room
9:45 - 9:50 -- TAPS (salute outside of dorm room to the military tune indicating "lights out")
10:00 -- Lights out (all students must be in their rooms with lights turned off)
What is the weekend schedule for 7-day boarders?
9:00 - 11:30 -- Brunch
2:00 -- Snack
5:00 - 5:30 -- Dinner
10:30 -- Call to Quarters (depending upon division)
What do the 7-day boarders do on the weekend?Weekend
activities vary from week to week and are organized by residential life
staff. Every month there are exciting excursions like Busch Gardens,
Disney World, aquariums, museums, circuses, shows, state fairs,
sporting events, and other large seasonal events.
On quieter
weekends, we take students to places such as the International Mall in
Tampa, the beach, flea markets, dinner and the movies.
All
weekends include a mall trip (plus Target and Wal-Mart) and use of our
campus facilities: pool, sailing, canoeing, kayaking, boating,
basketball courts (indoor and outdoor), tennis courts, gym, paintball
arena, ping pong tables, TV room, beach volleyball, athletic fields,
and much more.
Day students often invite boarding students home for the weekend. (Parent and staff permission required)
Although
there is not a bedtime on the weekends, call to quarters is at 10:30
PM. All students must be in their room by that time. On Saturday and
Sunday, brunch is served from 9:00 to 11:00 AM, giving students the option to
sleep later.
What can 7-day boarders wear on the weekends?
Students wear PE gear when
on campus on the weekends and evenings. However, when students leave
campus to go on liberty leave, they are required to wear civilian
clothing. They should not have "Farragut attire" on.
Can family members take boarders to movies and other outings during the week?
Families are always welcome to visit their children, however, to avoid a disruption in schedule, please notify Residential Life staff prior to arriving on campus. Please note, that if students are in mandatory study hall, they must be back on campus to attend.
Families complete an Overnight Permission Form (link to the form on the admissions page) that will show who is allowed to pick up the student and where the student is allowed to visit. Weekend visits must be announced to the Middle or HIgh School offices by the Wednesday prior to the weekend.
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What are "cadets"?
A cadet is a junior or trainee officer in the military, but we use this term to refer to our students.
What is "NJROTC"?
The NJROTC stands for Naval Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps, which is the program that AFA follows because we are an Honor Naval Academy. While our Elementary School does not take part in this, our Middle School is slowly initiated and the program is fully carried out during High School.
What are the uniforms like, among other "appearance" rules?
Click here to read all of the NJROTC rules and regulations concerning uniforms, appearance, etc.
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Fun Facts
- Babe Ruth, famously known for baseball, signed his first $100K contract in the courtyard of Farragut Hall.
- The famous gangster, Al Capone, stayed at the Jungle Country Club many times ( this was before it changed from the Jungle Country Club hotel to AFA).
- Admiral Farragut was the first naval U.S. officer to achieve Admiral Rank.
- AFA is the only private school to have the Navy Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps Program.
- An AFA graduate, Alan Shepard, was the first American in space.
- In 1989 female students were first accepted to Farragut and in 1990 they were allowed to begin boarding at the school.
- AFA established it’s Elementary School in 1999.
- The second AFA alumnus to go into space was Charles Duke.
- The aviation program was established in 2007.
- The Act of Congress designated AFA as an honor naval academy in 1946.
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