As we wrap up Alumni Weekend 2010, it seems entirely appropriate to post the following essay written by a current cadet, Benjamin Villamora, about his time at Fork Union Military Academy. Having shared many wonderful stories and memories with alumni dating back to the 1940s, it is marvelous to hear that today's cadets are still finding value in the FUMA experience.
By Cadet Benjamin Villamora, Class of 2010
"When I was nine years old I was diagnosed with ADD. My school, seeing this as a disadvantage, categorized me as a special education student, which placed me in basic classes, study skills, and I had an in-class support teacher in every class. My parents believed it was for the best, but I saw it as an anchor which limited my true potential.
"After my freshman year I joined a leadership and summer camp program at a military school. It was then I realized what I was capable of and from that point on my spirit and confidence soared. I began exploring a military structured high school which is when I discovered Fork Union Military Academy. My parents first refused to enroll me but my determination did not stop and on my junior year I was one of the five hundred cadets at Fork Union Military Academy.
