Issue No.159 | 4.17.2025

Welcome to this week’s newsletter!  We’re glad you’re here. Each Thursday, the Weekly Warrior brings you the latest campus news, Cadet achievements, upcoming event invitations, and important updates from departments across the Academy.

We encourage you to read and share it with others in our community.  It’s one of the best ways to stay connected, informed, and engaged with all that’s happening at Army and Navy Academy. You can find the last three months of newsletter issues on our website here.

Let’s dive in!

Celebrating our Scholars

On Wednesday, April 16,  we held our Grading Period 5 Award Assembly, honoring the academic, JROTC, and Cadet Life achievements of Cadets. In addition, Dr. Cowen led the recognition of our National Honor Society scholars.

The National Honor Society is the nation’s oldest and most esteemed honor society, and it is recognized by all colleges and universities. The society was established in 1921 to recognize outstanding high school students and honor those who demonstrate excellence in scholarship, leadership, service, and character. These four main pillars have guided chapters from the beginning: “To create enthusiasm for scholarship, to stimulate a desire to render service, to promote leadership, and to develop character in the students of secondary schools.

Cadets recognized during the NHS Ceremony:
Officers

Vincent Sze,  Brendan Teo,  Nicholas Huggins, Tyler Hansen, Daniel Fan,  Gavin Blatt, and Hanliang Niu.

Seniors

Nehemiah Brunson Jr.,  Santiago Camou, Lance Germani, Ryan Hansen, Jacob Hester, Philip Hunt, Jack Jaferian, and Mason Raposa

Juniors

George Cobos,  Mohammed Jasser,  Alexis Polishchuk,  Yanler Ramos Taveros,  Matthew Spears, and Fangjing Zhou

Sophomores

Ziteng Chen, Arav Gupta, Ryan Kang, Moises Rossi-Ruiz, and Mingjun Wang

Celebrating Cadet Hung Nguyen - A Carlsbad Chamber Rising Star

This week, we’re celebrating Senior Cadet Hung Nguyen, who was honored as one of the Carlsbad Chamber of Commerce’s Rising Stars of the Month for April!

Hung is known on campus as a quiet, humble, and hardworking leader,  someone who always leads by example and has earned the respect of his classmates and teachers. As our Class of 2025 Salutatorian, he’s a strong student, but even more than that, he’s someone who truly embodies what it means to be a virtuous young man.

At the Rising Star event, Hung shared stories of his early years in North Vietnam,  how even at age six, he stayed up late doing schoolwork while his parents worked hard to support their family. His journey to the U.S. for a boarding school education hasn’t been easy, but he’s met every challenge with perseverance and heart.

We’re incredibly proud of you, Hung. Thank you for inspiring all of us with your dedication and character.

Spring Band Concert and Art Expo

Congratulations to the Cadets who participated in the Art Expo and Spring Band Concert on April 14th! It was a wonderful evening that showcased our Cadets in the Visual and Performing Arts program. Thank you to Bandmaster Leland Lugo and Art Teacher Sarrah Gielow for this exceptional music and art presentation. If you missed the concert live, you can watch it in our YouTube Livestream library. 

Easter Break Break Reminder

This week, Cadets have been following a modified class schedule. In recognition of the Easter holiday, there will be no classes on Friday, April 18, and Monday, April 21, allowing for a brief but well-deserved mini-break.

Additionally, there will be no classes on Tuesday, April 22, as our faculty engage in professional development sessions and WASC (Western Association of Schools and Colleges) training to support ongoing school improvement and accreditation efforts.

Boarding Cadets are expected to return to campus by 8:00 p.m. on Tuesday evening in preparation for the resumption of classes on Wednesday, April 23. We appreciate everyone's attention to these schedule changes and wish all of our Warrior families a safe and restful Easter break!

Warrior Athletics Highlights: Big Wins & Big News!

Congratulations to Warrior Tennis for an impressive showing at the League Championships last week, taking 2nd place overall! A special shoutout to Matteo and Matthew Morrell, who captured the Doubles Championship, and to Prateek Ghanta, Sean Din, and Ming Nguyen for strong individual finishes. Way to go, Warriors!

Warrior Baseball will close out the week with a non-league game against Orange Glen this afternoon, April 17. The team currently sits tied for 1st in league play and holds 6th place in the power rankings, a strong position as they head into the final stretch.

Warrior Volleyball wrapped up the week with a solid win over High Tech North County and is fighting hard for a potential first-ever playoff run this spring. Keep up the momentum!

Meanwhile, other Warrior teams used the week to prep for league tournaments and CIF playoffs, a critical time as we head into a busy and competitive end to the season.

A special congratulations to Landon Schrom, who received a scholarship offer from Columbia University.  This is an an incredible achievement and well-deserved recognition!

Re-Enrollment Process Now Open for 2025-2026 School Year

Thank you to the families who have completed their intent to re-enroll forms.  If you have not yet completed yours, please do so as soon as possible.. This helps us plan accurately for next year.

Complete your Intent to Re-Enroll form here:
https://armyandnavyacademy.org/re-enrollment/

Review 2025-2026 tuition and fees here:

https://armyandnavyacademy.org/boarding-school-tuition/

Please contact the Office of Admission at 760.729.2385 or by emailing admission@armyandnavyacademy.org if you have any questions about re-enrollment.

Health Center Reminder: Appointments & Medications

All medical appointments during the school day must be coordinated through the Health Center to ensure accountability and support. We encourage families to schedule routine appointments during school breaks.  Contact providers early for availability.

If your Cadet requires prescription medications over the break, please email health@armyandnavyacademy.org as soon as possible. 

Need Summer Storage?

To help ensure a smooth and efficient Move-Out Day before summer break, we encourage families to begin taking home personal items and unnecessary gear in advance. If your Cadet will require on-campus summer storage, please complete this designated form and return it to his TAC Officer by May 15, 2025. The cost for summer storage is $125.

Thank you for your support in helping us streamline the end-of-year process!

Officer Candidate Course (OCC) Recap

Last weekend, ANA Cadets participated in our Officer Candidate Course (OCC).  The primary goal was to strengthen the bond and brotherhood among our junior Cadets, who are now preparing to lead the battalion as seniors next year. OCC was intentionally designed to be both mentally and physically demanding, pushing Cadets to grow as individuals and as leaders.

Throughout the event, Cadets developed and refined the foundational leadership skills they learned over the years. They were placed in dynamic, diverse leadership roles that required them to plan, coordinate, and execute assigned tasks, challenging them to think critically, act decisively, and lead effectively under pressure.

This event was fully planned and coordinated by our Battalion Command and Staff, along with Senior Cadets, and supported by all JROTC instructors. We successfully provided a safe, healthy, and engaging training environment that cultivated leadership, discipline, teamwork, and self-confidence through hands-on adventure training beyond the scope of normal class periods.

OCC allowed Cadets to lead and follow in real-world, high-impact scenarios. It reinforced the importance of living, working, and succeeding together in a military environment where the entire battalion operated as one cohesive unit.

Key Objectives Achieved:

• Developed emerging leaders through real-world leadership scenarios

• Strengthened discipline, resilience, and mutual respect

• Fostered teamwork, cooperation, and unit cohesion

• Boosted confidence through physical and mental challenges

Highlighted Events Included:

1. Land Navigation

2. Team-Building Sports

3. Road Marches

4. Basic Survival/Adventure Training

5. Military Obstacle Course

6. F45 Physical Fitness Training (Led by certified instructors)

ANA's Officer Candidate Course was not just a training exercise; it was a defining experience where Cadets proved their potential, honed their leadership, and laid the foundation for the future of our battalion.  

Thank you to Chief Ortiz for the excellent recap of OCC!

Take a Moment to Recharge with Us

Bringing your son back to campus after Spring Break on Monday, April 22? We invite you to stick around and join us from 4:00 to 5:30 p.m. for some light refreshments and community connection. Whether you're feeling hungry after the drive or just want a moment to relax before heading home, this is a great opportunity to catch up with fellow parents, reconnect with staff, and ease back into the rhythm of campus life. We’d love to see you there!

ANA Bay Area Warrior Luncheons April 26 and 27

The Advancement and Admissions teams invite alumni, current and former families, and friends to two special ANA community luncheons:

• Danville, CA | Saturday, April 26, 2025 | Aracely Lounge

• Mountain View, CA | Sunday, April 27, 2025 | Limón

Reconnect with the Warrior community, meet prospective families, and hear how ANA continues to shape young men’s lives. Enjoy great food, great company, and a great cause. Bring a friend - everyone is welcome!

Weekend Adventures Await!

There’s no shortage of fun at ANA! From surf club and indoor rock climbing to paintball, ice skating, VR experiences, and a beach BBQ with s’mores, Cadets have a full lineup of activities to enjoy every weekend. Are you looking to unwind, get active, or try something new?  Take a look at the activities planned for Easter break and make the most of your days off! The full schedule for April is also below.

RSVP for Commencement Events

Join us in celebrating your Cadet’s achievements during Commencement Week! Be sure to RSVP using the button below to help us prepare for each event.  Some activities are free of charge, while others require a ticket, but all require an RSVP so we can plan accordingly.

If you have any questions, please contact Ms. Amber Smith at amsmith@armyandnavyacademy.org.

UPCOMING DATES TO REMEMBER

• Apr 18-21 - Easter Mini Break
• Apr 22 - Faculty and Staff PD - No School
• Apr 26 - Warrior Appreciation Luncheon | Danville, CA | Aracely Lounge
• Apr 27 - Warrior Appreciation Luncheon | Mountain View, CA | Limón

• May 5-16  - AP Exams

• May 15 - Yearbooks distributed

• May 19-22 - Final Exams

• May 19-23 - Commencement Week

Help Us Share the Warrior Experience!

Your feedback makes a difference! If our Academy has impacted your life or your son’s journey, please take a moment to leave a review. Your words help others learn about the transformational experience we provide. Review us on Google, Yelp,  Niche,  Great Schools, and Boarding School Review today! 

In addition to our social media channels, including Flickr where we store our Cadet captured photos,  you can find professional photography of Army and Navy Academy's major events and sports coverage in the embedded links.  Watch our military reviews and parades on our YouTube channel and all HOME football and basketball games on Hudl.com.  Stay in-the-know on ANA Athletics on Instagram at ArmyNavyAthletics.