CARSON LONG FAMILY NEWSLETTER
ISSUE #31  MARCH 2016 OUR 180TH YEAR!
Drill Team Makes CLMA School History,
Wins League 3 Championship Five Years in a Row
The Carson Long Military Academy Precision Drill Team took first in Armed Regulation,
Second in Unarmed Regulation, First in Team Inspection, and First in Commander’s
Inspection (Individual Award to CDT Ryan Estep) at the February 20 JROTC Drill Meet at
Cumberland Valley School District’s Eagle View Middle School in Mechanicsburg, PA, earning
first place overall and ensuring their fifth trip in as many years to regional competition in New
York. Led by Senior Army Instructor MAJ Kraig Kiehl, Carson Long’s 15-member precision
drill team includes cadets from seven of the United States (Pennsylvania, New York,
Delaware, Washington, Virginia, and New Jersey), and one foreign nation (China). This
victory entitles the Carson Long squad to advance to Brigade Competition at Francis Lewis
High School in Queens, NY, on Saturday, March 5, 2016.
Here are the members of Carson Long’s championship precision drill team: CDTs Raymond
Centanni (Pennsylvania), Prasath DeSantis (Washington), Ryan Estep (Delaware), Dillon
Keefer (Pennsylvania), Xiangrui Kong (China), Daniel Leisher (New Jersey), Qiaoyu Leng
(China), AJ Migliarini (New York), Musitafa Pahaerding (China), Durham Richards (Virginia),
William Romberger (New Jersey), Stephen Washington (Pennsylvania), Xuyang Wei (China),
Ruoyu Zhang (China), and Jiaquan Zhou (China). Well done, gentlemen!
Always choose the harder right instead of the easier wrong.
IN THIS ISSUE:
P. 2—College Acceptance Updates &
Cadet of the Month
P. 3—Annual Appeal
P. 4—February Events
P. 5—March Activities
P. 6—All About the Newsletter
P. 7—School News & Event
Highlights
P. 8—Pictures!
Please visit www.carsonlong.org.
The deadline for the April
Family Newsletter
is Monday, March 28, 2016
EM [email protected]
FOCUS ON COLLEGE
COLLEGE ACCEPTANCES & FUTURE PLANS
CADET OF THE MONTH
The list is growing! Please encourage your cadet to share his good news with
CDR Ross, Carson Long’s College Counselor.
Rashaad Butler—Evergreen College
Prasath DeSantis—accepted to Shippensburg University
Markhel Dieujuste—accepted to Valley Forge Military College
Ryan Estep—accepted to Valley Forge Military College, offered $12,000/yr
scholarship; accepted to Norwich University, offered $24,000/yr scholarship;
accepted to Wentworth Military College
Brady Kyle—accepted to John Carroll University, offered $24,000/yr
scholarship and selected for Leadership Program; accepted to Le Moyne
College, offered $17,500/yr scholarship; accepted to St. Bonaventure University,
offered $20,500/yr scholarship; accepted to St. John Fisher College, offered
$14,000/yr scholarship.
Zac Levine—accepted to Roanoke College; accepted to Stetson University,
offered $23,000/yr scholarship; accepted to Susquehanna University, offered
$23,000/yr scholarship; accepted to Ursinus College, offered $22,000/yr
scholarship; accepted to High Point University
Lingming Lu—Rutgers-Newark Campus
Devon McGeogheon—Roger Williams College
Matthew Movtady—accepted to Valley Forge Military College; accepted to
Norwich University, offered $24,000/yr scholarship
Sebastien Rene—accepted to Valley Forge Military College
Durham Richards—service
Will Romberger—accepted to Utah Valley University; accepted to Utah State
University
Gavin Sickler—service
Kenechi Ucheagwu—accepted to Valley Forge Military College
Rami Weaver—Kutztown University
Tyler Willis—accepted to Shippensburg University; accepted to Lock Haven
University; accepted to University of Maine, offered $9,000/yr scholarship;
accepted to Penn State-Hazleton; accepted to Juniata College, offered $18,000/
yr scholarship.
Leon Yakuvbosky—Bucks County Community College
Michael Yakuvbosky—Bucks County Community College
Educational Outing to Juniata College
January—Selfless Service:
CDT Ian Steward
1LT Timothy Smallwood
His work with the football team was the epitome
of selfless service. CDT Steward came to
school two weeks early for football camp. He
went to every game. He attended every
practice. He filled every water bottle, cleaned
every jersey. CDT Steward ran from the
practice field to the equipment room every time
someone lost a mouth piece. CDT Steward did
not play a single down. He never put on a
uniform. He simply worked just as hard, if not
harder, so that the players that did play had
everything they needed. He went above and
beyond to make sure everyone on the team was
ready to go! CDT Steward didn’t stop when the
football season ended either. He made sure all
of our equipment was accounted for and put
away in the right place. When the season was
finished and the players on the team left to play
other sports, CDT Steward stayed behind to
clean the locker room that he didn’t use, clean
the uniforms that he didn’t wear, and sort the
equipment that he never put on. Simply put, if it
weren’t for CDT Steward, Carson Long Football
would not have made it through the season the
way it did. CDT Steward was the MVP of our
team without playing a second. He was the
Most Valuable Person. If this is not selfless
service, I don’t know what is!
The Army Value for February is Honor. March is Integrity, April is Personal Courage, and May is Leadership.
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Carson Long Military Academy Annual Appeal: We Still Need Your Support!
Just in case there is anyone who did not receive Carson Long’s Annual Appeal letter, here it is. This year’s Annual Appeal runs
from now through June 30, 2016, if you would like to add your gift to the $16,271 that has already been received to help the school
make up the difference between what is received in tuition payments and what is needed to meet the budget. Unlike tuition
payments, gifts to the Annual Fund are tax-deductible.
Dear Friends:
As a proud alumnus, Class of 1978, and current trustee of Carson Long Military
Academy, I seek your support in ensuring that the foundational education we received
at Carson Long is available for future generations. The fundamentals taught at Carson
Long - “How to Learn, How to Labor and How to Live” - set the foundation and ensured
that I graduated from Norwich University, Troy University, and The United States Army
War College--AND served a 30-year active duty Army career. I will forever be grateful to
Carson Long’s faculty, staff, and my fellow cadets for the opportunities I gained through
their selfless devotion and mentorship. They truly made a difference in my life. Carson
Long is our nation’s oldest private boarding school to provide military leadership
training and with our assistance, I trust, will endure forever.
COL Armon Cioppa ‘78
By now, you have all heard of the troubles of one of our sister schools, New York Military
Academy. Also one of the exemplary academies to survive the post-Vietnam wave of anti-military
sentiment, NYMA simply did not have the support it needed to keep its doors open. We can’t let Carson
Long suffer the same fate.
If you endorse traditional military values, promotions that are earned, a curriculum in which ethics
and morals rank as high as academic achievement, and a culture that inculcates “choose the harder
right instead of the easier wrong,” as I do, I seek your support and continued investment in Carson Long.
Please consider an unrestricted, sustaining gift to Carson Long Military Academy. Your tax-deductible
donation of $5,000, $1,000, or even $100 helps ensure the vital future of Carson Long Military Academy
and all who benefit directly and indirectly from its educational programs.
Your on-site contact is Ms. Jairee Counterman, our Director of Advancement and Alumni Relations, whose
email address is [email protected] and whose direct phone number is 717.839.1434,
but any of us on the Board of Trustees or the school’s president & CEO, COL David Pearson, would be happy
to explain in further detail why Carson Long is worthy of your investment.
Thank you.
V/R
Armon A. Cioppa
Armon A. Cioppa
Colonel, U.S. Army (Retired)
Carson Long Military Academy 2015-16 Board of Trustees
Chairman: Chris Tighe ’85 [email protected]
Vice-Chair: John McGeogheon [email protected]
Secretary: Ron De Ramus ’55 [email protected] Treasurer: Thomas O’Connell [email protected]
Jare Allen-Allocco [email protected]
Andrew Mayo ‘70 [email protected]
Serge Shewchuk ’56 [email protected]
Eric Weller [email protected]
Armon Cioppa ’78 [email protected]
Devin Reffitt ’85 [email protected]
Debra Stratton [email protected]
CLMA President & CEO: David Pearson [email protected]
Carson Long’s Mailing Address is 200 North Carlisle Street, New Bloomfield, PA 17068
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FEBRUARY FAMILY WEEKEND & SCHOOL ACTIVITIES
Family Weekend: No matter how cold, no matter how
dreary, no matter how much snow, the climate on campus for
February Family Weekend is always warm and inspirational.
The Parents Association continues to outdo itself with the Basket Raffle and Mad Dash, the Senior Ring Ceremony has become one of our most beloved traditions, the Music Department
Showcase is simply outstanding, all of Chef Joe’s food is excellent, and the Parent-Teacher conferences are informative.
Raiders: Carson Long Raiders have been working hard.
They will compete Saturday, April 9
College Admissions Staffers Visit Campus: On February
1, College Counselor CDR Traci Ross provided cadets with the
opportunity to speak directly with College Admissions Directors.
We are grateful to Elizabethtown College, Pennsylvania College
of Technology,
and
Susquehanna
University
for sending
their
Admissions
Directors to
serve on
Carson Long’s
Panel and
speak with our
cadets.
JROTC Honor Unit With Distinction:
At JPA on Friday,
February 26, Carson
Long earned a score
of 98.4 and retained its
status as a JROTC
“Honor Unit With
Distinction.”
Congratulations to
Senior Army Instructor
MAJ Kraig Kiehl, Army
Instructor Samuel
Butler, and especially
Carson Long’s cadet leaders and corps of cadets.
Red Cross Blood Drive: Mrs. Carolyn Pio, 1LT Owen Barton, and students in the Serve-to-Lead Program organized Carson Long’s second blood drive of the current school year on
Wednesday, February 24. A total of 13 volunteers – including 8
cadets and faculty members – donated 13 units, saving a total of
39 lives. Carson Long’s final Blood Drive for the 2015-2016
school year will be on Wednesday, April 27, 2016.
The Carson Long Military Academy Parents Association is a group of volunteer parents committed to enhancing
their sons’ Carson Long experience by providing special treats and services such as the water coolers, TVs, and
microwaves in each of the dorms; the Halloween and final exam goodie bags; the Senior Breakfast; and soon,
much-anticipated upgrades to the Rec Center. Most meetings are via conference call so all can participate.
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AND A LOOK AT WHAT’S HAPPENING IN MARCH
March Events
Please check www.carsonlong.org and Carson Long’s Facebook page for changes
and updates. Here are the events that have been provided for March 2016 Family
Newsletter:
Tuesday, March 1 – Ten Carson Long cadets will participate in 500 Men Reading
event in Harrisburg.
Tuesday, March 1—Spring Sports Physicals
Wednesday, March 2 – 12:45-1:35 p.m. – Leadership Lecture with LTC Matt Sober, 1992 graduate of West Perry High School and Chairman of Military Science
Department at Shippensburg University
Thursday, March 3 – 4:00 p.m. – Honors trip to see Harlem Globetrotters
Thursday, March 3 – Dress Down Day – Proceeds will benefit Leukemia &
Lymphoma Society
Saturday, March 5 – Brigade Championship Drill Meet – New York City
Saturday, March 5—Brigade Drill Meet—NYC!
Saturday,
March 5 – SATs
Monday, March
7 – 6:00 p.m. –
Harrisburg
LTC Matt Sober,
Academy
March 3 Leadership Lecturer, & Family
College Fair
Saturday, March 12 – 1:00-4:00 p.m. – Admissions Open
House
Saturday, March 12 – 7:00 p.m. – Carson Long Rock Concert
Sunday, March 13 – Daylight Savings Time begins
Wednesday, March 16 – 7:30 p.m. – Trip to see Blue Man
Group
Thursday, March 17 – St. Patrick’s Day
Saturday, March 19 – Spring/Easter Break begins
Sunday, March 20 – First Day of Spring
Sunday, March 20 – Palm Sunday
Friday, March 25 - Good Friday
Sunday, March 27 – Easter
Tuesday, March 29 – 8:00 p.m. - Spring/Easter Break ends
Spring and Easter Break
By now, you know that this year, because of when Easter
occurs (Sunday, March 27), Spring Break and Easter Break
have been combined into one, closed-campus (all cadets
must depart). The Break starts on Saturday, March 19, and
ends on Tuesday, March 29.
As always, all travel arrangements are coordinated by
LTC Mark Sommerville, email
[email protected].
Sunday, March 20—Official First Day of Spring
Even Though the Crocuses were Blooming in February
Be sure to check the calendar on Carson Long’s website, www.carsonlong.org,
for the latest updates on academic, athletic, and community events.
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MORE THAN YOU WANTED TO KNOW ABOUT THE NEWSLETTER
Every once in a while, someone asks about our newsletter: Who creates it? How is it done? Who gets
it? And especially, how much does it cost?
Who creates it? A lot of people. I (Ms. Counterman) am the person responsible for pulling it all
together, getting it proofread, getting it formatted, and getting it distributed. Other staff and
cadets provide content and photographs, as detailed in #2.
How is it done? Toward the end of each month, I review Facebook, the school calendar,
and my email for events and activities that occurred in the month prior. I also pull up the
newsletter from the same month the year before to see what was covered then. If I’m short
on content, I send an email to the staff and faculty begging for articles. Once I have my
preliminary plan, I go back through my files, email, and Shutterfly to choose and format
photographs. I like to start with 25-30 photographs for an 8-page issue. The great pictures
are a highlight of the newsletter, and we are fortunate to have a number of talented
photographers on staff and among the corps. Mrs. Morgan (who also posts all the pictures
on Shutterfly), Mr. Pearson, Mrs. Pio, and CPT Pray are the main staff photographers, and
the S5, students in the graphic design class, students on the Carsonian staff, and now,
students in the new photography class are the primary cadet photographers. Also, we are
grateful when staff supervising field trips and other outings are able to take and submit
photos, and we appreciate parents, cadets, and alumni who provide pictures. Once I have
all the pictures I need (and a few to spare), I write or import copy into a Word document. No
matter which desktop publishing software I use, I find that there are fewer typos and other
errors if the content is typed in Word and then imported into the newsletter itself. I edit as I go.
The next step is designing the pages – keeping the style consistent with what we like, making
sure everything is in compliance with Carson Long’s Communications & Graphic Standards
Manual, ensuring sufficient balance and white space, double-checking that no one with a
media restriction has been featured and ensuring equitable coverage of cadets, departments,
and programs, etc., making sure articles are organized in a logical manner, and fussing about
the details that make for a unique, professional-looking quality document that does NOT look
like a generic, fill-in-the-template creation. I convert the final draft to pdf, print it out for
proofreading (especially to make sure all the formats held), and once I’m happy with it, I
send it to Mr. Pearson, LTC Morgan, and CPT Pray for a final proofread. After that, it gets
emailed, posted to the website, and printed out on the school photocopier.
Who gets it? The Family Newsletter is emailed directly to staff, current cadets, the board of
trustees, current families, our main media contacts, and other friends, alumni, donors, and
family members. The Family Newsletter is published on the website (www.carsonlong.org,
pick the PARENTS icon, then select Publications), and it is mailed to about 30 friends and
alumni who don’t use email. We also print 30-40 copies that we hand out to visitors.
How much does it cost? The main cost for the Family Newsletter is time. When I add up the
time it takes to prepare, design, and edit, I spend about an hour per page. There is additional
staff time taking photographs (which were usually being taken for another purpose),
proofreading, and sending the current parent email and publishing to the website. It
takes maybe another hour for me to run copies and labels for the issues we mail, and
there would be some minor expense for toner, paper, and postage.
Winter Sports
Round-Up
During February, the
Varsity Basketball Team,
JV Basketball Team, and
Junior School Basketball
Team all finished their
season, as did wrestler
Sebastien Rene and the
Indoor Soccer players.
March is a bye month,
then in April, we will have
Tennis, Track & Field, and
Baseball.
CDT Sebastien Rene,
Senior Night,
West Perry Wrestling
(L-R) CDTs Markhel
Dieujuste, Brady
Kyle, & Tyler Willis,
Senior Night,
Carson Long
Warrior Basketball
The Family Newsletter started with general information for our parents – travel arrangements, family
weekend schedules, etc. – and the primary audience is still our families, but we have expanded the
content to be of interest to a wider public. Since most of the distribution is electronic, it’s a very costeffective way to get the word out about Carson Long. If you have suggestions or submissions for the
Family Newsletter, please email them to [email protected].
Be sure to check the calendar on Carson Long’s website, www.carsonlong.org,
for the latest updates on academic, athletic, and community events.
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First-ever International Alumni Reunion: Santa Domingo
To the best of our knowledge,
the Carson Long Alumni
eunion held in Santa Domingo,
Dominican Republic on
Monday, February 15, was the
first in school history.
Special thanks to Richard Ros
’94 and Carson Long Mom
Sandra Aponte, as well as all
thirteen DR alumni who were
able to attend and President
David Pearson, Admissions
Director Michael Pray, and
Senior Staffer David Comolli
who traveled to the Dominican
Republic to represent CLMA.
Holman Chapel Commemorative Flag Holders
More
Notable
Alumni
Just prior to his death, MSG (RET) Roy Freeman “Rocky” Chandler ’43 commissioned Master
Craftsman Rex Krugman (who created the Honor Rostrum) to create hand-carved native-wood
flag holders for the COL Edward Holman Chapel. There will be a total of 20 flags/flag holders –
10 on the north wall and 10 on the south wall. Alumni Serge M. Shewchuk ’56, M.D., Ph.D., and
David B. “Rocky” McCoy ’73
Mr. Neil Otto ’56, have sponsored the first two. Eighteen flags are still available. Here are the
has taken the lead on Carson
guidelines for the Holman Chapel Flag
Long’s Notable Alumni project.
Project:
1. There will be a total of 20 flags to be
sponsored, at $1,000 each.
2. Sponsorship includes: the pole,
the flag, and at least 10 years posting of
the flag in the hand carved flag holder in
the Chapel.
3. Traditional US Military Flags, flags of
any of the United States, and flags of
nations represented by current or former
Carson Long students are automatically
approved. Artistic or other original
Will you sponsor your state flag? Your country?
designs must be approved by a
committee consisting of CLMA President, Vice President, Advancement Director, and Senior
Alumni Trustee. Carson Long also controls placement/location.
4. Sponsors will be recognized on the website, on Facebook, in the newsletter, with a news
release, and with signage/chart in the Chapel.
5. Flags will be dedicated annually during the Alumni Association's Annual Meeting or June Week
ceremonies.
He has created nomination
forms and criteria, and
assembled the Notable
Alumni Committee. Thank
you to the following for
agreeing to serve:
Doug Cooper ‘69
Michael Duane ‘91
Paul Lutz ‘75
David "Rocky” McCoy '73
Bill Reid ‘74
Jason Samuels ‘87
Look for complete information
in the March 2016 Take 5
Newsletter, in the Alumni
Association Newsletter,
and on the Alumni page
of Carson Long’s website,
COL Edward L. Holman Chapel Fund Update
Proceeds from the Commemorative Flag Holder Project go to maintaining and preserving www.carsonlong.org.
the Holman Chapel. Over Spring Break, new stage curtains and theatre lights will be
installed, then painting in the main sanctuary. With sufficient support to finish Phase 2, And please, send us your
nominations!
we will be able to move on to Phase 3: Pews & Floors.
Department Blogs are updated every quarter—visit www.carsonlong.org, pick “CLMA Today,”
and choose Department Blogs to find out what is going on in Carson Long’s classrooms
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SEEN AROUND CAMPUS & ON THE ROAD
Indoor Soccer at Twin Ponds
Proud Seniors with Their Class Rings
Cadet Artwork Completed for Mr. Warner’s Class
But the Cadet Leaders Remain Serious
Glee Club Gets a Little Goofy
See no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil?
Junior School Basketball Team
Thank you to all our staff, cadet, and volunteer writers, photographers, and editors!
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