Army and Navy Academy - Review #1

The Army Navy Academy campus is a college preparatory school for boys ages 11 to 18 years of age, both Summer regular School schedules available. A small yet honorable and highly respected boarding school of around 300 students, located on the Pacific Ocean in a great little town of Carlsbad, California. The all boys school is over a hundred years strong and has some of the best values and great learning environment unattainable elsewhere. Classes are as small as just three of us in Spanish Two to sometimes up to twenty in one room, such as literature class taught by an excellent instructor. Many great leaders, business masters, movie stars and honorable politicians have emanated from this golden campus.

Grew up in ways I never thought I needed to, or even realized was growing. From better and improved studying and learning skills, to a rich environment of knowledgeable persons with rich and diverse backgrounds gave learning a second language much more enriching and long lasting.The school continues to help me grow, many years later. I'm still haunted in a good way, many memories, most good, some not so, all having a positive affect on me years later.

Jump right in. Don't resist too long or at all. Get involved, ask questions, seek help and don't stay idle too long. Stay physically, mentally and spiritually positive and strong. Must grow in all of them and don't take too long on one aspect, yet stay active in them all. Embrace the military training as it is effective in many other ways of life even if a military future is not in your plans. You'll meet many dedicated and hard working individuals in the military department who are committed to making America and it's students a Great people.

The whole environment of the school. Being by the ocean with surfing and beach parties but most of all, with all the sacrificing and dedicated staff volunteering in many cases to give the gift of life long teaching and showiness that make it all the more enriching. The faculty and staff were the BEST PART. Colonel W.C. Atkinson has returned after retirement and I was fortunate enough to have been in his presence. really a positive and great influence on my life.

Love the school and be open minded to the new experiences. Still have to be on guard for forces, like anywhere; that may attempt to derail your goals and dreams. Stay the course and out of trouble...not worth getting axed, kicked out or always on report and marching, when life should be a positive set of steps to take at this point.Cottages, the new dormitories look nice, the old gym building all need to be looked at and the Chapel is really a neat little place to reflect on so much that has happened. From Col. Atty's Chapels of yesteryear to the Mask and Wig club originally put on by the late wife of the late Colonel W.C. Atkinson

Old and New academics in a beautiful blend that excels students in a well prepared path to not only reaching, even surpassing their goals of becoming tomorrow's leader and legacy.Instructors were the best I ever had. Personal, likable yet strong and firm and able to make learning the great and even fun activity it's meant to be.Competition was well balanced so the best were recognized, yet students needing extra attention felt like part of the pack.

Athletics were run and organized by past students turned professional Alumni and wishing to return the favor of their past well run athletics. We had some of the best athletes in the state of California especially for such a small school. We had talented and well trained athletes and coaches from all over the world creating a diverse yet well Americanized campus, taking our country forward with tomorrow's leaders. being readied in a first class setting.

The Entertainment and Music departments were second to none. World class Mask and Wig theater production as good as the bigger schools if not better. The marching band doesn't get any better, especially being part of entire school marching along with them on parades and daily roll calls. The Video department consisted of the latest equipment student money could buy and all the involved cadets came from highly talented backgrounds. Many famous people attended before or after their fame and many came from well known and respected families.The campus consist of many old buildings giving a solid foundation of history to construct one's background and modern classroom's for the ever changing technologies of tomorrow carefully intertwined to give a whole sense of one's identity.

So much to do. Wish I had been far more involved. Football was calling, Cross Country, Basketball, Track and Field even Wrestling was tempting yet ultimately the sport I involved with the most was Surfing the beautiful pacific Ocean as part of our campus. There were so many organizations like chess club, model building club, and officer's club, I just couldn't decide so I took up jogging when ever the Surfing was quiet.

Dorms ranged from cozy little cottages to long row housing units with many students to hang out with like family with. Was cool to hang out with all your friends and not having to go very far from home to school and or to friend's home to study or have fun, constructive activities with. We have a Recreation Hall with video and pinball machines, pool tables and other activities plus a great snack bar with pizza, burgers and munchies for the late day raves.Dorm room assignment location depended on what grade, company unit, officer ranking, etc., and a bit of randomness in some cases, even special requests could be handled. Late night snacks could be safely stored in special food containers to ensure freshness and prevent intruder access.

Worked in the Dining Hall, (called Mess Hall), and noticed after working in other institutions years later, our school's food is of the finest in the world. Can honestly say the food and dining at our school was second to none. Top notch and high class. Everyone get's the school lunch room blues, but here it takes a lot longer and most "snap out of it" a few months in and realize just how fortunate our school dormitory and lunch food is..!Seating was somewhat chosen by pre-seating arrangements similar to dormitory assignments, yet some times and at some meals, free seating was available and one could sit where ever. Liked both for various reasons. Good combination. Setting is nice with views over the Senior Garden and the famous Pacific HWY.Hours on weekend were open hours for morning Brunch with open menu open kitchen, typical morning, lunch and supper hours.

Ocean, Surfing, California, small hip and upscale surf town with some of most fantastic scenery on earth..! There are nearby public beaches and resort hotels and condominiums, many of which are rented out by some of the cadets of ANA as school housing.

Just being able to hang out with like minded students after school without having to go anywhere. Could just think of someone I could get homework help with or someone just to go surfing with and no excuses. Meeting new cadets and sometimes going home over the weekend to visit their hometown, meet their family and hangout as they like to; was awesome. The cadets having been screened, all had good will and positive life expectancy, that made socializing sometimes with complete strangers; a general plus type experience.