It is with great regret that Leonard Hall Junior Naval Academy (LHJNA) will not continue with academic instruction for the 2nd semester of the 2024-2025 school year. This has been openly discussed with all Corporation and Board Members and the hard decision made was based on what was in the best interest of the midshipmen.
This has been communicated and coordinated with our families to support a smooth transition for our midshipmen.
LHJNA prides itself on providing academic instruction with a military structure focused on building and reinforcing key qualities including leadership, accountability, confidence, respect for oneself and others as well as pride in our country. LHJNA’s unique military approach provides the midshipmen with the tools, techniques, and earned leadership roles to evaluate and make the right decisions, understand the consequences of not making the right decisions while taking ownership and being accountable. These critical skills and characteristics result in improved confidence and abilities empowering our midshipmen to successfully navigate their middle school and high school journey while creating a foundation for future success.
LHJNA has faced several challenges over the past several years. While the skills and qualities LHJNA builds in the teens in our community are invaluable, for LHJNA to deliver what it promises to the midshipmen certain requirements are crucial or our academy becomes ineffective.
Our ability to find a facility that will support not only an effective classroom setting but also the military program has been challenging and has had a direct impact on enrollment resulting in limited financial and staffing/volunteer resources.
LHJNA is a stand-alone, non-profit organization operated and managed by a Board of Trustees consisting of corporation and community volunteers, a dedicated and talented staff, and is financially supported only through tuition, fundraising, and donations. When enrollment is low, finances and volunteers are low, which has a cascading negative impact on fundraising, community outreach, donations, and staff recruitment and retention. All these factors limit our ability to deliver upon the institution’s promises to the midshipmen.
We began the year knowing we had a facility constraint and worked tirelessly to find an effective and affordable solution. Unfortunately, one did not present itself in time to salvage this school year.
We’ve had an outpouring of support from Leonardtown and the local communities, and we are forever grateful. At this time, we are not closing the corporation in the event these challenges find a positive resolution and LHJNA can rebuild with a fresh start, well-planned, operated, and funded.
This Friday, January 31, 2025, we will hold our final farewell as we send our midshipmen off to new beginnings and knowing they will carry the values and memories LHJNA has instilled in them throughout their lives.
Amie Milan, LHJNA Board of Trustees President.
