Those who attended Founder's Day will recall a briefing by BG(Ret) Pete Hidalgo '58 on the WPPSP and a request to support it financially. Our goal was to raise $2,000 by the end of April to support one scholarship for the 2005-2006 academic year. A hearty thanks to you who have already donated, but we have not reached that goal, and unfortunately, we are far short. Thus, we are extending the campaign for two additional weeks, plus, we are providing some additional insight for your consideration.

     The following comments are provided by BG (Ret) Pete Hidalgo: "Last weekend I attended an alumni event at Marion Military Institute (MMI) in Marion, Alabama. As you may recall, MMI is one of the three military junior colleges selected by the AOG where fully qualified candidates for admission to West Point are sent for a year of post-secondary education. This year, MMI has 12 scholarship program participants enrolled. Eleven of the 12 have recently been notified of their acceptance to West Point. The twelfth is awaiting medical clearance following an auto accident.

     I had an opportunity to meet with and interview each one of the candidates, observe them in class, and in field exercises. These are top notch young people who have excelled both academically and in leadership roles while at MMI. The likelihood of their going on to graduate from West Point is higher ( 91%) than for cadets from any other source of admission (average 78%). After meeting them it is easy to understand why. They are bright, articulate, motivated, and poised. To a man (no females in this year's group, but there have been), they cited this year at MMI as providing them the academic edge, maturity, and comraderie with peers that will make them successful at West Point.

Another benefit of this program is the close contact it affords with USMA. West Point provides a "faculty advisor" who stays in touch all year by email and visits the school twice a year. MMI also assigns a faculty advisor to the group who in this case is a grad (class of '60) and former instructor at West Point. These kids are well informed and know what to expect. Finally, I want to point out that these are partial scholarships. Tuition at MMI is over $15,000 per year. WPPSP provides $2,000, MMI gives them a $10,000 scholarship, and the families pay the rest.

     After this visit, I am more convinced than ever that this is a terrific program worthy of our support."

     Contributions can be sent to our Treasurer, Dave Weeden at 3049 O'Brien Drive, Tallahassee, FL 32309-2752. Make checks payable to the West Point Society of Tallahassee and indicate "WPPSP" in the memo section.