Delaware Military Academy
{{Use American English|date=February 2025}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2025}}
{{cleanup school|date=March 2025}}
{{Infobox school
| name = Delaware Military Academy
| image = Demilacad.jpg
| imagesize =
| caption = Talley Hall Building
| streetaddress = 112 Middleboro Road
| city = Wilmington
| state = Delaware
| zipcode = 19804
| country = USA
| coordinates = {{Coord|39.7210|-75.5851|format=dms|display=inline,title}}
| district = Red Clay Consolidated School District
| founders = Charles Baldwin
Jack Wintermantel
| principal =
| staff = 49 (2023-2024)
| gender = Co-educational
| type = Charter
| enrollment = 584 (2023-2024)
| grades = 9-12
| campus type = Suburban
| hours_in_day = 8.5
| conference = Diamond State Conference
| motto = Scholarship, Leadership, Citizenship
| ceeb = 080171
| accreditation = Middle States Rated Superior School 2006-2024
| mascot = Seahawk
| school_colors = Navy, gold, and white
{{color box|navy|border=silver}}{{color box|gold|border=silver}}{{color box|white|border=silver}}
| yearbook = The Porthole
| founded = {{start date and age|2003|p=1}}
| communities = New Castle County, Delaware
| homepage = {{URL|https://demilacad.org/}}
}}
The Delaware Military Academy (DMA) is a publicly-funded charter high school in unincorporated New Castle County, Delaware and has a Wilmington postal address.{{cite web|url=https://demilacad.org/about-dma#contact-us|title=Contact Us|publisher=Delaware Military Academy|access-date=2021-06-22|quote=112 Middleboro Road Wilmington, DE 19804}} - The school is not in the Wilmington city limits, as seen in a comparison with [https://www.wilmingtonde.gov:443/home/showpublisheddocument?id=364 the zoning map] as of February 2021. The Academy was founded in 2003 by Charles Baldwin, a retired Master Chief Petty Officer from the United States Navy, and Jack Wintermantel, a retired Colonel from the United States Army.{{cite web|url=https://www.redclayschools.com/cms/lib/DE01903704/Centricity/domain/920/charter/DMA%202019%20CHARTER%20RENEWAL.pdf|title=The Delaware Military Academy renewal application supplement|date=2019-09-30|publisher=Red Clay Consolidated School District|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210709233155/https://www.redclayschools.com/cms/lib/DE01903704/Centricity/domain/920/charter/DMA%202019%20CHARTER%20RENEWAL.pdf|archive-date=2021-07-09}}{{cite web|url=https://www.hockessincommunitynews.com/article/20090410/NEWS/304109982|last=Prado|first=Antonio|title=Delaware Military Academy co-founder to retire|date=2009-04-10|publisher=Hockessin Community News|access-date=2021-07-09}} All students are required to participate in the Navy Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps, or NJROTC; DMA is the first successful all-JROTC military charter school in the US.{{cite web|url=https://www.delawareonline.com/story/sponsor-story/fall-education-guide/2017/10/20/delaware-military-academy-continues-raise-bar/785279001/|title=Delaware Military Academy continues to Raise the Bar|date=2017-10-20|publisher=Delaware Online|access-date=2021-07-09}} DMA offers grades nine through twelve and has been designated a Blue Ribbon School.{{cite web|url=https://news.delaware.gov/2019/09/26/three-delaware-schools-earn-national-blue-ribbon-honors/|title=Three Delaware schools earn national Blue Ribbon honors|date=2019-09-26|publisher=Delaware.gov|access-date=2021-07-09}}
Organization
All DMA students are referred to as cadets and the school is organized to reflect that of the US military and JROTC standards. While there are typical academic teachers and administrators, a number of faculty are retired from the military, and there are seven Naval Science Instructors (NSIs), six of whom teach, who oversee the military aspect of the school.{{citation needed|date=November 2022}} Students are divided into one Regiment and each Regiment is divided into two Battalions(Alpha and Bravo) with four Companies each.{{cite web|url=https://demilacad.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/20_21-Cadet-Handbook.pdf|title=Delaware Military Academy cadet handbook/code of conduct 2020-2021|date=2020|publisher=Delaware Military Academy|access-date=2021-07-09|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210710025321/https://demilacad.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/20_21-Cadet-Handbook.pdf|archive-date=2021-07-10}} Ranks are given based on honor, seniority, and academic excellence, with the highest student rank being the Regimental Commander.
Academics
DMA is a college-preparatory school that offers honors, AP, and dual-enrollment classes through Delaware Technical and Community College.
The State of Delaware gave DMA a "Superior" ranking for high scores on standardized testing and they were named a Blue Ribbon School in 2019.{{cite web|url=https://www.doe.k12.de.us/cms/lib09/DE01922744/Centricity/Domain/151/DMA_AR-2012.pdf|title=Delaware Military Academy|date=2012-10-25|publisher=Delaware Department of Education|access-date=2021-07-09|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160612004831/https://www.doe.k12.de.us/cms/lib09/DE01922744/Centricity/Domain/151/DMA_AR-2012.pdf|archive-date=2016-06-12}}
Athletics
For much of its history, DMA has lacked sufficient athletics facilities and relied on nearby Banning Park and other high schools' facilities.{{cite web|url=https://www.wdel.com/news/video-dma-set-to-unveil-new-athletic-dome-on-thursday/article_f83a6098-b8e6-11e7-afc2-7b6700d1a916.html|last=Greene|first=Sean|title=VIDEO DMA set to unveil new athletic dome on Thursday|date=2017-10-24|publisher=WDEL|access-date=2021-07-09}} In 2015, DMA purchased just under six additional acres of land with the intention of constructing a third building for this purpose and announced its plans for a gymnasium (called the "drill deck") in 2016.{{cite web|url=https://delawarebusinesstimes.com/news/delaware-military-academy-announces-plans-groundbreaking/|title=Delaware Military Academy announces plans for groundbreaking|date=2016-07-14|publisher=Delaware Business Times|access-date=2021-07-09}} The Anthony N. Fusco, Sr. Athletic & Academic Center, a $6 million construction paid for by donors, opened in 2017. Shortly after, in 2019, a $2.5 million turf stadium was erected and named the Fusco Memorial Field.{{cite web|url=https://www.delawareonline.com/story/sports/high-school/2019/09/21/delaware-military-academy-football-stadium-anthony-fusco-red-lion-christian-academy-high-school/2350890001/|last=Neiburg|first=Jeff|title=Delaware Military Academy debuts new football stadium with a big win over Red Lion|date=2019-09-21|publisher=Delaware Online|access-date=2021-07-09}}
In 2010, the ice hockey team became the first DMA team to go undefeated (19-0) and won the school's first championship by defeating Hodgson Vo-Tech High School in the Delaware Scholastic Hockey Association B Division Championship finals.{{cite web|url=https://www.hockessincommunitynews.com/article/20120225/NEWS/302259991|last=Stevens|first=Chris|title=Seahawks swoop in, take first ever A Division Hockey Title|publisher=Hockessin Community News|access-date=2021-07-09}} Two years later, they won the school's first varsity championship by defeating Alexis I. duPont High School and solidified their place in the A Division.
Notable alumni
- Patrick Clark, football player
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{Official website|https://demilacad.org/}}
{{Education in New Castle County, Delaware}}
{{authority control}}
Category:Military high schools in the United States
Category:High schools in New Castle County, Delaware
Category:Educational institutions established in 2003
Category:Charter schools in Delaware
Category:Public high schools in Delaware