St. John's Military School

My son attends St John's Military School in Salina, Kansas. This school has saved my son's life and opened for him doors that he might never have had open for him. St John's gave him the base on which he was able to realize his true ability. It increased his self confidence and self worth. The faculty and staff have been outstanding. It is truly evident that they all care about these boys. He has been exposed to an atmosphere that instills courage, discipline and self worth. The boys support each other and encourage each other to do their best. This was one of the most difficult decisions that my husband and I have ever had to make, but I would do it all over again in a heartbeat. My only regret is not sending him sooner.
—Submitted by a parent

St. John s Military School has proven to be anything they advertise and more. My son has lost direction and school performance was not just low, his grades were digging new depths. I knew he needed a change from public school to learn structure and responsibility. My son entered St. John s rebelling against most things in the world and wanted to things his way. He soon discovered it is necessary to comply with rules and was given the attention in classroom to increase his learning skills. Of course, like most boys he called after three weeks of new boy training wanting to come home. After he graduated to Old Boy the mood changed. He also discovered being an Old Boy was tougher than being a New Boy with added responsibilities and increased expectations. St. John s clearly sets performance expectations and provides assistance for them to accomplish those goals. The staff at St. John s ensures each boy s safety, successful and well-being. They provide training about life that is not available in public schools and always keep parents informed of your son s progress. After he graduates from St. John s you will know you helped him be successful in school and life.
—Submitted by a parent

SJMS is a wonderful school and I recommend it to any parent that is seeking a lifestyle change for their son. Our son started having problems in the 8th grade. We did everything that we as parents knew to do. He was in trouble at school, with the law and our home life was a complete battlefield all the time. We tried counseling for him and got no where. When he ended up in juvinile dention one weekend we knew that we were at the end of our ropes. We left him in jail over the weekend and when he got out he was transferred to SJMS. It was very rough the first several weeks but we needed him out of our home. We had other children at home we had to think about. SJMS has been a life saver. The staff there a wonderful caring family. To any family that needs a intervention this is it. They take your son in and help them turn their lifes around. They learn from the structured environment, the small classes and they end up with other kids that are just like them. They learn about themselves and who they want to be. This school helps these boys to be the men they want to be. This a wonderful wonderful school. No regrets
—Submitted by a parent

My son graduated from SJMS in 2011. He struggled in the public high school and transferred to St. John's. Besides academics, he lacked organization, honesty and other important characteristics that are important in life. He is currently in his second year of college and doing well. I will say he had a rough first year at SJMS, because it was so different. He is still in touch with former cadets and his teachers. He ended up having a really good h.s. experience and will hopefully continue modeling the values he learned at St. John's.
—Submitted by a parent

During a very troubled time, our extended family searched for a place to help our son. St. John s Military School (Salina, Kansas) asked, Did you ask him if he wants to change his life? We asked and he said, Yes. He attended summer camp and his junior year at St. John s. The results are demonstrated positive leadership, discipline, teamwork, self-reliance, personal growth, spiritual development, and brotherhood. Because of this excellent positive growth, we decided to have our son graduate from St. John s Military School as part of the 125th Corps. If you find yourself with a son who needs a structured environment to help him grow, we highly recommend St. John s Military School - our school of choice.
—Submitted by a parent

My nephew was a very troubled boy. He was so spoiled because he is the only child to my brother and his wife. His parents want him to be a better person when he grows up and sent him to America attending high school. At the first, he went to a boarding school in FL nearby where we live, but after 2 months, he received all "F" for his classes. Then, my husband researched and found out SJMS and we sent him to this school. Now, he has been with SJMS for almost two semesters, and he is doing great! THANK YOU SJMS ALL TEACHERS AND STAFF! His life needs structure, and SJMS provides it to him. He needs to learn how to respect his parents, elder, and his teachers, and SJMS taught him. Now he received the most of his grades are "A" and "B" with couple "C". When we sent him to SJMS, he always wrote to us with unrespectful words. We contacted with SJMS, and they helped him and corrected him. Now, he is a growing up boy and respect us and earned very good grades! He likes SJMS very much now. He is looking forward to go back there to finish his high school. We are so proud of him to be a better person. Very important is that SJMS provided the opportunity for him to become a better person.
—Submitted by a parent

As a 9th grader I was a very unhappy young man. My father, an Air Force fighter pilot was missing in action in southeast Asia. My mother was pretty overwhelmed. I was miserable in school and my grades were very low. It was then that my mother had the courage to send me to St. John's and literally changed my life, my trajectory and reinforced the strong ethics that were my father's legacy. I literally thank God daily for the strength and sacrifices of my family that allowed me to attend SJMS. The outstanding faculty and staff made all the difference in the world to me. Being a part of the cadet corps gave me a close family for life. When I got to St. John's I was a miserable adolescent, failing at school and life in general. When I graduated I was the Battalion Commander, had been on the Honor Roll every semester, was co-captain of the Rifle Team among other honors. i also had two nominations to the Air Force Academy. I have been blessed with many successes in life and I can say that my time at St. John's made them possible. I am forever grateful.

Former Cadet At St. Johns Military I would Like to say by far St. Johns Military School Taught me so much about life not only were the instructors there for me the whole way through my time there. As a cadet I was given the best opportunity any person could get for an education as a cadet there we always had the best score in AFI and RFI I was there from 1987-1995 there is not a better school for someone to receive a education at my Dad and I Believe made the right decision I have taken most of what i learned there with me in life today I now own a successful Web Hosting business and an education is the most important thing a person can have I would suggest St. Johns To any parent or student. Sincerely Former Cadet Daniel Ditto

Due to our family s work activities, our children have had to attend many schools throughout the world. Recently it became evident that our family would be facing another relocation so in an effort to minimize the possibility of multiple school changes for our youngest son we initiated a search process for a school that would provide a solid academic foundation as well as a caring and nurturing staff that would genuinely be interested in our son s spiritual, physical, and mental development. Since that day in August 2011 when our son first enrolled at SJMS we have never been more thankful. Not only has our son grown in multiple dimensions through his positive experiences at SJMS, but he has also developed lasting friendships with the staff, students, and local Salina residents. Being from a strong close nit Texas family he has learned to further appreciate the various cultures from around the world and the diversity from the many US students that attend SJMS. We have found SJMS to be a premier school that is operated and maintained by a staff that is second to none in their commitment to the development and growth of the SJMS cadets. Sincerely, Dennis R. Mudd
—Submitted by a parent

Thank you SJMS for helping create a miracle. Three years ago, when I brought my son to St. John's as a freshman, I hoped only that he would graduate from HS, stay out of jail and off drugs. Now as he enters his senior year, he is looking forward to college. He has a 3.0 GPA and a self confidence that he didn't have 3 years ago. Thank you for believing in him and supporting him. Thank you for your firm, consistant, structure. Thank you for caring enough to not write him off (as had happened to him so many times before). Thank you for this miracle.
—Submitted by a parent

I attended SJMS for 2 years, graduating with the 116th Corps. Prior to my attendance at the school, I was headed towards a bad way in life with a 1.7 GPA in HS and no motivation to change my lackadaisical and destructive lifestyle. I graduated SJMS with honors and went on to graduate from The Citadel, The Military College of South Carolina with honors. Now an Officer in the USAF, I am serving our country and pursuing my MBA. My service and duty to education are all a credit to SJMS. Before SJMS, I lacked the fortitude and confidence to take responsibility for my actions and my potential. SJMS, through the principles and programs embodied therein, opened my eyes to what matters in life. Matthew D. Rohlman, 1LT, USAF

I attending SJMS for 7 years as adolescent from the age of 11-18 years old, 6th-12th grade and graduated with the class of 98. during my 7 year attendance I was the biggest troubled child in the entire school the first 3 years I was there. during my high school years I earned my way to being the corps commander in command of the entire school. Also during my senior year I was awarded all 3 of the schools highest honors. After graduating at sjms I attended UC davis in California on a full 4 year scholarship. After 2 and years I dropped out and started my own company. Today I m president and CEO and the sole share holder of the Stage 1, Inc. located in Folsom, California.. And also today my company is the 5th largest in its trade in northern California and we are clawing its way to being the 2nd with in the next 2 years. The lessons learned and discipline received while attending SJMS is what got me to where I m at today. I owe all my success and the man I have become today, to SJMS, its staff and its disciplinary system and I will be forever in debt to the school. Mark Triebwasser CEO Stage 1, Inc. SJMS Class of 98

In being associated with St John's for over 10 years, I have found the staff excellent to work with, Cadets with a brotherhood all their own and a Board of Trustees that genuinely care. Many dedicated hours pour into the Cadets' day, insuring a successful future for them. St John's is a caring school and has many successful alums, whom are proud of the alma mater.
—Submitted by a teacher

I am a graduate of St. John's Military School. My folks were divorced & I was not heading in the right direction.. I entered St. John's as a freshmen in High School and graduated with honors. I learned discipline, obedience and how to get along with other Cadets. The ratio of Cadet to Teacher is one of the key factors in turning out well qualified young men to go on to college. Although I did go on and get my BS Degree my love for St. John's goes well beyond my college Days. Aschool dedicated to turning out young well qualified men for their future in life SEMPER FI J.FRED PATE. ..

I am a proud graduate of this school. This school taught me the discipline I desperately needed in my life. The first month was the hardest month of my life but it changed my life forever. I learned to be proud of myself and my accomplishments. It taught me how to be an effective leader and how to lead the right way. I owe my life and my success to this school and for that I will always be grateful. I have friends that will be lifelong friends and business partners 20 years later.

I was a cadet at St. John's Military School in the '60's. The espirit de corps was at it's highest. The school has excelled in all aspects of life. The education was without question one of finest and the cadet life was fulfilling. I left the school in 1965 and entered the Army. The influence of St. John's and the instilled confidence help me to endure the hardships of war, which I survived. I later entered into the world of hotels, which lasted over 40 years until illness forced retirement. The many different aspects of adult life were instilled by the teachers and other upper classmen "Old Boys" have stayed with me to this day. I highly recommend St. John's as a school with values.

St. John s Military School has helped our son through the toughest times in a young man s life with toughness, tenderness, patience and unwaivering attention to his growth. Trusting in a school that is 3,000 miles away was not an easy decision. In our case, it has turned out to be an excellent choice and we are delighted with the results. More focused on his education and future, our son is respectful of others, and he has dropped the confrontational attitude that occurs without the discipline and structure that you provide at St. Johns. * St. John s is a safe haven from the moral decay and permissiveness of our society. Outsiders may perceive the methods used to impose discipline as being unnecessary. However, this discipline is not as damaging as the cruelty and disregard for a young person s personal well-being that their alleged friends impose upon them through peer-pressured misbehavior. * Parenting a teen-aged boy in modern society is a huge challenge. We admit to being less than perfect parents. The structure and discipline St. John s has resulted in a full behavioral intervention. We have come to realize that an intervention involves both son and parents.
—Submitted by a parent

As proud parents of a 4th year St. John s cadet, we see the many letters from community members inside and outside of Salina praising our young men for their service to others during crisis, a helping hand when needed and fundraising efforts for worthy causes. I see the disbelief in people s eyes in our hometown and during family travels when they are given respect and are addressed by "ma'am" or "sir." I see the genuine dedication and guidance of teachers, military advisors, and administrators during Parent Teacher Conferences-individuals for whom working at St. John s is not merely a job, but a calling. We are very proud of our son, his accomplishments and his resolve to take a journey of self-examination and accountability. But these accomplishments are not his alone because none of this would have been possible without the selfless dedication, support and care of St. John s Military School and its 125 year legacy of helping young men realize their full potential.
—Submitted by a parent

I am a parent of a St. John s Military School (SJMS) graduate of May 2012. My son attended St. John s for 2 years. The journey was not easy, from being away from home as a new boy, attending a new school, learning the military way of life, i.e., uniforms, arising in the morning and going to bed when told, to being assigned physical training when a misdeed occurred. For my son, who always struggled in school, but was physically fit, some parts of the program were easier than others. He learned to obey, respect others, and to rely on his brothers . He loved his substitute mom and family who would give him special treats and take him out to dinner on his birthday. I am totally convinced that my son, had he stayed home and not attended St. John s, would not have graduated high school at all. If not for SJMS, he most likely would have continued to be in trouble in the legal system. We are very grateful to SJMS for helping to turn my son into a more respectful, successful young man. Thank you, Barbara Poelma
—Submitted by a parent

I am a cadet at St. John's Military School, and over the years that I have attended SJMS, I have had the opportunity to the very many optimistic perspectives of the school. My first two years at SJMS were nothing short of difficult and challenging, I argued the system more times than a rebellious teen would do towards his parents. I consistently shot down all of the great advice and mentoring that was being offered on a daily basis. I was unable to keep any rank of mine consistent and unable to obtain any sort of respectable position. The summer of my second year, I went on a reflection period. During this time, I had come to my senses and realized that I am only hurting myself by fighting SJMS at every step of the way. They had a lot to offer me and it was pure selfishness to repay them with apathy and poor conduct. With these thoughts at heart, I returned to SJMS for my third year. Although my rank and position were not high among the SJMS Cadre, my hard work, dedication and commitment for serving the school led to my progression as a Battalion Staff member. This school truly offers a lot to each cadet. Taking advantage of these lessons and virtues will be very beneficial.