TMF Hawks

List of 11 items.

• Who was Travis Manion?

  Travis Manion was a standout scholar-athlete at LaSalle College High School who would go on to study and compete at the Naval Academy. A leader in the classroom and on the wrestling mat, Travis was a true “Man for Others,” putting the welfare of his family, friends and team before his own. As a United States Marine, Travis was known for his disciplined and courageous leadership, leading with integrity in small ways and often compromising situations. Before his final deployment to Iraq, Travis left us with a simple but powerful ethos. “If Not Me, Then Who...”—in other words, if I do not take on my duty to lead, those I am called to lead will suffer. This ethos of personal responsibility and service to others describes the sense of duty felt by American service members and their families—a daily, constant reminder for all of us to live with character and put the interests of others before our own (taken from travismanion.org for more; also read Brothers Forever for the full story of Travis and USNA roommate Brendan Looney).

   

• What is the origin story of the Prep’s partnership with TMF?

  In September of 2014, Ms. Susie Cook met Ryan Manion, President of the Travis Manion Foundation and sister of Travis and invited her to speak to Prep students about Travis’ service and sacrifice. At the time, the Foundation was also interested in piloting a virtues-based leadership program that would pair students with military veterans trained as mentors by the Foundation in order to honor the fallen and build the next generation of leaders. Ms. Cook’s classroom became the space for this flagship effort. Eight years and 16 cohorts of the “TMF Leadership Academy” later, over 400 Prep students have graduated from these Leadership Academies, and over 40 different TMF mentors—all military veterans, Gold Star family members, and first responders—have facilitated this effort in honor of America’s fallen. The Prep continues to be the national model for TMF’s “Character Does Matter” programming.

• Who are the TMF Hawks?

  To become a TMF Hawk, a student needs to graduate from the Leadership Academy or Leadership Seminar. The TMF Hawks pledge to commit themselves to developing their leadership practice and the leadership of all Prep students through leadership learning and service. The TMF Hawks facilitate peer-led leadership discussions; plan events like Veterans Appreciation Week and Leadership Week; and take charge of Operation Legacy Projects. Working to ignite Travis “If Not Me, Then Who” ethos into every Prep student through service experiences and workshops, the TMF Hawks are held to a high standard in the Prep community, as these Men for Others commit themselves to living out the virtues of integrity, personal responsibility, moral and physical courage, ethical decision-making, and humility in small ways on a daily basis.

• What is the TMF Leadership Academy?

  Started in the Fall of 2014, the TMF Leadership Academy takes place in Ms. Cook’s classroom on Mondays after school from 3-4:30 p.m. The Fall Leadership Academy takes place from October to December; the Spring Leadership Academy takes place from late February to early May. Each Leadership Academy cohort involves 6-8 Monday sessions, 20-30 students, and 3-5 TMF Mentors. The Prep has welcomed TMF Mentors—veterans of every branch of the military as well as first responders and Gold Star family members—through its doors in order to facilitate workshops and discussions with TMF students on the complexities of leadership. Students who join this program range from having no leadership experience, confidence or identity whatsoever, to students who are already leaders of their clubs/teams and want to examine more deeply their personal leadership style. What does it mean to live with integrity? What sacrifice is involved when one acts in a morally courageous way? What are the nuances of ethical decision-making? These are a few core questions students and their mentors explore over the course of the semester in creative ways: case studies, for instance, are used to discuss ethical decision-making; Crossfit workouts are a tool to examine physical and moral courage; and a yoga session is a lesson in adaptability and flexibility. Students must attend each session as well as an Operation Legacy service event to graduate.

• What is the TMF Leadership Seminar?

  Started in the Fall of 2020, the Seminar is for those students who cannot attend Monday sessions due to such conflicts as working after school or year-round sports/activity commitments. Students must present proof of this conflict upon applying. The Leadership Seminar, which runs once a year in the fall, involves 35-45 students in five Zoom sessions from 7-8 p.m. across Wednesday evenings in October and November. The Travis Manion Foundation lines up speakers—all trained mentors (and, as such, military veterans or family members of the fallen trained by the Foundation) for these sessions. Sessions involve conversation, Q and A, reflection writing and student sharing. TMF Hawks facilitate these conversations with the TMF Speaker. To graduate and become TMF Hawks, Seminar students must attend each session and complete the Operation Legacy service event and attend at least one Veterans Appreciation Week.

• What are the TMF Workshops?

  TMF Workshops are facilitated by TMF Hawks on a weekly basis so that students can continue to discuss and develop their leadership. Activities involve peer-led viewing and discussion of seminal talks by America’s key leaders, for example. Workshops also involve guest speakers from the Prep network who have military and/or civil service experience. These guest speakers reflect on their leadership history and journey, reflecting too on their personal interpretation of Travis “If Not Me, Then Who” ethos. TMF Workshops take place in Ms. Cook’s classroom on Thursdays and Fridays across the year.

• Who can participate in this programming?

  Sophomores and juniors are eligible for the Academy and Seminar. Students can participate in only one Academy or Seminar over their time at the Prep. Then they move onto their work in the TMF Hawks and TMF Workshops to continue their development. Meanwhile, all Prep students–freshmen, sophomores, juniors and seniors—are invited to participate in Operation Legacy events and TMF speaker events open to the entire Prep Community.

• What is Operation Legacy, Veterans Appreciation Week, and Leadership Week?

  Operation Legacy is the name the Foundation gives to any service project that honors America’s fallen heroes. Anyone in the Prep community—alumni, families and students—can create and organize their own Operation Legacy events in their community. Details can be found on travismanion.org. While Operation Legacy events happen over the course of the year in towns and cities across the country, there are two national Operation Legacy events, both on Saturdays–one on or around Veterans Day, the other on the Saturday closest to April 29th, the day Travis made the ultimate sacrifice in Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2007. The Prep thus joins a national effort on these two Saturdays of the year. To build context and inspiration for these Operation Legacy events, the TMF Hawks host Veterans Appreciation Week in November and Leadership Week in the last week of April. Each of these weeks involves guest speakers each day and events to honor the fallen, culminating in the Prep’s Operation Legacy project.

• Who are the moderators of the Prep’s TMF programming?

  Ms. Susie Cook is the Lead Moderator of the TMF Hawks and the Director of the Partnership with the Foundation. Ms. Cook oversees all student TMF programming (Academy, Seminar, Workshops, etc.) and all communication between the Prep and the Foundation. Students interested in programming are invited to email Ms. Cook at scook@sjprep.org. TMF Co-Moderator Mrs. Patti Frey is the contact for Prep alumni and families. All military veterans and Prep families interested in supporting the TMF Hawks are invited to email Mrs. Patti Frey at pfrey@sjprep.org. The TMF Hawks also thank co-moderators Mrs. Jenny Mars, Mr. Bryan Ghee, and Mrs. Katie Longto for their inspired assistance.

• What opportunities for family and alum involvement exist?

  The Prep’s programming with TMF is dynamic, organic, and multi-pronged. In short, it’s truly a team effort. Join us today as we continue to build America’s next generation of leaders and better communities together! Prep families and Prep alumni are invited to engage with this programming, through event participation—including Operation Legacy events—during Veterans Appreciation Week in November and Leadership Week in April. Families and alumni can find TMF updates in the Principal’s Newsletter and Prep alumni communications, and are also invited to contact Mrs. Patti Frey, Alum/Family Outreach Coordinator, for ways to engage in TMF at the Prep.

• Who are the Prep's Fallen Heroes?

  Iraq

  John Spahr ’81

  
  

  Vietnam

  Aloysius P. McGonigal ’40

  John J. Flood ’51

  Michael W. Doyle ’60

  Thomas Dineen ’61

  Thomas Weiss ’62

  
  

  Korea

  William “Billy” Marshall Gaul ‘46

  William Joseph Tierney ’37  

    

  World War II

  Joseph J. Canning ‘23

  Joseph M. O’Malley ‘23

  John P. Hughes ‘25

  James Gallagher ‘32

  William Heenan ‘32

  William J. Devlin ‘33

  James Considine ‘34

  John P. Kelly ‘34

  Joseph E. Cann ‘35

  John E. Connor ‘35

  William J. Corr ’35  

  John A. Burns ‘36

  John J. McMenamin ’36  

  Paul Delaney ‘38

  Joseph E. Galbally ‘38

  Raymond E. Adams, Jr. ’39  

  Edward J. Agnew ‘39

  Donald A. Bath ‘39

  Joseph Carbine ‘39

  Walter F. Higgins ‘39

  Francis J. MacMurtrie ‘39

  Bernard F. Staub ‘39

  Howard L. Bondy ’40  

  John J. Gallagher ’40   

  Harry J. McDermott ‘40

  Francis Schrier ‘40

  John J. Schulke ‘40

  Karl J. Joerger ‘41

  Francis E. Stapleton ‘41

  John W. Hensler ‘42

  John T. McLoughlin ‘42

  Morris J. Herzstein ’43     

  Daniel W. Keough ‘43

  William F. McCauley ‘43

  Michael A. Cozzi ’44

  William J. McConnell ‘45

  
  

  World War I

  William Francis Gallagher ‘16

  Walter J. Wiegand (left school to enlist, was class of ’19)

  Edward Francis Bennis, Jr. (left school to enlist, was class of ’19)

  Walter Joseph Spearing (left school to enlist, was class of ’19)

  Francis Charles Logue ‘17

  George V. McIlhenny ‘14

  Charles P. McMenamy ‘16

  Thomas Joseph Fearn ‘16

  Richard J. Currie ‘15

  Earl John Grogan ‘16

  Jesse F. Entwistle ‘06

  Edward Maher (left school to enlist, was class of ’19)

  Harold A. Ryan (left school to enlist, was class of ’20)

  Frederick Cunningham ‘16

  Clarence J. Devlin ‘09

  Roger C. McNally ‘09

  
  

  Civil War

  Charles Brightly 1852

  Henry Allen 1857