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Saint Thomas Academy (abbr. STA), originally known as St. Thomas Aquinas Seminary and formerly known as St. Thomas Military Academy, is the only all-male, Catholic, college-preparatory, military high school in Minnesota. It is located in Mendota Heights near Saint Paul. The academy has a middle school (grades 6–8) and a high school (grades 9–12). The high school students are required to participate in military leadership classes, as the school was previously part of Army JROTC. Its sister school, Convent of the Visitation, is located across the street. Many classes and after-school activities involve both schools. It is located within the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis.

History

Saint Thomas Academy was first founded as Saint Thomas Seminary by Archbishop John Ireland on September 8, 1885. STA became a U.S. Army school in 1905, and, in 1916, part of the Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps (JROTC). In 1922, the Seminary's Academic Department separated into College of St. Thomas and St. Thomas Military Academy. Later, in 1965, the school moved to its current campus in Mendota Heights (though in a smaller iteration). A middle school was added in 1971, composing of seventh and eighth grades. STA closed its boarding school program in 1974. In 2015, the school separated from the JROTC, though it retained its military curriculum and required courses. The inaugural sixth grade class joined the academy in 2017.

Traditions

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Each year, on the Wednesday preceding Thanksgiving, one senior is awarded the rank of Cadet Colonel, the brigade commander, and is presented with the Fleming Saber, in honor of Richard E. Fleming.

The Corps of Cadets, as the high school students are sometimes referred to, is inspected by representatives from the National Guard in the springtime. This day is called the Brigade Formal Inspection, or BFI. In addition to checking their formal uniforms, the representative asks a few questions, most of which concern the school, its history, or U.S. Army. A score out of 600 is given to the school. If the score is high enough, the students get to remove their ties for the remainder of the year. Usually, this announcement is accompanied by a celebratory throwing-of-ties during the formation time.

In the spring, the high school student body dons their formal uniforms (Class A1) for the Archbishop's Review, in which the students march around the school's track while being watched by the Archbishop of Minneapolis and St. Paul.

Sports and activities

Saint Thomas Academy was a member of the Classic Suburban Conference (now Metro East). They participate in all 14 Minnesota State High School League sports as well as orienteering. Saint Thomas Academy also has various co-curricular activities such as band, a chess team, a debate team, VISTA Theater Company, a math team, Quiz Bowl, Knowledge Bowl, Table Tennis Club, Experimental Vehicle Team (2005 Dell-Winston School Solar Car Challenge Champions, 2006 Solar Bike Race champions, and two-time Shell Eco-marathon champions), Mock Trial, and rifle and drill teams. 83% of students participate in at least one sport.

Notable alumni

This article's list of alumni may not follow Misplaced Pages's verifiability policy. Please improve this article by removing names that do not have independent reliable sources showing they merit inclusion in this article AND are alumni, or by incorporating the relevant publications into the body of the article through appropriate citations. (November 2022)

• Joseph K. Bratton '44, lieutenant general
• Javiar Collins '96, football player
• Christopher Cox '70, former chairman of SEC; former United States House Representative (R-CA) and Committee Chairman
• Pat Eilers '85, football player
• Congressman Tom Emmer '79, US representative for Minnesota's 6th congressional district
• Vince Flynn '84, author
• Tommy Gibbons '09,
• Thomas F. Gallagher, judge
• Alfred Gruenther '19, general
• Fallon Kelly, judge
• Angelo John Giuliani '30, baseball player
• Richard E. Fleming '35, World War II Medal of Honor recipient
• Leo Richard Hamilton, member of Wisconsin State Assembly
• Matt Hanousek '82, football player
• John Horan '51, basketball player
• Edward Leo Krumpelmann, Catholic priest
• Jim Lange, TV game show host
• Tom Malchow '95, swimmer
• Joseph T. O'Neill '49, lawyer and legislator
• James O'Shaughnessy '78, financial consultant
• Tim O'Shaughnessy '00, president and CEO at Graham Holdings Company
• David Raih '99, football player
• Isaac Rosefelt '03, basketball player
• Patrick J. Ryan '19, Catholic priest
• Matt Schnobrich '97, rowing athlete
• Jordan Schroeder, hockey player
• Ali Selim '79, director
• James P. Shannon '39, bishop
• Ben Tracy '94, journalist
• Chris Thome '87, football player
• Michael W. Wright '56, businessman

References

1. "Headmaster Welcome". Saint Thomas Academy. Retrieved November 23, 2022.
2. ^ "Athletics". Saint Thomas Academy. Retrieved November 23, 2022.
3. NCA-CASI. "NCA-Council on Accreditation and School Improvement". Archived from the original on April 29, 2009. Retrieved 2009-06-23.
4. "Membership Directory". Independent Schools Association of the Central States (ISACS). Retrieved October 9, 2022 – via members.isacs.org.
5. "Metro East Conference". metroeastconference.org. Retrieved October 9, 2020.
6. "History". Saint Thomas Academy. Retrieved November 23, 2022.
7. "Minnesota State Law Library: Biographies of Judges and Justices of the Minnesota Appellate Courts". web.archive.org. 2012-02-06. Retrieved 2024-11-11.
8. "Biographies of the Justices of the Minnesota Supreme Court" Archived 2012-02-06 at the Wayback Machine. Minnesota State Library. Retrieved January 24, 2014.
9. "Chris Thome Stats". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved 2020-04-19.

External links

• Official website

v t e Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis
Ordinaries	Bishops Joseph Crétin Thomas Grace Archbishops John Ireland Austin Dowling John Gregory Murray William O. Brady Leo Binz John Roach Harry Joseph Flynn John Clayton Nienstedt Bernard Hebda Coadjutor archbishop Leo Christopher Byrne
Auxiliary bishops	John Jeremiah Lawler James J. Byrne Leonard Philip Cowley Gerald Francis O'Keefe James P. Shannon John Roach Raymond Alphonse Lucker Paul Vincent Dudley John Francis Kinney William Henry Bullock James Richard Ham Robert James Carlson Joseph Charron Lawrence Welsh Frederick F. Campbell Richard Pates Lee A. Piché Andrew H. Cozzens Joseph Andrew Williams Michael Izen Kevin Kenney
Churches	Cathedrals Cathedral of Saint Paul Basilica of Saint Mary Former cathedrals First Second Third Parishes Guardian Angels Church, Chaska St. Peter's Church, Mendota Our Lady of Lourdes Church, Minneapolis Church of St. Stephen, Minneapolis Church of St. Wenceslaus, New Prague Church of St. Mark, Saint Paul Church of St. Mary, New Trier Church of St. Michael, St. Michael Church of the Assumption, St. Paul Church of St. Agnes, St. Paul Church of St. Bernard, St. Paul Church of St. Casimir, St. Paul St. Mary's Church of the Purification, Marystown Church of the Annunciation, Webster Township Church of the Most Holy Trinity, Wheatland Township Historic Church of St. Hubertus, Chanhassen Chapel Our Lady of Victory Chapel
Education	Higher education St. Catherine University University of St. Thomas Seminaries Saint John Vianney College Seminary Saint Paul Seminary Nazareth Hall Preparatory Seminary (defunct) High schools Academy of Holy Angels, Richfield Benilde-St. Margaret's, St. Louis Park Bethlehem Academy, Faribault Chesterton Academy, Edina Convent of the Visitation, Mendota Heights Cretin-Derham Hall, St. Paul Cristo Rey Jesuit High School, Minneapolis DeLaSalle High School, Minneapolis Hill-Murray School, Maplewood Holy Family Catholic High School, Victoria Providence Academy, Plymouth Saint Agnes School, St. Paul Saint Thomas Academy, Mendota Heights Totino-Grace High School, Fridley
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v t e Municipalities and communities of Dakota County, Minnesota, United States
County seat: Hastings
Cities	Apple Valley Burnsville Coates Eagan Empire Farmington Hampton Hastings‡ Inver Grove Heights Lakeville Lilydale Mendota Mendota Heights Miesville New Trier Northfield‡ Randolph Rosemount South St. Paul Sunfish Lake Vermillion West St. Paul
Townships	Castle Rock Douglas Eureka Greenvale Hampton Marshan Nininger Randolph Ravenna Sciota Vermillion Waterford
Unincorporated communities	Castle Rock Etter Eureka Center Waterford
Ghost towns	Lewiston Nininger
Indian reservation	Prairie Island Indian Community‡
Footnotes	‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties
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• Boys' schools in the United States
• Schools in Dakota County, Minnesota
• Military high schools in the United States
• Private middle schools in Minnesota
• Catholic secondary schools in Minnesota
• Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis
• Educational institutions established in 1885
• 1885 establishments in Minnesota