To All Old Boys/Alumni

From Michael A. Hoover S'71 President of the OBAA

To all Old Boys/Alumni:

First off, I would like to wish you all a very Happy New Year. With all of the holidays behind us, I would like to thank all of those that attended the Top Golf event in Schaumburg, the Holiday Gathering at Maplewood Brewery (thank you Ari and Paul Megalis for hosting), the Buffalo Chip Saloon in Carefree Az, (thank you Bard Boand for your assistance in setting that up), and the lunch at the Cold Beer and Cheeseburger in Scottsdale Az. A big thank you to all involved in the planning and set-up of these evets. Without all of you, none of these events would have been successful. It is always an amazing time when Alumni from different years get together, bond with stories and any personal events that they share. This is a great testament to the strength and power of the St. John’s Northwestern Alumni group.

As we move forward into the new year, the Academy and the OBAA are facing many different challenges. The OBAA executive Board, along with the elected OBAA Board of Directors, have committed to increasing the OBAA’s scholarship fund to assist with increasing enrollment. The challenges that we face presently have allowed for open discussion within the OBAA to find new and innovated methods in fund raising. The OBAA currently has set up a new website, www.obaasjn.org , this has been set-up as the official information and for general donations or payments for any special events hosted by the OBAA. Please visit the site and let us know how you like it so, please utilize the comment section for suggested improvements.

This plea to all alumni to assist in increasing the Scholarship will allow the OBAA to make a difference. As of today, there are more than twenty legacies enrolled at the Academy. This is the largest group ever as far as legacies are concerned. This again is a testament that the St. John’s traditions live within our ranks. Since Covid, the OBAA has been limited as to the amount of scholarship dollars given to legacies. This year we gave a total of $8,000 to only three legacies. That was broken down as, $5,000 to one Cadet, and $1,500 to two other Cadets. We need to increase the funds to allow for triple that amount in the next coming year. Enrollment is the key to the success of the Academy. If the OBAA can make a difference, then all Alumni need to do their part.

Please review website, www.obaasjn.org for the upcoming events. We will be conducting our third quarterly meeting on February 5th at 4:30pm. It will be both in seat and available on zoom. Hope to see some new faces, all are welcome. Major events for the remainder of the school year are: St. Patrick’s Day in Chicago, Excalibur in April, and reunion weekend May 26th through 29th. Pre-registration is preferred to all.

Thank you for your, time, effort and support of our great Academy. Working together, we can make a difference in some young men or women’s life.

Carry On!

Michael A. Hoover S’71

President of the OBAA