From Concept to Reality

The First Academy, a private Christian school serving Preschool through 12th grade students, located in Orlando, Florida, unveiled the Tom and Joan Kalimanis Veterans Garden on November 2, 2023. Located within the Payne Stewart Athletic Complex, these majestic monuments honor and recognize The First Academy Alumni Veterans for their bravery, strength, sacrifice, and service. Each monument honors a branch of the military with The First Academy Alumni Veterans inscribed on the back. An American flagpole stands proudly in the middle of the garden, with two granite benches on each side. One bench is engraved in honor of TFA Class of 1994 Alumni, Naval Commander Josh Fuller, who lost his life in service to our country.

The Veterans Garden is a small, yet mighty way to express gratitude to those who emulate “Service Before Self”, a focus of The First Academy’s mission statement.