Press Release: Orme joins Orion Military Scholarships' network of boarding schools supporting military families

Mayer, Ariz.— The Orme School has partnered with Orion Military Scholarship Fund, Inc. to offer military children the opportunity to attend boarding school through a combination of merit-based scholarship funding and financial aid. Orme, a small co-ed college preparatory boarding school with unique equestrian and sustainability programs, is located in rural North-central Arizona on a 300-acre parcel of a 26,000-acre historic cattle ranch. Orme joined Orion’s consortium of member schools last month, teaming up to serve the non-profit’s mission to provide stable, uninterrupted high school experiences to children of active duty service men and women.

Military children change schools three times more than civilian peers, typically enrolling in nine schools before graduation. Frequent moves and inconsistency between academic programs take a toll on military children, whose unpredictable, mobile lifestyles puts them at significantly greater risk for anxiety, depression, and poor mental well-being during adolescence. Multiple moves also affect military teenagers’ ability to transfer academic credits and progress in sports and extracurricular activities. 

“I have switched schools eight times in my life, and I probably would've attended three to four high schools as well. However, I was lucky enough to hear about a unique opportunity opening up for military brats. This is where my story changes,” Vivian S., Army child and 2023 Orion Military Scholar, wrote recently for Bloom Military Teens blog. Vivian applied to Orion’s scholarship program while she was in 8th grade, and was selected for Orion’s third cohort of military scholars. Last spring, she was accepted to several of Orion’s member schools, choosing  to enroll at St. Andrew’s School in Delaware, where she is currently a freshman. 

“Having the guarantee of stability for the next four years was almost like the light at the end of the tunnel. I could enjoy [8th grade], without being down about having to restart. This was an incredible feeling, and has set up my mood for not only this year, but the next years to follow,” Vivian wrote.

Orion was founded in 2019 by Eric and Krista Peterson, who have worked in boarding school administration for more than 30 years, and Capt. Francis Molinari (USN, Ret.) and his wife Lisa, whose three children moved often during their 28 years of active duty military life. Orion intentionally invited only those member boarding schools with top academics, enriching extra curricular programs, and stable community environments where military children might feel at home. Orion’s four co-founders feel that Orme will not only fill a geographic need for an Orion school in the southwest US, Orme’s family-feel and outdoorsy programming will also be a draw for military families. 

Eric Peterson, cofounder and President of Orion commented, "We are tremendously excited to partner with Orme School, whose distinctive mission, Western location, and support for military families aligns well with the mission of Orion. With the significant concentration of military personnel in Arizona, we are confident that this partnership will benefit military families and Orme in equal measure." 

Kristin Durow, President of Orme School, stated, “As the child of a veteran, I have personally experienced the challenges faced by military families who undergo frequent relocations. The Orion program alleviates some of the uncertainties for these families by providing access to boarding school education, offering students the opportunity to flourish in a stable and nurturing environment. We, at Orme, take great pride in our involvement with this incredible initiative.”

Orion’s new military scholarship application season opened September 1, 2023, for military children interested in boarding school enrollment in the fall of 2024. Eligible military children can apply at https://www.orionmilitary.org/how-to-apply.

###

About Orion: Orion Military Scholarship Fund, Inc. is an IRS-approved 501(c)(3) tax-deductible public charity, dedicated to providing scholarships for children of active duty military parents to attend select boarding schools for continuous, stable high school experiences. Orion was founded in 2019, incorporated in Delaware and headquartered in Jamestown, R.I. Orion’s current application season for scholarships for Fall 2024 enrollment in boarding schools ends December 1, 2023. To learn more, visit www.orionmilitary.org. 

About the Orme School: Founded in 1929, Orme is a co-ed college prep boarding school for children in grades 8 to 12. The school’s unique curriculum is rooted in its history as a working cattle ranch, as evidenced by its programs in horsemanship, sustainable food cultivation, water conservation and environmental sciences. Young men and women at Orme build character through academics and athletics, while exploring the historic 26,000-acre ranch surrounding the campus. Orme fosters a tight-knit community, where dorm mates, teachers and advisors become immediate family. To learn more, visit www.ormeschool.org.