A lesson in time becomes a lesson for life for Alison Lescarbeau
Alison Lescarbeau is the parent of two Admiral Farragut Academy graduates and after heavily volunteering on the Parents’ Group is now the Advancement Director for the school.
Midway through Alison Lescarbeau Officer Training School (OTS) in 1990, she was called into her Training Instructor’s office. “If she fails, I’m failing you,” her instructor firmly stated. The person in question was her roommate at the time. “She was not doing well in the class and my instructor told me to get our entire class together and help her – and anyone else struggling – succeed,” recalled Lescarbeau, who received a bachelor’s degree in Media & Communications from Framingham State University. Lieutenant (at the time) Lescarbeau graduated as the madam president of her OTS class that consisted of 58 men and 11 other women.
The value of teamwork and cooperative success stuck with Capt. Lescarbeau – who enlisted four days after graduation from high school at the age of 17 – throughout her 15-year career in the Massachusetts Air National Guard. Better yet, it has defined her leadership style, first as a Public Affairs Officer for the 104th Fighter Wing, then as a commercial property manager in Boston, and now as the Advancement Director at Farragut.
“My Commander told us how everyone’s role is vitally important to a successful mission, from the cook to the mechanics to the pilots. I will always remember our commander telling us how every person in an organization is just as valued as the next,” said Lescarbeau.
Lescarbeau and her husband, John, selected Farragut for their children, Julia ‘13 and Jack ‘16, when the family moved in 2004 from Boston to St. Petersburg. “My husband loved the way the school had older students as role models,” said Lescarbeau, who has served as a committee member and twice co-chair of the PARC Black Tie Ball, CASA Gala committee, and Queen of Hearts Ball committee. She also served as the Vice-President and President of the Farragut Parents’ Group prior to her employment at the school. “Having Julia and Jack go to school here has been amazing. The biggest benefit for my children has been gaining confidence and self-reliance. I love how all the kids are on the same playing field and everyone has the opportunity to succeed.”
Julia, who graduated as co-valedictorian, is attending Elon University as an Isabella Cannon Leadership Fellow, and is majoring in Strategic Communications. Jack, a senior, has truly become a leader on campus. He has been on the varsity golf, wrestling and baseball teams, he is the 4th Company Commander and is very involved in the Scuba program at Farragut. Jack has set his sights on the prep school with hopes of either going to the U.S. Coast Guard Academy, U.S.Naval Academy or a large university through a ROTC program.
