One hundred years of tradition—that's what the cadets were celebrating as they marched at Maffucci Field Oct. 10, during the 100-year anniversary of the Army Navy Academy in San Diego.

For over 70 of those years, the academy has been located in Carlsbad. It's a school that specializes in training boys and young men to be leaders. Part of the tradition is the sword presentation, which gives the senior cadets a symbol of their rank. Stan Stockdale, vice president for institutional advancement, said, "The all-boys educational experience is important for a lot of young guys, who need structure and they need accountability and motivation, and the military model provides that."

He says the school is not a training school for the military—but this old-fashioned approach still has value in the 21st century.  Stockdale is proud to say that 100 percent of last spring's graduates were accepted to college.

Matthew Van Daele 15, of Riverside, CA, is a corporal in Delta company. He has been a student here for less than a year, but he will finish four years and high school here. When his parents first suggested ANA, he was less than enthusiastic. "I thought they were joking," he quipped.

He says the school has been an adjustment, but now he knows what the strict environment can teach him. "It teaches us how to have leadership and to take responsibility for ourselves, and we don't  have to rely on our parents so much."

His mother, Robin Van Daele, says this school is the right place for him. "It's a military school and it's a boarding school, but not a boot camp for bad kids. These kids can really excel; the world is open to them."

And for this young cadet, he's changing his outlook on the world and himself.  "The structure for me, it builds my confidence, because I have to be in charge of the company sometimes, and I get to tell the other kids what to do. It shows that we are something and that we have stuff to do," he said.

It is expensive to attend. Annual tuition is $18,000—and $12,000 more if the student lives on campus. But students who need financial aid can qualify. Many parents think of it as an investment in their son.

Robin Van Daele says her son's talents are just now being discovered. "He's a born leader, and I've been told by many teachers and some of the other cadets that he's a leader. So I see him running a company someday or maybe going into the military ... becoming an officer."

Stockdale says many cadets come to the academy unsure of what it will be like, but leave grateful for the experience and with life-long friends. Stockdale said many graduates have fond memories of their years here, even though it was not always easy. "They say that while it wasn't the most happy thing that they were doing in their high school years, it was the most important, and there are some who come up to me and say 'This academy saved my life.' "