THE FALCONIAN

Article from Floridatoday.com on April 8th, 2012.  Article by Brian McCallum. Photo by Craig Bailey

Ioannis Papapetrou was a soccer midfielder from about the age of 7 until he was 10 in his native Greece, until something happened.

Basketball.

As a 6-foot-8 senior for Florida Air this season, Papapetrou averaged 20 points and hit 40 of his 3-point shots.

He is FLORIDA TODAY’s 2012 Boys Basketball Player of the Year.

Between his departure from soccer and his signing with the University of Texas, where he will play beginning next season, plenty has happened.

“That kid grew in front of me,” said Falcons coach Aubin Goporo. “Now, he’s ready to go.”

Goporo said Papapetrou “didn’t believe in defense” as a younger player, even though his large frame and his ability to move well would seem ideal for it. There were other things to learn, too.

“When I started playing basketball, I played point guard,” Papapetrou said. “That helped me a lot with my ball handling. I never had a big-man mentality.

“I always wanted to play outside and pass the ball and create plays.”

Rebounding will be one area where he will look to improve for the Longhorns and Big 12 play, but both he and his current coach said the UT style fits him well.

Though not as pronounced as in high school, Papapetrou’s size and athleticism will create mismatch problems.

“His I.Q. is unbelievable. He knows the game, and that also shows in the classroom,” Goporo said.

“He’s very smart, and he’s committed to hard work.”

FIRST TEAM
Ioannis Papapetrou, Senior, Florida Air

LaRon Smith, Senior, Heritage

Darius World, Senior, Rockledge

Favian Upshaw, Senior, Astronaut

Marcus Maye, Senior, Holy Trinity

Stephen Link: Coach, Heritage

Second team
Robert Booth, Melbourne

Marcus Humphrey, Rockledge

Lucious McKay, Bayside

Maurice Pugh, Cocoa

Joshua Soto, FAA

Honorable mention
Rodney Bryant, Viera; Nick Deane, Melbourne Central Catholic; Devontae Gordon, Merritt Island; Derylton Hill, Palm Bay; Sam Powers, Merritt Island Christian.

By Megan McGone, Hometown News

A school acknowledged locally for its international reach, Florida Air Academy is in turn known throughout the world for exposing its students to an array of diverse cultures.

Housed within the walls of the Melbourne-based private school are students from 37 different countries spanning continents from Europe to South America. Florida Air Academy provides a rigorous academic program and a structured environment for students in grades six through 12. This school year marks the academy's 50th anniversary.

Since its opening as a strict military boarding school for boys, Florida Air Academy has transitioned itself to focus more on academics, though it still maintains a military structure, offering courses in flight training through Florida Institute of Technology and electives in ROTC and drum and bugle corps. Students can choose to board at the school beginning at the sixth-grade level, and the academy began accommodating female students seven years ago.

"We've built a solid reputation," said Deborah Dwight, vice president of Florida Air Academy. "We have a lot of sisters, brothers and even children of students that have attended the school. What is unique is that it has been run by my family for 50 years, and that family atmosphere trickles down."

More than 40 percent of the school's 280 current students traveled from outside the U.S. to attend Florida Air Academy. In her 13 years at the school, principal Melissa Alton said she has taught students from every continent except Antarctica, though she did have a student who traveled there once.

"I never imagined the variety of students I'd meet at FAA," Ms. Alton said.

Ms. Dwight said the students' exposure to other cultures will make them well prepared when they pursue careers.

"Florida Air Academy is an amazing asset educationally and socially," she said. "The world is truly global, and if students don't diversify their experiences, then they are at a disadvantage in business."

The school has maintained a 100 percent college acceptance rate among its students since 1978. Last year, Nick Gavin, a six-year student at Florida Air Academy, was accepted to Harvard.

"I don't think I would have gotten into Harvard if I hadn't gone to Florida Air Academy," he said. "The uniqueness of the program set me apart."

Aside from the school's academic and cultural appeal, students from around the world choose to attend Florida Air Academy due to its location on the Space Coast, with landmarks such as the Kennedy Space Center and Brevard's proximity to Orlando placing the school on the map.

Florida Air Academy is located at 1950 Academy Drive. Its 22-acre campus consists of the largest collection of historical buildings in Brevard, and before opening its doors to students, the building served as a hotel.

This Article Originally appeared on March 23, 2012 in the Hometown News