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| In 1999, Susan Dillon, a professional educator, active leader in the PSEA,
and high school English teacher in the California Area School District, had a vision for a Starbase Atlantis academy which would serve schools in the Pittsburgh area. Dillon enlisted the talents of Laurene Kristof (retired), former principal at Penn Hills, and member of
the Pittsburgh Navy League, to help her in her quest. Dillon then began a three-year lobbying movement to build support for her initiative. |
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| On the military side, the efforts of the
Carnegie Mellon University ROTC unit Commanding Officer, Colonel (ret.) Wayne
Clemmer, and Executive Officer, Commander (ret.) David Root, along with the Pittsburgh Chapter of the Navy League, were significant in
the channeling and advancing of Dillon's initiative as it gained momentum in the
early stages of development. |
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| Captain Peter Hackett, former Commanding
Officer of the Naval Reserve Center Pittsburgh, with the endorsement of Radm. Clark, helped to make Dillon's dream
become a reality when The Naval Reserve Command agreed to host the academy at Capt. Hackett's command, providing
the facility and services essential to the activation and operation of the
academy. |
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| Dillon's proposal was incorporated into legislation by members of Pennsylvania's congressional delegation, with
special note made to the efforts of Rep. John Murtha, and funding was included in the defense appropriations bill for the establishment of a Starbase academy in the Pittsburgh area. |
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