LEHI, Utah — Out of a graduating class of about 50 senior cadets, Matthew Marchant, Joshua Krause and Gavin Vollmer are the only three at Utah Military Academy’s Camp Williams campus who are heading to top military schools.
Marchant will be attending the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, Krause will be attending the Merchant Marine Academy in Kings Point, New York, and Vollmer will be attending the U.S. Military Academy in West Point, New York.
“It's been pretty rare," said Marchant. "It's pretty surprising we got three of us to go this year. I think the last one we had was my ninth-grade year, so like, 3 or 4 years ago, and we got three this year, so it's a pretty big deal.”
Applying to a U.S. military academy is much more rigorous than your typical college application. Not only does a cadet need to have good grades and test scores, but they also have to pass physical fitness tests, go through a vigorous interview process and get a nomination from a member of Congress.
“I wasn't really holding out for it," said Krause. "I was making backup plans and things that because the acceptance rates are so low.”
These dreams come true wouldn’t have been made possible if the three hadn’t chosen to go to high school at UMA, said Krause.
“I'm getting my pilot's license through the programs here," he said. "I'm flying out of Salt Lake International, so that's one of the things that sets this school apart from others.”
The three seniors are leaving a legacy at their school, and their names will be remembered for years to come.
“I'm going to be able to help other people and be inspiring other people," said Vollmer. "That's something I'm very grateful for and hope that I continue to do.”
