Super Kid: Annapolis bound

Q: This is your fourth year in Marysville-Pilchuck High School’s Naval Junior ROTC. When did you become interested in the military?

A: My father was in the U.S. Navy, and I grew up in a military oriented family. My grandmother’s uncle served on the USS Arizona during Pearl Harbor. My great-grandfather was a U.S. Navy diver, and my grandfather was in the U.S. Marine Corps.

I was born in Oak Harbor on base, and I moved around from Guam to Japan to Hawaii and then back here to Washington. My dad has really had a great influence on me serving my country, and the U.S. Navy sounds most appealing to me.

Q: I heard you recently received news that you’ve been accepted to the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Md.

A: Yes, on Jan. 6 my mom gave me a phone call crying, telling me I had been accepted. It’s been a dream for me, I’ve wanted it since elementary school. I’ve worked really hard.

Q: You’ve lived in a lot of different places. Is the idea of moving again exciting to you?

A: I really enjoyed growing up traveling so that’s another reason why I want to go into the military because I want to travel around the world. Going in by port to all these different countries sounds pretty amazing to me.

Q: Is there some place you haven’t been you would like to go?

A: Right now I’d say either China or Britain.

Q: Sounds exciting. Have you logged a lot of study hours to get where you are today?

A: I’ve worked really hard for these past four years because I wanted to focus on setting myself up for success my senior year. During middle school I heard to take the most challenging classes and to do your best in those classes and it would benefit me. I’ve maintained a 4.0 GPA, and I’m commanding officer for the unit.

Q: What are your responsibilities as commanding officer?

A: I look and oversee all of our 130 cadets in the unit and organize the cadet staff. I basically plan all the meetings and organize our staff to run how it is today.

Q: What else is happening right now in your senior year?

A: I’m senior class president for my graduating class and that has been fun for me.

Q: Are you planning any event for the senior class now?

A: Right now we’re planning our senior spring dinner dance and after that will be prom, commencement and senior fun night.

Q: Are you close to your family?

A: Yes, family plays a big part in my life. I went to the Philippines over winter break to visit my family. I hadn’t been there since I was 1 year old. I have a large family there and getting to know all of them was amazing. It was a big culture shock and showed me how much I take for granted here and how lucky I am to be here, but I want to go back.

Q: Do you play sports?

A: I played varsity tennis this year. I wanted to play football during high school, but I couldn’t because I didn’t want to risk my chances of getting into the academy. I know a lot of people who have been denied acceptance because of injuries.

Q: Do you feel prepared to enter the Naval Academy?

A: I feel pretty prepared. I work out every single day after school. My schedule works so I probably get four hours of sleep every night after studying. It’s just the scare factor of leaving home. Just knowing that I’ll only be able to come home three times a year is kind of scary for me.

Q: Do you plan on making a career in the Navy?

A: Right now I want to go to the Naval Academy and major in aeronautical engineering and hopefully minor in Chinese. When I commission as an officer I want to become a pilot and fly F-18s and then eventually work at the Pentagon.

Q: What are you most proud of at this point in your life?

A: I think I’m most proud of going back to the Philippines. My grandmother and my grandfather used to live with my family back in Hawaii and here for about five years, and I made a promise to them that I would go back to visit them. Hopefully I get to go back and see them again.

Amy Daybert: 425-339-3491; adaybert@heraldnet.com.