Go, Navy: Josh Ogden has set a lofty goal of being accepted to the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Md. He has been a part of the Everett High School Junior ROTC since his freshman year and is now its executive officer, which is second in command. He hopes to serve as commanding officer next year. “It has been my life’s dream since middle school to go to the Naval Academy.”
Helping hand: He credits Evergreen Middle School Principal Joyce Stewart with changing his life in the sixth grade. “She placed me in all honors classes. She told me I could be something greater than I thought I could be.” His grandfather also was a constant inspiration.
Full day: His schedule includes college-level advanced placement U.S. history, honors classes in chemistry and English, pre-calculus, physics and JROTC. He also plans to take government and Washington state history online over the summer to free up more room to take more challenging courses next year.
Taking the lead: He is vice president for student government and president of the school’s DECA marketing and Junior Statesmen of America clubs.
Tough decision: Josh enjoyed being on the wrestling team but had to make the difficult decision of dropping the sport to spend more time on JROTC and other school commitments. He estimates he spends about 11 hours a week after school on JROTC activities. He’s proud of the JROTC’s marksmanship team, which he captains, qualifying for state competition.
Favorite author: Children’s author Roald Dahl who wrote classics such as “The BFG,” “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory,” “James and the Giant Peach” and “Matilda.” He also admires Dahl because he was a World War II pilot in the British Royal Air Force.
Free time: Josh likes to hang out with his brothers, Ben, an Everett High freshman, and his older brother, Jacob, 24.
Looking forward: This summer he will attend a weeklong seminar at the Naval Academy. The following week, he will participate in another seminar at Emory Riddle Aeronautical University in Florida.
Nice memory: An Eagle Scout, Josh remembers a long hike in the snow to the Monte Cristo ghost town in remote Snohomish County as a time “I kind of found out who I was.”
Favorite movies: “Lord of the Rings” trilogy.
Time flies: “Everything in high school is just going by way too fast. It is hard sometimes to stop and enjoy it because you have so much to do. My motto in life is to live life to the fullest, and I like to think that every day I do that.”
Fitting in: “I think that people would be surprised by how much I just am a normal kid. I think a lot of people think of me as overachieving. I try not to think of myself as being any better than anyone else.”
Eric Stevick: 425-339-3446, stevick@heraldnet.com
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