Senior Hunter Jones becomes first student to Apply to US Naval Academy

Within Aurora High School’s history, only a handful of students have pursued interests in applying to a service academy for the military. Past graduates applied and were accepted to West Point (Army), the United States Air Force Academy, the National Coast Guard, and ROTC programs at numerous colleges.

The only branch of military where an AHS senior has not applied to is the United States Naval Academy, located in Annapolis, Maryland. With an acceptance rate of 7.9%, the USNA is said to be the hardest service academy to get accepted to.

Despite the odds, Senior Hunter Jones has risen to the challenge to go through the application process for the Naval Academy. Most people do not even realize the depths of the application process.

For example, one simply cannot log onto the USNA’s website and apply, or for that matter use the Common Application. Instead, there are numerous steps in the application process including grueling interviews, multiple recommendations, a congressional nomination from a local congressmen, etc.

One may ponder on why a student would ever want to go through that process, however Jones has made clear his motives.

“By attending the United States Naval Academy (USNA), I will encounter many challenges that will develop, teach and reward me both personally and professionally. Whether it is the demanding physical education program (PEP) or the academic rigor of the classroom, these experiences will mold me into the successful leader I aspire to be,” said Jones.

Over the summer, Jones had the unique opportunity to participate in the USNA STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) summer seminar program. Potential applicants and participants spend a week in Annapolis on campus, living the daily life of a USNA sailor. Jones experienced numerous academic classes, physical training (PT) sessions, and daily rituals of a naval plebe.

Jones said, “My Summer Seminar experience reinforced my desire to attend a school with other men and women imbued with similar ideals and a sense of commitment.”

Both academics and and military service are valued in Jones’s life. Like his father before him, Jones would like to keep the tradition and pride of military values alive in his own personal life.

If he gets into the USNA, Jones would like to pursue a degree in aeronautical engineering, otherwise known as learning how to build and develop airplane parts, fly planes, etc. Founder of the Remote Control (RC) Flying club at AHS, Jones won a national leadership award earning a scholarship to a prestigious flying camp in Indiana.

Just one day after returning from Annapolis, Jones left for Indiana for another week to further his knowledge aeronautical flying. “This past summer has been by far the best in my life because I have learned and grown in my passion of flying, and I further validated my commitment to apply to the United States Naval Academy,” Jones said.

In closing, Jones has already started the treacherous application process to the USNA, and hopes to have good news in the near future.