For Colt Sterk, the dream of West Point began in eighth grade. That year, he wrote an essay that won him the honor of laying a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery.
"When I grasped the fact that this soldier willingly gave his life for me, a stranger, just so I can live freely, it made me want to serve my country as well," recalled Sterk, now an 18-year-old senior graduating from Eagle High.
That was the spark, and his interest in the nation's oldest military academy was enthusiastically shared by his best friend, Cyrus Cappo. Cappo's older brother, Chase, was a cadet at West Point (Class of 2012) -- and a big influence on the two boys, who met while playing Optimist football.
Chase helped coach the boys' football team before he left for the Academy. He brought home exciting stories about life at West Point and opportunities to travel and study abroad and meet members of Congress and other dignitaries.
"The more I learned about it, the more excited I got. West Point is hallowed ground," said Cyrus, rattling off legendary graduates such as Gens. MacArthur, Grant, Lee and Patton.
While in junior high, Colt and Cyrus began talking about going to West Point. Their parents thought the boys might change their minds along the way, but West Point remained No. 1 on their college lists -- even after they visited Ivy League schools such as Princeton and Cornell last summer.
"They have never wavered from this goal," said Misty Sterk, Colt's mom and a biology teacher at Eagle High.
