Noble intentions to serve your country through the U.S. service academies often runs head-on into the admissions process, which is painfully extensive, hyper competitive, and largely unforgiving.
To wit, the acceptance rate to the U.S. Military Academy (West Point) is 12.5 percent, only slightly lower than the U.S. Air Force Academy (14.1).
Meet your two newest Greenies to make the cut with their exceptionalism.
Cadet John Barton ’25 is home for Spring Break from West Point and was part of Tuesday’s Service Academies Lunch & Learn in the Bradshaw Room where he got to speak to a room full of Greenies that included Easton Hoffert ’26, who recently got his appointment into the U.S. Air Force Academy.
Thank you also to former Board of Trustees member John Knapp P’91 (Navy), Woody Edney (West Point), and Henry Johnson (Air Force) who were also part of Tuesday’s Lunch & Learn.
Since 2020, Christ School has had students admitted to all five service academies, with multiple Greenies attending Navy and West Point.
John’s hometown is Asheville and among his many high school accolades was being the Valedictorian for the Class of 2025.
Easton is from Alexander, N.C., a community just north of Asheville. He is one of this year’s Job Prefects. Easton was one of the first and best students to come through the Robert Morgan ’36 Aviation Program. He is a fifth-year senior, AP Scholar, member of the National Honor Society, past winner of President’s Volunteer Service Awards, and has been part of the editorial board for the Struan, Christ School’s annual arts and literary magazine.
Easton gave a glimpse into what makes him different with his Senior Speech in February.
“God doesn’t want us to take the easy route,” Easton said.
“He gave each one of us unique gifts and challenges, and he wants each and every one of us in this room to dream and to push ourselves to reach that dream. And it’s the pursuit that makes us better. He intends for each of us to do the best we can with what’s been given to us. Have your big aspirations and your goals. Take your first steps, pick yourself up when you stumble. But even more importantly, be the person who helps those around them reach their dreams.”