Class of 2025 Standouts Commit
To Attend Service Academics
By Samantha DePriest
It’s not everyday when Trinity Christian School has not one, but two graduates who go on to attend a military academy after graduating high school. It is the ultimate calling on ones life to defend our freedom that generations have fought for years before. Senior Robert Coker will be attending the Air Force Academy and Senior Ryan Melton will be attending the United States Merchant Marine Academy this coming Fall. The admissions process to any of the five U.S. service academies is both an extensive and competitive process. They require nominations to the academies by Congressional Representatives and Senators. “Each of the five service academies are ranked annually by U.S. News & World Report and Forbes as some of the most selective colleges and universities in the country. The acceptance rate is between 8-17% for each of the schools.”
The five U.S. service academies are:
United States Military Academy (USMA) in West Point, NY, founded in 1802.
United States Naval Academy (USNA) in Annapolis, Maryland, founded in 1845.
United States Coast Guard Academy (USCGA) in New London, Connecticut, founded in 1876.
United States Merchant Marine Academy (USMMA) in Kings Point, NY, founded in 1943.
United States Air Force Academy (USAFA) in Colorado Springs, Colorado, founded in 1954.
RJ Coker
What inspired you to pursue a military service academy education and how did you first learn about the opportunity? As my dad went to West Point and still serves in the Army, I have always been around the military. Even as a little kid, I have always wanted to attend a service academy. Ultimately, I am choosing to attend an academy because it provides a rigorous education and competitive environment that I truly can’t get anywhere else.
What school are you going to this fall and what is your major? Air Force Academy, undecided major (If I had to choose, either Management or Engineering).
What are your long-term career goals and how does attending this particular military service academy align with those goals? I have three main goals in life: To honor God, honor my family, and impact others by being the very best at what I do. I honestly couldn’t care much less about what I end up doing as long as I achieve these three goals. I know that God will honor the goals and dreams that I do end up making later in life given that I align my will with His. The Air Force Academy has a large Christian presence, which will allow me to grow in my faith, and also a very competitive environment, which will challenge me to create new and higher standards in which to hold myself. Ultimately, attending USAFA aligns very well with these three goals, so I am very grateful and excited for this opportunity.
The academy environment emphasizes teamwork and collaboration. Can you please tell us about a time at TCS when you worked on a team to achieve a goal? What was your role and how did you contribute to your team's success? One of the biggest/favorite opportunities here at Trinity was the honor of serving as a captain on the football team. Serving in this capacity allowed me to further develop my leadership skills and high view of camaraderie. Our ultimate goal as a team this year was to win the state championship, but we fell short. However, as bad as our season may have appeared from the outside, I wouldn’t have wanted to have a different outcome. The lessons and grit that I learned personally and learned as a team are far more valuable than holding up a championship trophy. I know the energy that our team leaders brought and the determination our team had to remain competitive will allow me to succeed in even greater capacities later in my life.
Service academies are academically rigorous. How has TCS prepared you academically for this? Simply put, Trinity’s offering of a wide variety of AP classes has provided me with preparation for such a rigorous academic road ahead. Some of the AP classes I have taken are classes or similar to classes that I will take at an academy, even in my sophomore and junior years. Additionally, the spirit of learning that my teachers have has also inspired me to push myself academically and also prepare me for any level of education that I may have wanted to pursue.
Additional comments you would like to share with our readers. “Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.” God has blessed each of us with talents and opportunities, and it is our duty to make much of Him with these things. Use the talents and abilities He has given you to make more and better Christ followers who love God and love people.
Ryan Melton
What inspired you to pursue a military service academy education and how did you first learn about the opportunity? The thing that inspired me to seek a military service education is because of my grandfather's service in the Navy. Ever since I was little I’ve wanted to be in the Navy just like him. As I got older, my mom always told me that a service academy was a great way to become an officer in the military.
What school are you going to this fall and what is your major? I am going to the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy and plan on majoring in marine transportation.
Congressional Nomination ceremony with Congressman David Scott
What are your long-term career goals and how does attending this particular military service academy align with those goals? My long term goals are to become a surface warfare officer in the Navy. By attending the USMMA I can not only get a major that will benefit my career, but also learn hands-on with the tasks I will be doing as a surface warfare officer. The USMMA is different from other service academies in the sense that they offer a sea year. In that sea year I will have the opportunity to sail on many different ships and learn how to run them from the bridge or if I go engineering, the engine room. This is extremely beneficial to my career path because once I get into the fleet of the Navy, I will already know and understand how to sail a ship.
The academy environment emphasizes teamwork and collaboration. Can you please tell us about a time at TCS when you worked on a team to achieve a goal? What was your role and how did you contribute to your team's success? A time at Trinity where I have learned teamwork and collaboration was in Beta Club. Being the president of Beta Club I have learned many leadership skills such as teamwork. During the induction this year, my team and I had to work to get everything in place and make sure there was a smooth ceremony. We split jobs across our board such as making the script, certificates, etc. Beta Club has greatly helped me learn teamwork and collaboration on an executive team.
Service academies are academically rigorous. How has TCS prepared you academically for this? TCS has prepared me through all of the rigorous AP courses that are offered. Since freshman year, I have taken as many AP classes as I could from Trinity and each has helped me tremendously learn how to balance school work with out of school activities such as baseball.