Summer 2016 will be a big summer for junior Bailey Sharp. Sharp will attend the Summer Seminar at the United States Air Force Academy from June nineteenth through June twenty-fourth.

  Sharp is beyond excited to attend this seminar.

  “I’m excited because it will help me to better prepare for my future,” said Sharp, “I’ve wanted to be in the military since I was in middle school. I’ve always wanted to follow in the footsteps of those who went before us, and protect our country with that same pride. I would love to become a pilot in our air force. Not only that, but my uncle before me was in the air force and I know it would have made him proud to see me in the academy.”

  The Seminar is an event in the summer that last five days where, if accepted, youth can go the the academy to experience a realistic slice of cadet life. The program takes place at the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado. According to the academy’s website, youth will  “live in cadet dormitories and eat at the cadet dining facility. They also explore academic majors through workshops taught by Academy faculty members in subjects ranging from aeronautics to humanities and participate in a variety of physical fitness activities, including a practice Candidate Fitness Assessment,” (academyadmissions.com.)

  Sharp plans to have a future career in the air force, as well as a degree in the field of engineering, and the Seminar is only her first step.

  “I think it’s fantastic and a true reflection on not only how great of a young lady Bailey is, but also how great our staff is at preparing students for the next phase of their life. It is a tremendous honor and her parents and her teachers should all be very proud of her accomplishments,” said High School Principal Randy Luebbert.

  Before youth can get accepted into the program, they have to accomplish a few steps. First, students are selected or nominated to participate in Summer Seminar on a “whole person concept.” The academy looks for “emerging leaders to take their air force into the future, looking for the leadership based on demonstrated leadership experience or potential in extracurricular and community activities, athletics, and academics,” says academyadmissions.com. Second, the youth has to apply for the Seminar. They provide things like a normal application would have, but the applicant might also include some test scores, an essay, and grades.

  “I was very nervous about the application process. I had to wait a while before I knew if I was accepted or not, and I wasn’t sure about the outcome but I definitely anticipated it,” said junior Bailey Sharp.

  Sharp was also planning on applying to the naval academy seminar but she was accepted to the USAFA before she got the chance to apply to the naval academy.

  “I was more excited to find out that I was accepted than I was surprised I got into the academy,” said Sharp.

  The academy is highly selective. The acceptance rate for the academy is 16.6 percent as of 2014. The years before that the acceptance rate was even lower coming in at 11 percent in 2009.