Fitch senior secures spot to West Point

Staff report

AUSTINTOWN

Fitch High School senior Brandon Akuszewski has earned a spot at West Point Military Academy, something he said he’s wanted since the sixth grade.

He applied with a GPA of 3.7 and ACT score of 31, but he knew that wouldn’t be enough for acceptance. So, Akuszewski also dedicated his free time volunteering at the veterans clinic, preparing meals and cleaning Austintown 911 Memorial Park, among other things. He also decided to avoid social media as much as possible.

“I made a rule for myself: Don’t post anything I wouldn’t want my grandma to see ... or a recruiter,” he said in a news release provided by Austintown Local Schools.

Akuszewski also had to obtain a congressional nomination on top of writing essays and going through a full physical exam to become one of the 9 percent accepted to the academy. The future West Point student plans to study political science and one day become a lawyer, but he also wants to serve his country.