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Although red, white and blue may run through his blood, being a July 4th baby, for Fitch High School Senior Brandon Akuszewski, it would take a lot more than being patriotic if he wanted to earn a spot at West Point, United States Military Academy.
“Since probably about the sixth-grade I’ve dreamt about this,” said Akuszewski. On March 11, after being woken up quite abruptly by his mother, Akuszewski learned he would attend his dream school among the other 9 percent accepted.
To get into a school like West Point, being average is not an option and the application process is not an easy one; Akuszewski even had to obtain a congressional nomination on top of writing essays and going through a full physical exam.
A GPA of 3.7 and ACT score of 31 helped Brandon secure a spot at West Point, but being physically fit was also a heavily weighted requirement. Akuszewski also dedicated his free time volunteering at the Veterans clinic, preparing meals, cleaning the Austintown 911 Memorial Park and more. Another smart choice on his part was refraining from 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.
Akuszewski plans to study political science and eventually would like to become a lawyer, but above all else he wants to serve his country.
“All of Brandon’s teachers and principal team are extremely proud of the man he is and the man he will become. Not many kids that have that kind of focus and resolve at such a young age,” said Assistant Principal David Purins.