The summer before high school freshman year is for introspection, decisions about where the path through high school leads. Wherever that is must be right for each student. It may be technical schools, community college, a job. Or the USNA. If a teen doesn’t take the time to think through their options, they may end up Somewhere by default–because they didn’t prepare for what they really wanted, because it was easier, because…

For those who think USNA is their goal, that choice involves a lot of work. I remember one example a teacher used in college for me (twenty years ago). He asked us-all in class, How many would like to be millionaires. Predictably, most raised their hands. Next question, How many will work hard enough in college to get a 4.0, to go to grad school? A few hands went down, but most students still thought they’d give up…