“I always wanted to fly growing up; I’ve always been fascinated with planes.”

This summer, senior Andy Lee will take the first steps towards realizing this dream, as he attends the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, in hopes of eventually becoming a pilot.

“I got to copilot a Cessna plane once and it was one of the best experiences I’ve ever had,” Lee said. “The academy is one route into becoming a pilot, and it really stood out to me when I visited. All the activities they had planned drew me in. It had a great campus and the overall environment just connected with me. They challenge you to become better which I really enjoyed.”

Lee said his chosen route to become a pilot had family connections; all of the men in his family have served in the Korean military.

“My family is Korean, and every male in Korea has mandatory military service for two years, so all the guys in my family have served,” Lee said. “That family background and history with it definitely introduced me and guided me to the idea of joining a service branch.”

Applying for a service academy is an intensive process; the application is broken into several parts and includes a physical fitness test and requires a nomination from a public official.

“First you go through an initial screening, mostly about your academics, and then they give you the opportunity to apply,” Lee said. “You do your application which has your traditional essay about yourself, but they also require a 30 minute fitness test, and then you have to get a nomination that can either be from a congressman, senator, or the President or Vice President; I got mine from Pete Olson. Then there’s also a medical test. If you get all three, then they start looking into your application.”

Lee’s time at the Naval Academy will begin while most seniors are still enjoying their summer; he will start basic training June 25.

“Everyone goes through basic training, it’s six weeks of physical and mental endurance, just to see if you could survive in that military aspect,” Lee said. “I’m a bit nervous about that but we’ll just see what happens.”

During his time at Cinco, Lee was involved in Technology Student Association (TSA), Mu Alpha Theta, and National Honor Society. He also represented Cinco at the 2019 Texas Boys State. Lee was also involved in Civil Air Patrol, the civilian auxiliary to the Air Force.

“I think grinding and putting effort into everything is the most important thing I’ve learned through high school,” Lee said. “There have definitely been some times where I think I was a bit lazy and now I wish I hadn’t. It’s really important just to try your best and put effort into everything you do.”