Six Nolan Catholic graduates earn military academy appointments, ROTC scholarships

After they walk the stage, most graduates wouldn't set foot back in their high school.  

But Jimmy Suter is helping a classmate build something for the A/V lab. That's just the kind of guy Suter is.  

"I lead to serve, not to be served," he said.

He has a level of maturity and selflessness not seen in many grown adults, let alone an 18-year-old.  

It's something our nation's military institutions took notice of.  

"I got into the Naval Academy, West Point, and the Air Force Academy as well as a Navy ROTC scholarship to Notre Dame," said Suter.

Just one of those appointments is coveted by students around the country; Suter received all three and turned them down. He took the ROTC scholarship to his dream school.  

"I know I want to fly jets in the military, so that's my goal after college, but I also just want to be a good servant leader and be of use to our country's military," said Suter

Again, not words you usually hear from an 18-year-old... But apparently, service is contagious at Nolan Catholic High School.  

"We've got six kids this year with eight different appointments and/or ROTC scholarships, which is pretty unheard of," said Clint Weber, the president of Nolan Catholic High School.

Five of Suter's classmates are headed to military academies. Two to the Naval Academy, one playing football for the Air Force Academy, one to the Coast Guard Academy and one to the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy.  

All of them show a level of service and maturity that Principal Susan Lococo just isn't used to seeing among young people.  

"These young men and women, I know they're looking forward to their freshman year, but I know they're looking further. They're more mature, they're more put together. They think these four years are probably going to be tough in some aspects, but what they're going to do afterward is going to be so remarkable," said Susan Lococo, the principal at Nolan Catholic High School  

Suter says even though he and his classmates are young, they understand what a life of service really means.

"I signed up for this. It's part of the sacrifice to serve in the military. People say if not me, then who? I want to be able to protect others who can't protect themselves and just be willing to make the sacrifice for others," he said. 

With students like the Nolan Catholic Six signing up to protect us, the future of our country couldn't be in better hands.