These Sioux Falls Christian graduates made it into the U.S. Naval Academy together. Here's how.

Morgan Matzen, Sioux Falls Argus Leader
·4 min read

Three Sioux Falls Christian High School graduates who went through the Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (JROTC) program at Lincoln High School together are now all attending the U.S. Naval Academy at the same time.

It’s incredibly rare that these three young men — third-year Mitchell Walker, second-year Daniel Colby and first-year Jason Lenning, all from the same school, JROTC program, hometown and home state — could make it in at once.

Three Sioux Falls Christian graduates who went through the JROTC program at Lincoln High School together are now all attending the U.S. Naval Academy at the same time. From left to right: Daniel Colby, Mitchell Walker and Jason Lenning.
Three Sioux Falls Christian graduates who went through the JROTC program at Lincoln High School together are now all attending the U.S. Naval Academy at the same time. From left to right: Daniel Colby, Mitchell Walker and Jason Lenning.

The acceptance rate at the USNA, based in Annapolis, Maryland, is slim — only 11%, according to CollegeBoard. Of the 3,000 students who qualify for the USNA, only 1,400 will receive appointments, and 1,200 become midshipmen, according to the USNA.

The application requires a nomination from the state’s U.S. Representative or Senator; an SAT score between 1210 to 710 or an ACT score of 25 to 32; good grades; a medical examination; a candidate fitness assessment; interviews; essays; a resume with examples of leadership, community involvement, service hours and more.

Colby, Walker and Lenning all got recommendations from South Dakota's congressional delegation: Sens. Mike Rounds and John Thune, and Rep. Dusty Johnson.

A look at the 'mind, body and soul' of applicants

Lenning’s mom Wendy Lenning said the application process is kind of like a “mind, body and soul” look at applicants, and said that’s why it’s amazing that all three young men followed the same path and are now at the USNA together.

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It also wasn’t guaranteed that Walker would make it to the USNA, since he’s a cadet in the U.S. Military Academy at West Point and is an exchange student at the USNA this semester, which is also a highly competitive application process. Walker’s mom Christine Walker said about 150 cadets apply to be exchange students and only eight get to exchange.

Once each of these three young men graduate from their respective academies, they will be officers in their respective military branches, Christine Walker said, calling them “high-caliber individuals.”

“It’s terrific each of them are pursuing their dream at these different academies. It’s fun to have them all together for a brief period of time,” Christine Walker said. “They have been voices of encouragement in each other’s lives.”

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For the love of country

At the USNA, the young men are all involved in the Officers’ Christian Fellowship, a nonprofit parachurch organization of military officers, family members and friends throughout the military.

“God had a big play in that,” Jason Lenning said, pointing to why the three young men are at the USNA at the same time. “Being with them is really cool, and it’s been helpful to have people to show me the ropes.”

Three Sioux Falls Christian graduates who went through the JROTC program at Lincoln High School together are now all attending the U.S. Naval Academy at the same time. From left to right: Daniel Colby, Mitchell Walker and Jason Lenning.
Three Sioux Falls Christian graduates who went through the JROTC program at Lincoln High School together are now all attending the U.S. Naval Academy at the same time. From left to right: Daniel Colby, Mitchell Walker and Jason Lenning.

He said he became interested in JROTC and service because of Walker, who was a big leader and mentor on their football team, and who encouraged him to look into it. He’s also motivated and passionate about leading others.

Service interested Lenning because of his “love for country, and the values that America has,” he said. “The military does a great job of producing leaders and people that are better than how they came in.”

While he’s only a few months into his academic career at the USNA, Lenning said he’s learned more about teamwork, time management and giving things 100% of his effort.

Sgt. Maj. Scott Bakken, the JROTC instructor at LHS, said all three of the students are “outstanding individuals” and that it was his privilege and honor to be their instructor.

As all three of his former students start their careers in service to the U.S., Bakken said he’d advise them to do the right thing and keep taking initiative.

“Never stop helping those that are in need, whether it be your fellow soldiers, Marines or sailors, depending on what branch they go into,” he said. “All three of them have very good heads on their shoulders, and I don’t doubt they’ll make good judgment calls and great decisions.”

This article originally appeared on Sioux Falls Argus Leader: Sioux Falls Christian, LHS JROTC grads make it into U.S. Naval Academy