Tolland High School Senior Receives Appointment to West Point Academy

On the evening of June 27, the Tolland High School Class of 2011 will graduate. However, at least one senior will not be attending the ceremony.

Early that morning, Trevor Lafontaine, an academic and athletic standout at Tolland High School, will report to his first day as a cadet at the United States Military Academy at West Point in New York to begin basic training.

"I've wanted to go [to West Point] for as long as I can remember," Lafontaine said.

According to the academy's Web site, West Point is the oldest, continuously occupied military post in the country, and, in attending, Lafontaine will join a prestigious group of Americans who have also trained at the Academy, including, to name a few, Dwight D. Eisenhower, Douglas MacArthur, and George S. Patton.

It’s this rich history that partially attracted Lafontaine to the school.

"It's the oldest military academy in the United States and was created by Thomas Jefferson. It's been around since 1802," he said.

Lafontaine said he started applying to the academy a year ago, first contacting the school’s track and cross country coach, as Lafontaine has been involved in track and cross country his entire four years at Tolland High.

He also took part in a weeklong summer leadership program offered before the start of his senior year. The exposure to academy life made a big impression.

"It was really hard and tiring, but it was fun," Lafontaine said. "We'd wake up every morning and do physical training then get some exposure to different aspects of academy training. I had a blast."

"I started a file and wrote essays, basically did a lot of the usual things you do when you apply to a school. The biggest difference with West Point was that I had to get a congressional nomination," Lafontaine said. After contacting his office and participating in an interview with staff, Lafontaine received a nomination from Rep. Joe Courtney, D-2^nd District.

Lafontaine's parents, Peter and Judi Lafontaine said they are as proud as they can be.

"We cannot imagine him anywhere else but West Point and the United States Army. He was born to do something exceptional and this is it," Judi Lafontaine said.

Although he cannot attend his graduation, Lafontaine's fellow students, parents, teachers, and administrators at Tolland High did get the opportunity to congratulate Lafontaine for his appointment at an academic awards night ceremony held Tuesday evening.

Tolland High School Principal Dominque Fox noted that while student athletes are usually noticed as standouts for their accomplishments, it is not as easy to instantly recognize outstanding academic achievement. The awards ceremony, entitled "A Night of Excellence" aims to showcase students' academic accomplishments.

During the ceremony, dozens of students received honors for their outstanding academic achievements in art, business, computer design, English, family and consumer sciences, mathematics, music, physical education, science, social studies, technology, world languages, and more.

It was during this ceremony that Lt. Col. Retired Casey Neff, representing the United States Academy at West Point, presented Lafontaine with his appointment, acknowledging that upon graduation from the academy Lafontaine will be a commissioned leader of character committed to the values of duty, honor, and country.

Lafontaine was also recognized as one of the top 20 academic performers in his senior class, in addition to receiving the Senior Award in Technology Education and the Senior Award in Social Studies.

Lafontaine said he is not yet sure what he will major in, but expects to feel things out and make a decision in due time. Of one thing he is certain: on June 27 he will report to West Point to begin six weeks of basic training and will begin down the road to becoming a commissioned officer in the United States Army.

"The government will give me an education, and in return I will give them at least five years of active duty," he said.