Not so long ago, the idea that a woman would be attending the United States Naval Academy would have struck many of a certain age as unimaginable, but when Gunston School senior Sydney Nittle was asked how she felt about attending this historically male institution, she had a look of surprise in her eyes that suggested how silly that question was in 2021.
So it is so refreshing to note that for this generation of high school seniors, that antiquated debate regarding single-sex education in our military academies is ancient history.
But what is even more refreshing is the exceptional quality of candidates that places like West Point and Annapolis are attracting even at a time when the United States remains engaged in combat operations.
A case in point is Gunston School’s Sydney Nittle. Motivated by a family history of military service, the active support of the Mid-Shore’s Bob Degour, the volunteer USNA Blue and Gold officer who helps future midshipmen with Academy admissions, and Gunston’s focus on developing leadership in their graduates, the stage was set for Sydney to navigate the extremely difficult application process and successfully become this summer an official member of the Class of 2025.
We asked Sydney the other day to stop by the Spy studio to talk about that process as she prepares her summer enrollment in Annapolis in a few weeks.
This video is approximately four minutes in length.
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