Calaveras High senior headed to USNA at Annapolis
Shortly after graduation in June, one of Calaveras High School’s graduating seniors will be shipping off to the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland.
Colin Dunn, a senior, received an appointment offer in early April and will be one of the 1,200 incoming plebes, or freshmen, out of over 17,000 applicants.
The USNA is one of the five military academies that offers its attendees a top-level four-year public university education and whose graduates go on to serve as commissioned officers in the Navy or the Marines. Midshipmen who attend the academy focus on courses in technology, mathematics, sciences, and engineering that will prepare them for military careers throughout the world.
The USNA was established in 1802. A Wall Street Journal article published March 29 described the USNA as “among the top six public colleges for graduates’ salaries in finance, tech, and consulting.”
Many USNA graduates are well known, but locally the most well-known is Albert Michelson, who lived in the town of Murphys in the 1850s and later in life was awarded a Nobel Prize in Physics.
Colin joins a very short list of people from the Mother Lode region to be accepted into one of the US military academies over the years. The application process is rigorous, requiring at least a year of preparing documents, being interviewed by top military officers, and getting a nomination by a local member of the United States Congress, in this case Congressman Tom Mcclintock. The academy only accepts the top performers academically and athletically, but also looks for exemplary leadership qualities.
Colin’s mom, Fara Roberts, said when Colin was in first grade, he learned about the academy from his uncle who was serving in the Navy. From that point forward, Colin became determined to complete college at one of these toprated institutions.
Colin attended schools within the Calaveras Unified School District since kindergarten. He rarely earned a grade lower than an A minus. Colin attributes this to attending school every day and teachers who made themselves available to help him along the way.
Colin worked hard to participate in leadership opportunities at school and within the community. Colin will be receiving his Scout Eagle in May and has been a member of the California Youth Coalition for the last year, helping to provide the youth voice to state and local government.
He is also an athlete, which has prepared him for the physical demands that will be required in the USNA. Colin lettered in baseball, football, track, and water polo while attending CHS.
Colin is the fourth generation on his mother’s side to serve in the military. His great-grandfather William Roberts (Sonora) was a Pearl Harbor Survivor; his grandfather Dan Roberts (Sonora) served in the Navy; his uncle Matthew Roberts (Valley Springs) served in the Navy and the Army and is a Veteran of the War on Global Terrorism. Colin’s other great-grandfather, Elvis Brock, served in the Air Force during World War II and retired from his military career. Colin’s paternal grandfather, James Dunn (Mountain Ranch), also served in the Army and is a Vietnam War veteran.
Induction Day for Colin will be June 27. He said he hopes that, upon graduation with the USNA Class of 2028, he will be able to commission into Naval Aviation. While Colin won’t be able to come home to Calaveras County frequently, he does hope that, when he is able to, he can share his experiences with students of his alma mater.