2 minute read

ATTITUDE AND ALTITUDE ARE EVERYTHING

At an altitude of 7258 ft. on the campus of the United States Air Force Academy (USAFA), four outstanding cadets from Moeller dined with President Marshall Hyzdu ’96, Alumni Director Barrett Cohen and VP of Advancement Mary Fischer.

“They were outstanding young men as Moeller students, but to see them thriving in this environment is pretty special,” said Hyzdu. “To think that Moeller played a role in their success cements the importance of Moeller’s Mission and the impact it has on all our young men”

These cadets—Eric Wills ’18, Xander Kennedy ’19, Jackson Garrett ’22 and Michael Antaki ’22—are become. “It’s surreal how far I’ve come and grown over the years. And the transition from Moeller was seamless. There are a lot of similarities between Moeller and the Academy, both academically and athletically,” he said. “Moeller instilled discipline in me very early. It was a great fit.” exemplary in their own right. With only one hundred days left at the Academy, Eric reflected on not only his time there but on how Moeller prepared him to be the man he has

The four cadets are part of a prestigious group of young men and women who had steep competition to get their acceptance. But that doesn’t stop there. Michael Antaki continues to impress his first-year peers and leaders. Pursuing a double major in physics and astronautical engineering, Michael current Men of Moeller will be added to this list upon graduating from the Moeller Class of 2023: Connor Christenson (Air Force Academy)

There are currently Men of Moeller in service academies.

Joe Ginnetti (Air Force Academy)

Matt Seliga (Naval Academy)

Tommy Stines (West Point)

Carson Titus (Air Force Academy) is also playing club lacrosse while still completing all of his requirements for military training.

Moeller will be sending three more recruits next year. Joe Ginnetti ’23, Connor Christenson ’23, and Carson Titus ’23 will be joining this elite group at the Air Force Academy in the fall. The Moeller brothers who came before them set a good foundation for their success.

Logan Nelson ’16 graduated from the Academy in 2020. He currently is serving his country as a first lieutenant in the USAF.

“From what I have seen in recent years, Moeller has become a feeder school to the military academies,” commented Nelson. “As a graduate of both, Big Moe’s Mission is similar to the Air Force Academy’s; both are focused on building character. The eighth grader that wants both a challenge and a well-rounded education becomes a Man of Moeller by building character. Then that Man of Moeller seeks refinement of those values in higher education.”

Nelson continued that Moeller’s advanced STEM programs and athletic prominence gave him an advantage from day one. Because of the classes available at Moeller, he was able to test out of several general education STEM classes. This in turn, gave him more time for extra-curricular or research. “Time was a scarce resource there. Sometimes USAFA felt like one big four-year competition. You are ranked among your entire class in athletics, academics, and military. The athletics at Moeller, and the competitive mindset that came with it was a great segway into USAFA’s system.”

The relationship with USAFA is strong, and it will continue to be so with the quality of our Men of Moeller and its reputation for excellence. United States Air Force Chief Master Sergeant Randy Kwiatkowski who led the tour and hosted the visit asked, “What are you guys doing there at Cincinnati Moeller? It is incredible!”

Clockwise starting above: Joey Kobos ’25 and Hayden Sauer ’25 sell a chance to win a bucket list item to Tina and Jack McAneny. | Cooper Ralson ’24, Brendan O’Sullivan ’24, and Braylon Cox ’24 strike a pose ready to welcome guests. | Jennifer Kobos, Rhonda Wabrick, and Heather Sauer looking striking. | Tommy Stines ’23 rockin’ the ’stash. | 10x Raffle winner Ruth Kelly with 10x Raffle sponsor Prolink’s Mike Munafo ’00.

This article is from: