Successful Faith students

By U.S. ArmyApril 15, 2014

FORT BENNING, Ga., (April 16, 2014) -- Each week in April, during the Month of the Military Child, we will feature one or two former Faith Middle School students who are doing something they love - whether they are at the starting point of their career or are several years in. Success will be defined as achieving personal goals, no matter what they may be.

Will Ostlund is a senior in high school, graduating in May as salutatorian, and will attend West Point. He attended Faith Middle School from 2008-2010.

Q: What do you currently do?

A: I am a senior at Fort Knox High School in Kentucky. I am C Company commander for our JROTC unit, a member of National Honor Society, on the varsity JROTC color guard, JROTC academic team captain, president of the environmental science club, the varsity soccer captain, a varsity football captain and a varsity tennis captain.

Q: Explain a typical day for you.

A: A typical day for me includes waking up at 6:30 a.m. to get ready for school, going through my day as company commander and an ordinary student. Depending on the day, I go to one of the multiple clubs I am involved in immediately after school, and then I head over to tennis practice. Following that, I round out my day with at least one hour of homework.

At West Point, I will start off as a new cadet entering BEAST - the six-week training program in which Army field training is crucial in indoctrinating a new cadet into the corps. Once that is over, I will begin my academic journey as a Plebe (freshman) and pursue a degree in Life Science.

Q: What high schools did you attend?

A: My freshman year, I attended Columbus High School in Columbus from 2010-2011. I then attended Bedford High School my sophomore year in Bedford, Mass., from 2011-2012. I now attend Fort Knox High School in Fort Knox, Ky.

Q: What led you to this career path?

A: My father has been in the Army for over 30 years, and I have admired him as a person and a leader. After he has given his time for our country, I also wish to serve my country as a Medical Corps officer later down the road.

Q: What are your future career goals?

A: Following my graduation from West Point, I hope to attend medical school at Yale University or Vanderbilt University and become a neurologist for the United States Army. I will serve for at least 30 years and possibly teach after my time is expired in the Army.

Q: Define success in your own words.

A: Success is when your actions spark any form of idea or action in even one other person. Nothing is a success if it does not, in some way, affect others in a positive manner.

Q: What was it like for you being a military child?

A: As a military child, it was extremely difficult adapting to several environments. Moving from Fort Benning to Hanscom Air Force Base, Mass., was probably my hardest move because I had to leave some really good friends behind and find new companions up north. It was also challenging to fit into a new soccer program ... because I was an outsider. But the glory of being a military child is being exposed to several different social groups and cultural beliefs.

For example, in Vicenza, Italy, I was able to learn some Italian and understand the arts and history of the nation. Everything is put into perspective when you can understand how people operate in a foreign nation compared to a country like America, where everybody has the same rights and same freedoms.

As an eighth-grader at Faith Middle School, I received the Don C. Faith award and had a brilliant teacher by the name of Libbie Kurinec. For any person reading this who was a student of Mrs. Kurinec or knew Mrs. Kurinec, they would agree that she is a wonderfully inspiring woman. I am grateful for all of her grueling presentation teachings and for her teaching me how to effectively develop a research paper. If Mrs. Kurinec is reading this, thank you.