"the People's Paths!" Cherokee News Path - Trey Francis Selected to Attend West Point

***"Sequoyah Schools junior Trey Francis has been accepted to attend summer seminars at two U.S. Military Academies."***

TAHLEQUAH, OK - A Sequoyah Schools junior is set to get a head start on his future educational and career goals by attending a summer seminar at the United States Military Academy, also known as West Point. Trey Francis has been selected to participate in a Summer Leaders Seminar at the prestigious military school.

“Education is very important to the Cherokee Nation,” said Chad Smith, Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation. “We are pleased that Sequoyah Schools is producing academically competitive Native American youth, like Trey, who is an example of what our student body at Sequoyah can achieve with hard work and dedication.”

The Summer Leaders Seminar (SLS) is a summer program conducted for academically gifted high school juniors going into their senior year. The SLS is a week-long opportunity constructed of academic workshops, military training, physical fitness training and intramural athletics. The fast-paced program is very competitive as only 800 applicants are chosen out of the estimated 4,000 that apply each year.

“I was really surprised that I was selected out of so many applicants,” said Francis, who was also invited to participate in a similar program with the U.S. Air Force. “Getting invited to both seminars is almost unheard of.”

The seminars are a way to help students know if a career with the military is something of interest. Interestingly, a military career is familiar territory to the Francis family. Trey’s father, Dion, was once a captain and airborne ranger for the U.S. Army, but has never pushed any of his children to follow in his footsteps.

“I was in combat during my career with the army and although it has been a big part of my own life, I have never told my kids that they had to join any branch of the military,” said Dion Francis. “However, once Trey showed an interest, my wife and I have encouraged him and helped him fill out the necessary paperwork. As a parent, Trey’s opportunity is too exciting to put into words. For his mom and me, the invitation gives us hope for his future. We understand that there are no guarantees that Trey will be accepted into the formal program of either academy after high school, but it does increase his chances. Trey cannot become complacent in his goals. These summer programs are geared to give the kids a leg up, but Trey will have to do well and leave a lasting impression on his instructors.”

According to Trey, his desire to enter into a branch of the military stems from his desire to make a difference.

“I want to get into the military so that I can help,” he said. “My biggest concern is soldier fatality and injury rate. I plan to go into engineering. Maybe something that I design will make these statistics go down. I really want to make a difference.”

Trey attributes much of his academic success to the education and encouragement that he has received from his teachers at Sequoyah Schools.

“I appreciate all of the support and encouragement that I have received from so many of my teachers at school. I really feel like their interest in my military goals and the education that they have provided for me helped me to get accepted into each of these summer seminars.”

Sequoyah Schools originated in 1871 as an orphan asylum. It has since served as the Sequoyah Orphan Training School and the Sequoyah Vocational School. Today, it is known as Sequoyah Schools, after Sequoyah, a scholar who developed the Cherokee syllabary and is operated under the direction of the Cherokee Nation. Located south of Tahlequah, it is regionally and state accredited for grades 7-12 and has become the school of choice for more than 400 students each year.

For more information contact, phone: 918-453-00 or visit Sequoyah Schools web site.