BECKLEY, W.Va. (WVVA) -Woodrow Wilson High School was the home of “Academy Days,” an event organized by Senator Shelley Moore Capito. This event introduced students to the opportunities available at U.S. service academies and ROTC scholarships. Students also learned valuable applications tips from representatives from those service academies.

“So, when it comes to the services academies’ visibility to the public, these are incredibly important. I knew when I was applying to colleges, I had no idea what the service academies were let alone how to apply for them,” says 2nd Lt. Connor Hoback, a representative from the United States Airforce Academy and a speaker for the event.

We spoke to Levi Maddox from Pikeview High School who says this event helped him plan out what he wants to do after graduation and clear up misconceptions he had about applying for service academies.

“JROTC in High School doesn’t really matter as much as I thought it did except for the ROTC in college aspect. However, the community service and the leadership potential that occurs in JROTC... that does play a big role in the service academies as well as ROTC for college,” says Maddox.

1st Lt. Stephen DeMoss, another speaker at the event from United States Army, was a graduate from local high school, Shady Springs. He saw first-hand how valuable the information taught here can be for students. It was through Academy Days that he was first inspired to pursue a career in the army.

”...being able to come back to my hometown and speak to students that go to both my high school and high schools I participated with in sports and stuff is an unbelievable honor considering Senator Capito who is hosting today also was my nomination in the military academy, so I kind of just came full circle, and it gives me the opportunity to help others where I was helped initially...” says 1st Lt. DeMoss.

1st Lt. DeMoss says, regardless of your background or where you would like to end up in life, the military can provide a valuable resource for young people entering the workforce.

The next of Sen. Capito’s Academy Days will be held at Spring Mills High School in Martinsburg.