Burchfield nominated to
U.S. Military Academy at West Point

West Point Military Academy was not his first choice, Kendall senior Casey Burchfield said. "I really wasn't looking for any college that had anything to do with the military," he said.

In fact, he said, when the envelope came from West Point, he read it and set it aside for a few months.

"At first I thought it wasn't a real big deal but the more I thought about it, the more I knew it was a big deal ... they only send these letters to a few people," he said. "The more I thought about it, the more it became my top choice."

Burchfield is the only student in Orleans County to have received this nomination.

The nomination to West Point came about, in part, because of Burchfield's prowess on the wrestling mat. He has a win/loss record of 23/1 this season and placed fifth in the state finals. He has been the first student from Kendall to achieve that rank in more than 10 years, Kendall High School wrestling coach James Sauberan said.

Sauberan said it's a great honor for Burchfield to have been chosen, in part, because of his athletic record. "Being invited to attend West Point says a lot about Casey's academic record and a lot about him as a person," he said.

Wading his way through a maze of paperwork, applications and interviews, Burchfield said there have been interviews every step of the way and that is just to be given the opportunity to apply to the academy.

Burchfield was given a recommendation from Congressman John J. LaFalce's office in his quest toward admittance to the academy.

"We are very delighted to give him the nomination," Tim Callan, spokesman for LaFalce's office said. "He's a fine young man."

His parents, Carol and Wayne Burchfield, said during each step of the interview process, Casey has had to prove to West Point why he would be a good candidate for the Academy. "This has just been overwhelming," his mother said. "We're obviously so proud of him."

"Casey goes to school and college, has wrestling practice and tournaments almost every day of the week, holds down a job and keeps up his grades," she said. "He's always been disciplined and responsible ... he knows what he wants out of life."

According to his mother, Casey has been on the high honor roll since he began high school.

Burchfield said it might be a month or two before he hears back from West Point on the next step in his application process.

Burchfield said he intends to pursue mechanical engineering.