FARMINGTON -- Career academy takes on a whole new meaning for Javan Jowers since attending the United States Air Force Academy Summer Seminar, June 18-23.
At the beginning of the summer his career choices were wide-open. Jowers, a rising senior at Farmington who plays tailback and slot receiver on the varsity football team, contemplated a broad spectrum of interests: from Air Force officer to medical doctor, physical therapist, aerospace engineering or a vocation working with people.
Before leaving, Jowers told The Enterprise-Leader he fully expected attending the seminar would bring him to a decision-point.
"That should really help me decide, I hope that by going to this camp, it will help me affirm (a dream of becoming an officer and possibly a pilot in the USAF) or steer me away from it."
Now, he's settled on the Air Force Academy as a career path.
During the Summer Seminar program, Jowers was assigned to an "element" or group of about 10 persons, with an upper class cadet as Element Leader. The Element Leader accompanied participants almost 24 hours a day as mentor and guide. Along with his element, Jowers experienced life in cadet dormitories and ate at the cadet dining facility.
Participants explore academic majors during the week through workshops taught by Academy faculty members in subjects ranging from aeronautics to humanities. Jowers took part in a variety of physical fitness activities including a practice Candidate Fitness Assessment and a program highlight known as the "Military Exercise, or MILEX."
Jowers experienced what a daily routine is like for a fourth-class cadet, or freshman, at the Academy. During this day participants are challenged mentally and physically, undergoing room inspections, military knowledge tests, and physical challenges and training similar to what fourth-class cadets encounter. He soaked in as much as could be gleaned in that time frame.
That was the best part of the Summer Seminar for Jowers, whose uncles David Cotner and Doug Cotner served as pilots in the Air Force, acquiring a first-hand, realistic expectation for how academy life plays out on a daily basis instead of depending on research he has done or hearing stories from others.
The experienced clarified Jowers' vision.
"Although I am still open to the vast array of careers and opportunities that await after high school, my main focus will be attaining both a congressional nomination and an appointment in order to become a cadet and hopefully a pilot for the Air Force," Jowers said.
Jowers knows that won't be easy. Among other requirements, he will have to appear in front of a panel of former governors and senators who have attended and graduated from the Air Force Academy.
"You pretty much have to get their approval to get the appointment," Jowers said.
He submitted an essay in January outlining his reasons for wanting to attend the Summer Seminar, along with an academic resume. Jowers' qualifications poise the 5-feet-11, 175 pound, tailback/slot receiver as a bonafide candidate. Jowers bench-presses 240 pounds and carries a 4.1 grade-point average.
As a senior, he is taking a variety of college-level courses, including AP Calcus, AP Government, AP Physics and AP Environmental Science.
"I'm taking advantage of all these opportunities that Farmington is giving us, it's a great district," Jowers said. "So, I'm using these opportunities to better both myself and my community."
Spoken like a true scholar and a gentleman.
Sports on 08/02/2017