Persistence has paid off for one Liberty Christian sophomore.Cameron Hart didn’t let an initial turndown deter him from continuing to pursue a goal he has long desired to achieve.Hart recently became one of 280 sophomores selected from a pool of 5,000 applicants to attend the 2019 Naval Academy Summer STEM Program. He applied last year, only to receive a letter thanking him for his interest but delivering the disappointing news that he would not be making the trip to Annapolis, Md. This year he gave it another shot and remembers getting called into the office at LCA to take a phone call from his dad.“I still had the turndown letter saved on my phone,” said Hart. “When my dad called I thought I was in trouble. He had gotten the email first and was too excited to wait to tell me.”This opportunity will allow Hart to interact with other students from around the country in the areas of science, technology, English and math. To be chosen, he had to write an essay about his interest in these areas. Selection was also based on PSAT scores.“I’ve been looking into the academy for a while since eighth grade,” said Hart. “This camp would be a good opportunity, like the first baby steps of making it, my goals turn to reality. That’s why I applied both years.”Hart will get to experience the life of a Navy midshipman firsthand, spending time on the base in Annapolis, Md., from June 17 through 21. Besides classroom and team projects, the group will also take a trip to Washington, D.C.“I’m looking forward to actually being on campus and getting the whole feel for the academy,” said Hart. “This is something I’ve been looking forward to for a long time. Once I get there it will be like, ‘Wow! This is why I wanted to do this so badly.’ I’m excited to meet new people and have those relationships in other parts of the country.”

Cameron Hart

Richard Demler